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Top Ten Reasons to Love Hillel

Author

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Date

September 9, 2025

A third-year student at Central Michigan University (and author of “Welcome to Hillel: Find Your Unique Path”), Ryley Steuer feels a deep connection to Hillel, which has shaped her college journey in countless ways. Through Hillel, she has found community and opportunities to help her grow personally and as a leader, including trips all over the country to meet other Jewish student leaders. Here are the top ten reasons Ryley loves Hillel: 

1. Hillel is the perfect way to meet other Jewish students. 
2. Hillel provides you with amazing travel opportunities for conferences and immersive experiences where you can expand your community and understanding of your Jewish identity. 
3. Hillel is a great place to relax, hang out, and leave behind the stress of school, work, and anything else that may be weighing on you.
4. Hillel has amazing Shabbat dinners that let you finish the week surrounded by community.
5. Hillel provides incredible leadership opportunities, not just on the campus level but also on a national and international level.
6. Hillel understands that students are busy and offers a wide variety of events so students can attend at their leisure and can stay for as long as they’d like.
7. Hillel offers students the chance to network with classmates, student leaders, and professionals, and build those connections over time.
8. Hillel programs, like retreats, allow students to spend time in a new environment for a weekend, and engage with friends in community.
9. Hillel is always there to provide students with whatever support they need.
10. Hillel hosts a wide variety of events, including Shabbat dinners, excursions to arcades, ice rinks, and escape rooms, and even puppy parties, so there’s always something for everyone!

Looking for your home away from home? We can help you find your community at Hillel. Is it your first year on campus and you’re not sure where to start? Check out across the country. 

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Hillel Stories

Welcome to Hillel

Welcome to Hillel: Find Your Unique Path

Author

Ryley Steuer

Date

September 2, 2025

“Welcome to Hillel” is a series of letters from current students welcoming first-year students to Hillel communities. Ryley Steuer, a third-year student at Central Michigan University (CMU), studying exercise science kinesiology and psychology, shares highlights of her experience at CMU Hillel and offers different ways first-year students can connect with their Hillel communities. Read Ryley’s welcome:

The week before moving into college at Central Michigan University felt terrifying to me. I was moving away from everything I knew, and leaving the vibrant Jewish community I grew up in. The college I chose had a small Jewish community, which was an unfamiliar experience for me. Thankfully, even before I set foot on campus, I knew to look for Hillel. 

Everything I’d heard affirmed my belief that Hillel would help me step out of the community I was raised in and grow into a new one. And as I grew my connection to Hillel over time, I found that it was even better than what I had expected. Hillel is a community that becomes family and a space that becomes a home away from home. At Hillel, I found delicious dinners, fun activities where I made new friends, and immersive travel opportunities. And the best part is that there’s something at Hillel for everyone. Wondering where to start? Here are some of my favorite Hillel classics that I love on my campus, and that I know you’ll want to check out on yours: 

Shabbat Dinners

Most Fridays, Hillels host Shabbat dinner. It’s the perfect way to unwind after a busy week and connect with friends! It’s often free for students, and if your campus isn’t hosting one, you can often join a nearby Hillel’s Shabbat celebration instead! One of the places we went to for Shabbat was a hibachi restaurant in town. It was so fun to relax with my friends and laugh as none of us could catch the broccoli in our mouths. It truly is such a good experience being able to have a fun meal with all my friends at Hillel!

Social Activities

College can feel stressful — with a heavy classload, new friends, and everything in between. Hillels plan regular events to help students relax and recharge. From arcades and escape rooms to puppy parties, ice skating, and bowling — there’s always something fun going on. Bring a friend or go and meet new friends there! One of my favorite memories is of an event at the arcade, where a bunch of us lined up to compete in pinball. I don’t remember who won because we all were bad, but I remember the endless laughter, and going home with my cheeks sore from smiling the whole time.

Travel

One of the most exciting parts of being involved in Hillel is the chance to travel. I’ve had amazing opportunities to visit cities like Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. to deepen my Jewish learning. One of the conferences I attended in New York was the ����vlogl Content Creators Forum. Here I learned everything from planning content to the final stages of exporting it. I had the honor of learning from influencer Max Cohen (@murrayhillboy), listening to Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman, and even attending programming with content creator Melinda Strauss! It was also so special being able to collaborate with peers on content ideas. Even beyond the event itself, it’s so meaningful to know I can still reach out to both the speakers and my peers for guidance or to bounce an idea off of them. 

Leadership

Lastly, Hillels deeply value student leadership both on a campus level and national level.  I have found so many leadership and growth opportunities through campus fellowships and national conferences. There is so much room to grow and lead in your own unique way.  

Your Hillel journey will be unique to you, your interests, and your campus. I can say wholeheartedly that Hillel has made my college experience so meaningful and helped me grow so much with its supportive staff and welcoming environment. 

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