Dear Hillel

Hillel Stories

Jewish Joy and Belonging

Dear Hillel: Growing a Community for Myself and My Team

Author

Haley Wilenzick

Date

May 11, 2026

“Dear Hillel” showcases letters from graduating seniors reflecting on their experiences of joy and belonging with their campus Hillels. Haley Wilenzick, a fourth-year student at Binghamton University, shares how building a home through sports and Hillel changed the way she approaches community. Read Haley’s letter to Hillel:

Dear Hillel,

I didn’t always know what finding my own Jewish community would look like. I was raised in New York, and while Judaism was always present in my life, it was never as part of a community that I helped create. I spent time in Jewish day school, Camp Ramah, and in Israel for a gap year. Each step deepened my personal Jewish identity, but heading into college, I still felt unsure about what it would feel like to intentionally build a Jewish community of my own.

Before I even moved into my dorm at Binghamton University, I had a sense that I would find something meaningful here. Jewish students who were not only focused on participating in a Jewish student community, but on creating a community where each student could forge their own personal connections to the Jewish people.

Once on campus, Hillel became part of my everyday life. My mom jokes that whenever I’m on the phone with her, walking through campus, I’m constantly stopping to say hi to my friends from Hillel, asking if they’re coming to Shabbat, checking in on the upcoming program they’re leading, or seeing if they want to meet up for a pick-up game later in the week. At a big university, that kind of community takes intentionality to build. Hillel made it feel small in the best possible way. It made it feel like home.

And as Hillel felt more like home, I felt a responsibility to build that sense of belonging for my friends in the best way I knew how — through sports. Athletics have always been part of my life. I grew up playing soccer and basketball, but I never expected that part of me to intertwine so deeply with my Jewish identity. Hillel gave me the opportunity to do both. From organizing hot yoga events downtown to coordinating logistics for the Hillel sports tournaments, I know the power of bringing people together for shared experiences. 

I joined Binghamton’s National Hillel Basketball Tournament team as soon as I arrived on campus.  Over the years, it became about community, about showing up for one another, and about playing as part of something bigger than ourselves.

I’ll never forget something one of the seniors said that first year: “When will we ever get to do this again? Play together, surrounded by Jewish community, with a full Shabbaton around it?” That moment stayed with me. It captured exactly what has made this experience so special every year.

Being part of a team taught me so much about what it means to be part of a Jewish community. As a first-year student, you learn from the older students. You find where you belong. Then, before you know it, you’re the one welcoming others in, showing them the ropes, and making sure they feel like they belong. That cycle of learning, leading, and lifting others up is at the heart of both athletics and Jewish life.

As I prepare to graduate, I’m reflecting on the full circle feeling of my involvement with NHBT: the Binghamton women’s team that I captained placed first at this year’s NHBT. It was an incredible feeling. After four years of building, recruiting, and practicing, my dream became a reality.

But the truth is, the win wasn’t even the best part. What mattered most was everything that came with it: the relationships, the teamwork, and the sense of belonging. I wouldn’t have found any of that without Hillel at Binghamton.

Over the past four years, I’ve watched Hillel grow into a vibrant, welcoming hub for students. Now, the building is full of energy, laughter, and conversation. It’s a place where anyone can walk in and immediately feel like they belong. That kind of space doesn’t just happen. It’s built by people who care. The staff, the Springboard Fellows, and the student leaders create an environment that makes you want to give back. And I’ve felt that pull firsthand. The more Hillel gave to me, the more I wanted to invest in it.

As I prepare to graduate, I’ve been thinking a lot about what comes next. I’ll be taking a gap year to explore neuroscience research opportunities before applying to medical school. There’s a lot of uncertainty ahead, but there’s also something Hillel helped me feel completely sure about: I know I will seek out and build a Jewish community wherever I go.

Hillel showed me what that can look like. More than that, it’s shown me how to create it, how to lead, and how to help others feel like they belong too.

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News

Finding Harmony: How Kaskeset and Hillel Empower Jewish Students to Sing Through Challenge and Change

Author

Rachel Miller

Date

July 10, 2025

For Jordi, a recent Binghamton University graduate, Kaskeset  – the school’s only Jewish a cappella group – wasn’t just a place to sing. She spent time there learning to lead, to laugh, to reflect. Perhaps most importantly, with Kaskeset she was able to be unapologetically herself. “I can show off my Jewish pride without being ashamed,” she said. “In this group, I could just be me.”

A Modern Orthodox upbringing and five summers at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires shaped Jordi’s early Jewish identity. But it was at Binghamton University, through Hillel and Kaskeset, that she found the space to take ownership of it. After leaving a university a cappella group following the events of October 7, 2023, Jordi found refuge and empowerment in Kaskeset, which is supported by Hillel.

“Auditioning for Kaskeset was the best decision I made,” she shared. “To me, Kaskeset is community. It’s healing. It’s leadership. It’s everything.”

Student Mya Malsan’s journey to Kaskeset began even earlier, in childhood choirs and Jewish day school. After graduating from a small K–8 Jewish day school and entering a public high school with no Jewish community to speak of, Mya longed for the connection she had once known. At Binghamton, she found it in Kaskeset and Hillel.

“Everyone comes from different backgrounds and majors, but we’re all tied together through celebrating Judaism,” she said. “Music is culture, it’s memory, and it’s something that always brings us back to ourselves.”

Both Mya and Jordi lit up as they discussed the powerful emotions they feel when singing a Hebrew prayer passed down through generations. As Mya put it: “Sometimes I think, maybe my great-grandmother sang this same song. That’s so powerful.”

To students like Jordi and Mya, Kaskeset is more than an a cappella group; it’s a sacred space where Jewish students process, create, and celebrate their identity through music.

A Global Chorus of Support

Kaskeset’s story is not an isolated one. Across the globe, ����vlogl supports hundreds of student-led communities like Kaskeset. Places where Jewish young adults lean into tradition and tell their stories through art, music, prayer, and learning.

“Hillel is what makes this all possible,” Jordi said. “Hillel welcomed me when I committed to Binghamton. They’re the ones who said, ‘Yes, go for it’ when I pitched a graphic design project or wanted to plan a Rosh Chodesh event with journaling and art.”

A New Soundtrack for a New Generation

Now Kaskeset is preparing to release their first EP since before the pandemic, a project born out of resilience, joy, and the deep bonds formed over late-night rehearsals and shared visions.

The album, produced by recording engineer and producer and featuring songs in both Hebrew and English, will include beloved Jewish pieces like “Oseh Shalom” as well as contemporary favorites like Lizzy McAlpine’s “Ceilings” and One Direction’s “Drag Me Down.” Mya, who solos on “Ceilings,” said it’s been one of her most exciting college experiences. “It’s such a beautiful way to capture this moment in time with people I really love and admire,” she reflected.

For Jordi, who helped spearhead the idea, it’s more than just a collection of songs. It’s a time capsule of Jewish joy, pride, and togetherness in an era when such things feel more precious than ever. 

Check out Kaskeset’s music on Spotify:

Singing Toward Tomorrow

Spaces like Kaskeset and Hillel offer Jewish students a story of healing, harmony, and hope. “Judaism and music are both about evolving,” Jordi said. “They ask us to reflect, to grow, to build community. That’s what I’ve found here through Hillel at Binghamton.”

This group of students sings through the uncertain rhythms of college life and the steady beats of ancient tradition. They sing in Hebrew and English, using new harmonies and old melodies. They draw strength from one another and raise their voices in a declaration that Jewish life is vibrant, multifaceted, and alive on campus. 

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News

Six Amazing Hillel Sukkahs

Author

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Date

October 6, 2023

Sukkot is a harvest festival commemorating the 40 years the ancient Israelites spent wandering in the desert, searching for the land of Israel. The weeklong festival is observed by building and spending time in a sukkah, a temporary outdoor structure, where families, friends, and communities gather, eat, and sometimes even sleep. At campus Hillels this year, students created beautiful sukkahs, hosted meaningful and fun programs, and used them as hubs for service projects. Read more:

Eckerd College

On a predictably hot Wednesday afternoon, twelve Eckerd Hillel students gathered on campus to build a sukkah — the first in ten years! Throughout the week, the sukkah was in high demand, for Shabbat and Havdalah services, a “Pizza in the Hut” dinner, and plenty of hang-outs and study sessions. As Mindy Rosenthal, Program Director at Eckerd Hillel, described, “With little know-how but a great deal of fortitude, the sukkah arose – with students somewhat surprised, but proud and overjoyed by their accomplishment.” She added that, “Come the end of the holiday, the sukkah will be placed in storage until the next Sukkot in St. Pete. A new Eckerd College tradition has been born.”

University of Rochester

UR Hillel kicked off Sukkot with a bagel brunch and candy sukkah-making event. Students and staff were joined by Sasha the therapy dog for cuddles as they enjoyed bagels and schmear. Brunch was followed by a candy sukkah bar, where students made tiny sukkahs that, according to Sarah Walters, Director of Student Life at UR Hillel, “were as adorable as they were tasty!”

Florida International University

As part of Hillel at FIU’s Social Justice Sukkah, students packed 50 “blessing bags” to distribute to the unhoused population in communities near the University. In more food justice work, Hillel at FIU also partnered with Repair the World to pack over 100 food baskets for the Kosher Food Pantry hosted by the local Jewish Community Services.

Ithaca College

Hillel at Ithaca’s “Shuka in the Sukkah” brought Israel to Ithaca, New York, turning their sukkah into an open-air market meets Aroma cafe. Over 100 students stopped by to shake the lulav and etrog, sip on ice Aromas, and pick up some sweet Hillel swag, all while jamming to an Israeli playlist.

Northeastern University

Northeastern Hillel hosted a “Hang in the Hut with Hillel (Staff),” where students could swing by the sukkah, shake the lulav, and take a study break, as well as a “Sushi in the Sukkah with the FYSH” for first-year and transfer students. In addition to providing opportunities to relax, Hillel also hosted learning opportunities, bringing their Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) courses and a special session on wellbeing in Judaism to the sukkah.

University of Wisconsin

“Shakshuka in the Sukkah” was the Sukkot edition of one of UW Hillel’s programs, Be’Teavon (Hebrew for “bon appetit”) – which was created by their Israel Fellow, Gefen. Students had the opportunity to gather in Hillel’s rooftop sukkah to cook shakshuka, as well as learn about the unique origins of this delicious Israeli dish. Afterward, the students-turned-chefs had the opportunity to enjoy their meal in the sukkah, along with great company.

“The senior class also gathered at Greg and Andrea Steinberger’s house for their first Kabbalah for Seniors night,” shared Sophie Shapiro, Director of Student Life at UW Hillel. “They engaged in meaningful conversations about the holiday and Jewish life after college. Plus, they were treated to a delicious dinner, handmade by our one and only Rabbi Andrea Steinberger!”

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News

What’s Happening on Campus: Welcome Week Edition

Author

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Date

September 12, 2023

Colleges and universities across the country welcomed new and returning students to campus this month. Enjoy this snapshot of programming for first-year students and beyond at Hillels all the way from Florida to Arizona.

Florida State University

When Hurricane Idalia disrupted move-in and welcome plans for students beginning and returning to Florida State University (FSU), FSU Hillel provided a safe and dry space for students to meet each other and settle into the semester. At FSU Hillel’s spontaneous Kvetch Sesh, complete with bagels and snacks, students had the opportunity to share excitement for the new school year, worries about the impact of the storm, and overall, had fun getting to know each other. 

University of Connecticut

University of Connecticut Hillel’s (UConn Hillel) annual FYSH (First Year Students of Hillel) program pairs first-year UConn students with an upper-class mentor to help them adjust to college life. This year’s FYSH Fest welcomed 22 first-year students to campus before the semester began. In addition to fun at Six Flags, roller skating, and a scavenger hunt, students dove into deep discussions on Judaism, academic goals, and life in general. Edina Oestreicher, Executive Director of UConn Hillel, shared, “We’re so excited that we could give them a taste of the fun, warm, and welcoming community Hillel has to offer, and most importantly, introduce them to their home away from home in Storrs.”

Syracuse University

FreshFest at Syracuse Hillel, a pre-orientation program that helps first-year students connect with each other and settle in on campus, welcomed almost 300 students this year, making it the largest pre-orientation program on the University’s campus. As the High Holidays approach, the energy from FreshFest carries through into programming and services, such as delicious holiday meals, social justice programs like Reverse Tashlich, and more, designed to make Syracuse Hillel feel like a home away from home for all Jewish students. 

Binghamton University

In addition to also hosting their own FreshFest, Hillel at Binghamton welcomed students from all years to a week of fun that included charcuterie making, a barbecue, a birthday party for all the summer birthdays, and a welcome-back Shabbat. As Emi, Class of 2024 shared, “We kicked off the school year in style. I can’t wait to see what Hillel at Binghamton has in store!”

Arizona State University

To welcome first-year students to campus, Arizona State University Hillel (ASU Hillel) hosted over 130 guests for a Welcome Brunch that included delicious food and opportunities to  learn about all that ASU Hillel has to offer, including Shabbat programming, weekly snacks and chats with Hillel staff members, and High Holiday meals and services. Parents and students attended respective welcome Q & A sessions. Rabbi Suzy Stone, the Senior Jewish Educator and Campus Rabbi, spent time with the students so they could start to get to know her from day one! 

Later in the week, over 200 students filled the ASU Hillel building for the first Shabbat of the year, which featured musical services, communal Shabbat meals, and time to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones. 

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