Birthright Israel

Campus Trip

University of Maryland, College Park

Trip Dates

1/5/2027-1/17/2027

Departure Location

NY Area

Campus Contact Info

Dan Kling,
dkling@marylandhillel.org

This trip is a gift from Birthright Israel

The gift of a Birthright Israel trip is made possible thanks to an innovative partnership between Jewish philanthropists, Jewish communities and Federations, the people of Israel through the Government of Israel, tens of thousands of alumni, their families, and individual donors from around the world who believe in our mission.

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Dear Hillel

Hillel Stories

International Student Cabinet

Dear Hillel: Leading with Pride and Joy

Author

Einav Tsach

Date

May 11, 2026

鈥淒ear Hillel鈥� showcases letters from graduating seniors reflecting on their experiences of joy and belonging with their campus Hillels. Einav Tsach, a fourth-year student at the University of Maryland and co-chair of the 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet, shares how Hillel shaped his community and leadership in the years following October 7th. Read Einav鈥檚 letter to Hillel:

Dear Hillel,

Right before sunset on Friday evenings, something special happens on Mowatt Lane in College Park, Maryland. With Shabbat setting in, scores of Jewish students from all corners of the University of Maryland (UMD) flood the sidewalk. They鈥檙e on their way to Maryland Hillel for Shabbat services. Despite not always knowing each other, everyone greets the people they pass with 鈥淪habbat shalom.鈥� 

That moment of ritual – one of deep tradition and pride – is only a small part of what it鈥檚 like to be a member of my school鈥檚 nearly 6,000-strong Jewish community. Whether it鈥檚 attending services, eating at the kosher dining hall, stopping by weekly coffee hours, planning an event, going on a Birthright Israel trip, or just spotting another student around campus with a Magen David necklace, the Jewish community at my Hillel is all-encompassing and vibrant.

That community became my anchor during my second year at UMD, when war broke out in Israel, where I lived until I was eight. As Hamas launched rockets, massacred more than 1,200 people, and took over 250 hostages into captivity during the October 7, 2023 attacks, a hateful wave of antisemitism was unleashed on campus. My non-Jewish friends stopped talking to me after I spoke out against Hamas, and student organizations I was involved with turned me away. I remember a surreal conversation with my grandfather, a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor, who heard the news from campus and called to check on me. 

At that time, normal life felt impossible. I felt an acute sense of loneliness as I tried to carry on with my routine on campus. It seemed that no one around me could relate to what I was going through.

I turned to Hillel, where, under the most difficult circumstances, I found healing. I found hundreds of other students who felt the same way I did, and a passionate staff that stood ready to support us. 

We uplifted each other by organizing vigils, tabling on campus to share our perspectives, and wrote op-eds to spread the word even wider about the hatred Jewish students were confronting. We campaigned against the BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) movement in the UMD student government, projecting a united front as a community, and modeling our commitment to civic engagement. We held dozens of meetings with our university administration to advocate for the needs of Jewish students. 

As I deepened my involvement on my campus, I also had the privilege of traveling nationwide to conferences and gatherings at other campuses, where I met fellow Jewish leaders. Each time, I was blown away by my peers鈥� resilience, and their drive to shape a more inclusive reality for Jews on campus.

The ceaseless work on my campus, and my involvement with Hillel led to my appointment as the co-chair of 糖心vlogl鈥檚 Student Cabinet. This year, I worked with a global group of students whose leadership on their campuses鈥� Jewish communities was inspiring. The Student Cabinet co-chairs also sit on 糖心vlogl鈥檚 Board of Directors, where I saw firsthand how Hillel puts students at the forefront of everything we do.

The trust and empowerment I received from my Hillel community shaped me as a person. Hillel proved the impact that鈥檚 possible when we work together and lead from a place of pride in who we are. The lessons I learned as a Hillel leader are ones that will stay with me forever.

Perhaps even more importantly, I credit Hillel with introducing me to the people who are, and will remain, my closest friends. Our connections were formed through moments etched in my memory: four years of Israel Fest, hours of bonding and connecting with each other on Shabbat, running around Tel Aviv on Birthright Israel and Onward Israel, barbecues with my fellow Israeli students, late-night strategizing in the Hillel conference room, and so, so much more. 

As I write this letter ahead of graduation, I realize that my time at Hillel represents the most significant period of growth of my life. With just a few days left on campus, I know that these moments are limited and the memories are precious. I move forward with true gratitude.

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News

Welcome to Hillel: A Letter from 糖心vlogl’s Student Cabinet Co-Chairs

Author

Ariela Moel and Einav Tsach

Date

August 21, 2025

The 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet is a group of Jewish student leaders, deeply involved in their campus Hillels, who were nominated and selected to serve in an advisory role for 糖心vlogl. They represent the voices and interests of Jewish students across the global Hillel community. This week, the Student Cabinet gathered in Washington D.C. to get to know each other, meet Hillel professionals who will support their work, and plan for the year ahead.

Ariela Moel and Einav Tsach, co-chairs of the 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet, share a welcome for all Jewish college students walking onto campus this year. Read their thoughts below:

Dear Friends,

Mazel tov! Whether you鈥檙e beginning your college career or continuing your college journey, there鈥檚 something so special about starting another year  marked by meaning, personal growth, challenges, unexpected turns, and most importantly, memories that will last a lifetime. 

Our names are Ariela Moel and Einav Tsach, and we鈥檙e Jewish college students 鈥� just like many of you. Every step we鈥檝e taken in our leadership journeys as Jewish students has brought us to where we are today, as co-chairs of 糖心vlogl鈥檚 Student Cabinet, where we work to elevate the voices of Jewish students everywhere.

If you鈥檙e a first-year student, we know that you may be nervous. College is a big deal 鈥� we鈥檙e exploring a new and unique chapter in our lives, and that change can sometimes be tough. When we finished high school, we were full of excitement and anticipation, but also had some jitters. Now though, we are so grateful for all the opportunities we鈥檝e experienced as Jewish students in college. In this moment, we encourage you to lean in, be present, and imagine the incredible moments you can find as Jewish students. 

We are part of a community that includes Nobel Prize winners, Supreme Court justices, comedians who change how the world laughs, and activists who change how the world thinks. And now it鈥檚 our turn.

College is where we discover that everything we learned growing up was training for deepening our interests and finding our future path. At Hillel, we鈥檝e watched this realization happen countless times. And now, as part of the 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet, we have the honor of working with students who are living this journey. 

We see the future lawyers turning childhood debates about bagel toppings into thoughtful conversations about contemporary issues. We see the journalism student who uses the Jewish storytelling tradition she grew up with as the perfect preparation for telling unforgettable human stories. And we see the future doctor who finds inspiration to heal the world through the comforting food and Jewish values they learned from their grandparents.

And the friendships? The people we have met at Hillel have become our communities and our anchors to support us as we explore new skills and facets of our identities. After just a few Shabbat dinners, we discovered that we鈥檙e part of a new family. 

As a Jewish student at Hillel, our differences are celebrated and our unique perspective is treasured.聽In college, we craft our own meaningful Jewish stories.

We write this knowing that recent events, including the horrors of Oct. 7, 2023 and their aftermath, have magnified both the challenges our community faces and the incredible strength we possess. Jewish students carry this profound understanding of what it means to support one another and to stand up for our values with courage.

We can鈥檛 wait to see all you do as you begin – or continue – this exciting chapter of your story. And we can鈥檛 wait to help tell your story on the 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet. 

With absolute confidence in you,

Ariela Moel and Einav Tsach

2025-2026 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet Co-Chairs

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News

We鈥檙e Craving Some Competition: Reinventing a Jewish A Cappella Event

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

February 27, 2025

The Northeast Hillels A Cappella Tournament (NHAC), a student-inspired and led initiative, came together through the ideas and hard work of a group of dedicated students. Read on to learn more about student leader Elyon Topolosky who is a performing arts student who loves Jewish music. This is the second part in a two-part series about NHAC student leaders.

For Elyon Topolosky, the music director of , one of University of Maryland鈥檚 two Jewish a cappella groups, his introduction to the world of competitive collegiate Jewish a cappella came before he was a college student himself. His high school a cappella group, Shir Madness, had the chance to be the opener and intermission performer at , a national Jewish a cappella competition once held at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C.

鈥淲e got to spend the entire weekend with the groups,鈥� Elyon recalled. 鈥淪o first of all, it was so cool to be performing alongside college groups as a high school student. But really, the weekend experience, the full Shabbaton alongside the competition, was something I still remember in full detail today.鈥�

This year, 糖心vlogl and the University of Maryland Hillel are working to bring this type of experience to life once more 鈥� with the first-ever Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition, where six Jewish a cappella groups will gather together for a Shabbaton and competition. 

As a student leader in the Jewish community on campus, Elyon has helped run large-scale events at the University of Maryland, but this was something totally new. 鈥淲e created a whole new event structure,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been managing logistics and coordinating with so many people from 糖心vlogl to bring it to life. It’s going to be remarkable to see it all come together.鈥�

The will be more than just a contest. In fact, the gathering will include a full Shabbat experience 鈥� services, meals, and plenty of community time 鈥� with music playing a key role. 

鈥淲e wanted to really do this with the whole community, not separately. We wanted to join Maryland Hillel for Shabbat and bring our voices into the room,鈥� he said. 鈥� 

Working with Hillel staff on campus, Elyon has helped coordinate logistics to ensure that there will be musical elements to both the egalitarian and Orthodox Shabbat services, with members of a cappella groups leading prayers. Additionally, there will be singing before, during, and after meals, as well as workshops and teachings led by award-winning vocal arranger, songleader, composer, and vocalist , who will also be serving as the event鈥檚 MC.

For Elyon, something he鈥檚 most excited about is being able to connect with other Jewish a cappella groups and to see them perform 鈥� something he rarely gets to do outside of Spotify playlists. But as a theater major, Elyon is also excited to meld his passion for the performing arts, which he is majoring in, and his love for Jewish music and his Jewish friends.  

鈥淚 spend a lot of time with Jewish students and my Jewish friends, but there are times when I鈥檒l go hours and hours without really feeling a sense of Jewish identity in my studies,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ften, those two worlds don鈥檛 overlap. So it鈥檚 really special to be performing with my Jewish a cappella group, alongside other Jewish a cappella groups, in a space where I don鈥檛 always feel as connected to my Judaism. Bringing those two parts of my life togethers really exciting.鈥�

The Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition will be聽 aca-awesome 鈥� plan a watch party and check out the with your friends. Best of luck to everyone competing!

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News

An Aca-Revival of a Jewish Musical Event

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

February 27, 2025

The Northeast Hillels A Cappella Tournament (NHAC), a student-inspired and led initiative, came together through the ideas and hard work of a group of dedicated students. Read on to learn more about Dani Schwartz, whose idea for a Jewish college a cappella tournament started it all. This is the first part in a two-part series about NHAC student leaders.

From chanted prayers to summer camp song sessions to improvised harmonies in niggunim (the wordless melodies often sung as part of services), music is an integral part of Jewish culture. 

For Dani Schwartz, a senior at the University of Maryland, competing with other Jewish college a cappella groups is an exciting and meaningful expression of Jewish music culture. That鈥檚 why, along with her fellow student leaders, she鈥檚 helped organize the Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition, a new initiative presented by 糖心vlogl.

Dani joined , one of University of Maryland鈥檚 two Jewish a cappella groups, during her freshman year in 2021. Campus communities were finding their feet again after the closures and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the cancellation of the . 

鈥淭he older students [in Rak Shalom] spoke so highly of the experience they had competing with other Jewish a cappella groups,鈥� Dani said. 鈥淭hey got to sing together, and of course that was really fun, but there was also the social aspect: spending Shabbat with the other groups, getting to know them, and participating in something they were all interested in.鈥�

Dani first began considering a plan to launch a new Jewish college a cappella competition during her sophomore year, when she was serving as president of Rak Shalom, floating the idea to a few friends and getting their input. It wasn鈥檛 until she raised the subject with her father that things started really moving.

鈥淗e mentioned that Adam [Lehman, President and CEO of 糖心vlogl] goes to the same shul as our family,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檇 known Adam as a person, but I never really made the connection with his role until my dad brought it up and suggested talking to Adam about it.鈥�

Knowing that Adam was a member of his own community a cappella group and passionate about Jewish music, Dani approached him the next time she was home for Shabbat. 

鈥淚 just went up to him and said, 鈥楬i, I鈥檓 Dani, I鈥檓 part of Rak Shalom,鈥欌�� she recalled. 鈥淚t was our first in-depth conversation, but when I brought up the idea of bringing back a competition and talking to Hillel about what that might look like, he was so excited. He was so, so supportive.鈥�

That first conversation kicked off many more, and soon, planning for the first-ever Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition was underway. With support from 糖心vlogl staff and collaboration with University of Maryland Hillel, Dani and other student leaders planned a weekend that would celebrate Jewish music and the community it brings together.

 Six student groups will spend a weekend together in prayer, community, celebration, and connection. 鈥淲e knew it would involve more preparation to do a full Shabbat weekend rather than just an evening鈥檚 competition, but when I think about what鈥檚 meaningful about being part of an event like this, it鈥檚 really about the Shabbat and the community aspects,鈥� Dani said. 鈥淪o I thought, let鈥檚 do it.鈥�

While this is Dani鈥檚 senior year, she has high hopes for the future of the competition. 鈥淚 would love to see it grow to include more than just the northeastern part of the country,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that every Jewish a cappella group wants to be a part of, because it鈥檚 such an amazing experience,鈥� she said.

And what about winning?

鈥淲ell,鈥� Dani said, all smiles, 鈥淭hat definitely would be a plus!鈥�

Best of aca-luck to all the competing groups 鈥� may all your pitches be perfect!

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News

The Hillel Dance-a-thon That Saved a Life

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

July 25, 2024

When college student Alex Davidson attended a dance marathon hosted by the University of Maryland to raise money for Children鈥檚 National Hospital in 2013, the last thing he expected was to kick off a series of events that would save the life of a little girl. 

But that鈥檚 exactly what he did.

鈥淗illel had sponsored Terp Thon that year and brought in the Gift of Life folks,鈥� Alex recalled. 鈥淭hey had a table for people to get swabbed to join the bone marrow registry. I didn鈥檛 have a particular reason for swabbing 鈥� it just seemed like the right thing to do.鈥�

Gift of Life is a nonprofit that works to cure blood cancers and other disorders through cellular therapy. The organization has teamed up with students on college campuses to facilitate donor recruitment drives for over two decades. Diversity is a critical part of the donor registration registry 鈥� the best chance of finding a match is between two people who share ethnicity or genetic heritage 鈥� and Jewish college students  often run donor recruitment drives to connect other Jewish young adults with the registry.

Alex鈥檚 decision to get swabbed was spontaneous, and afterward, he put it out of his mind. He went on Birthright with Maryland Hillel during the summer of 2014, then stayed in Jerusalem for the rest of the break. When he returned to campus for his senior year, he got more involved with Hillel, thanks to the friends he鈥檇 made on his Birthright trip.

Then, in 2019, Gift of Life contacted Alex, telling him he was a potential match for a patient.

 鈥淭hat one didn鈥檛 end up moving forward with that patient,鈥� Alex said.

Since being a potential match for even one person is so rare, Alex thought that was it. But three years later, he got one more call. 

鈥淚 actually did the blood tests on my birthday,鈥� Alex said. 鈥淎nd then, on my anniversary with my then-fiance, I got the call that they wanted to move forward.鈥� 

Alex鈥檚 match was a seven-year-old girl with severe aplastic anemia. 

鈥淭hat was one of the wildest parts of all of this,鈥� Alex said. 鈥淭o me, 2013, when I did my swab, wasn鈥檛 really that long ago. But she wouldn鈥檛 even be born for another few years.鈥�

Less than a month after receiving the call that he was the match, Alex flew to New Jersey, where he underwent a harvesting procedure to collect his bone marrow that was transplanted into his recipient the next day.

For confidentiality reasons, Gift of Life only passes along limited information between the donor and recipient for the first several months after a donation. At first, all Alex knew was that his recipient was still alive. But after a year, he was given the opportunity to correspond with the recipient鈥檚 parents.

鈥淪uddenly, I was emailing back and forth with her mom, and this mystery patient became a real person,鈥� Alex said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 just, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 your recipient.鈥� It was, 鈥楾his is Addie, and she鈥檚 eight years old now, and she鈥檚 doing great.鈥� That was amazing.鈥�

Months later, Alex finally met Addie, now nine, in person at the One Huge Night Gift of Life gala in New York, in front of a crowd of other Gift of Life donors, recipients, and supporters. 

鈥淚t was a picture-perfect moment,鈥� Alex said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 such a sweet kid, so spunky and full of energy 鈥� it was amazing. Seeing so many other donor-recipient pairs that are still in touch opened my eyes to the fact that this wasn鈥檛 just a one-time thing. It鈥檚 a lifetime connection.鈥�

After all, when he showed up at Terp Thon and had his cheek swabbed, making a lifetime connection wasn鈥檛 even something Alex considered. But it turns out five or six donor-recipient matches have since come out of that event. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a small thing, and chances are, you won鈥檛 ever get a phone call,,鈥� Alex said. 鈥淏ut I did it, and look what happened. When you have that opportunity, you should take it.鈥�

We鈥檙e so happy for Alex and Addie, and grateful Hillel brought Gift of Life to campus to make their connection possible.聽

Learn more about 糖心vlogl鈥檚

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News

Reflecting on Transformative Trips to Israel

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

June 7, 2023

RootOne is an organization that helps thousands of Jewish teens travel to Israel during their high school years. Many of those students go on to become leaders in their campus Hillels. The stories of these transformative trips are a snapshot into what inspires students to become leaders who are proud of their Jewish identities. Stay tuned as we share more of their stories.

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Serena Schwartz is a second-year student at the University of Kansas with a major in Psychology and a minor in Applied Behavioral Science. With support from , Serena went to Israel in the summer of 2021 on a trip with , a Jewish educational program in Houston. She shared that the trip to Israel brought her closer to Judaism and allowed her to explore many different ways Judaism is practiced. After returning home, Serena wanted to pursue more opportunities to stay connected Jewishly, even while being away from her family and the synagogue she grew up in. She first heard about Hillel from friends at her synagogue and decided to get involved. Serena is now a programming intern at and is excited to continue to build her personal Jewish community through Hillel.

During the summer of 2021, Logan Draluck received funding from to travel to Israel with . Logan often reflects that traveling to Israel in high school inspired him to continue participating in Israel-related activities and to become an Israel advocate on campus. When Logan arrived on campus at the University of Central Florida as a first-year student, he immediately got involved in Hillel. Logan attends Shabbat programming at every week, participates in the Jewish Learning Fellowship, and volunteered at Hillel鈥檚 Israel Block party. He shared, 鈥淏eing able to spend a month in Israel with people who have become lifelong friends of mine, is something that I am very grateful for. I grew in my Judaism and life experience through this trip. It was the first time that I observed Shabbat for multiple weeks in a row and kept kosher for an extended amount of time, which inspired me to continue these practices in college. I am forever thankful for those experiences.鈥�

Hadassah Sternfeld’s trip to Israel, which was made possible through funding from , gave her the ability to travel with her closest friends and the opportunity to strengthen her connection to Judaism and Israel. She reflected, 鈥淚 felt so at home in Israel, and being able to share this experience with friends I cared about truly meant the world to me. Each and every memory from my trip will last a lifetime, and I am beyond grateful to have had the chance to take such an impactful journey.鈥�

Hadassah鈥檚 Israel experience gave her a sense of independence when it comes to her Judaism, and the has given her opportunities to further explore that independence. Hadassah started her involvement with UF Hillel through attending services, which later led to her current roles as Director of Conservative Jewish Life, Assistant Director for the Leaders of Change program, and a member of UF Challah for Hunger鈥檚 Executive Board.

Victoria went to Israel during the summer of 2021 with support from RootOne. She shares, 鈥淕oing to Israel was the best thing I have ever done. The trip connected me to my Judaism in ways I could have never imagined. I made lifelong friends who I am still in contact with today.鈥� While on the trip, Victoria realized that finding a vibrant Jewish community as part of her college experience was a high priority. This realization drew Victoria to Brown University to study public health. 

 Victoria got involved with Hillel on the first day she stepped onto campus. She is particularly proud of her leadership in Brown RISD Hillel鈥檚 Students for Israel club. Victoria connects her involvement in Hillel to her experience in Israel. She explains, 鈥淭he trip made me realize the importance of being involved in a vibrant Jewish community. I am now a strong advocate on my college campus for Israel’s right to self-determination and making sure that Jewish students feel proud and safe around campus.鈥�

In the summer of 2021, thanks to a grant from RootOne, Jess participated in BBYO’s International Leadership Seminar in Israel, which she described as a life changing experience. One of the most profound parts of the trip for Jess was her visit to the Western Wall, 鈥淭he moment that solidified my faith and pride in my heritage was the moment I touched the Western Wall for the first time. I felt the thousands of years of history before me, and it made me realize just how resilient our people are. After that, my friends and I stood further away from the Wall, put our arms around each other, and recited the Shema, my favorite prayer.鈥� 

Jess鈥檚 experience in Israel inspired her to choose a school with a vibrant Jewish community when applying to colleges. At University of Maryland, she got involved in Hillel shortly after arriving on campus. Hillel offered Jess the opportunity to explore other aspects of Judaism which has been an interest of hers since her trip to Israel. Jess also serves on the board of Ruach, the Reform Jewish student group at University of Maryland Hillel.

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Jewish Identity

Jewish Learning

Go Make Friends at Hillel: Rebecca’s Story

Author

Rebecca Kominsky

Date

May 15, 2023

It was the first day of move-in for my first year at University of Maryland, College Park. My dad helped me move into my dorm and then, to my complete shock, dropped me off at Maryland Hillel with the firm suggestion, 鈥淕o make friends.鈥� I was terrified until I walked in and started meeting the warmest and most welcoming group of people I have ever encountered. It quickly made me feel connected to a strong community before I even stepped foot inside a classroom. 

Throughout my time in college, Hillel helped me find a balance between the rigorous scientific work that was involved in my psychology and neuroscience classes, and the spirituality and community that are also so important to me. Attending Friday night davening (prayer services) and Shabbat afternoon 鈥渟low shira鈥� or communal Shabbat singing, gave me a chance to tap further into the spiritual connection to Judaism that I began to explore during my gap year in Israel. 

I also explored incredible leadership opportunities through Hillel. I participated in an Israel education fellowship that taught me more about the complex history of the Jewish state. My friend and I started a beit midrash program for women, a text-based, intensive Torah study opportunity that opened up all kinds of conversations and new opportunities for women at Hillel. I also had the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia with Hillel and the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) to learn about JDC鈥檚 different initiatives there. 

Of all these opportunities and gifts, the greatest gift Maryland Hillel gave me was that of community. As I left Maryland and went on to pursue research in Neuropsychology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, I found a community of Maryland alumni waiting for me in New York who cared passionately about their own Jewish identities and who immediately welcomed me鈥� Just like they did on my first day at Hillel all those years ago. 

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Proud to be Jewish

When Basketball Meets Shabbat: Rami鈥檚 Story

Author

Rami Sloan

Date

March 10, 2023

Coming to campus as an observant Jewish student, I was immediately drawn to Hillel as the center of Jewish life at University of Maryland. I went to Hillel for kosher meals, for services, to meet friends, and to learn Torah. 

I鈥檓 also a lifelong basketball fan (go Sixers!), and was looking for a way to bring my Jewish life together with my love of basketball. When I learned about the National Hillel Basketball Tournament (NHBT), I knew I found the perfect blend of Judaism and basketball. I joined the board of NHBT and it quickly became an important part of my college experience. 

Now, as the Co-Chair of NHBT I am excited to welcome over 300 players and another 300 guests to Maryland Hillel in April for the 11th annual NHBT. Over the course of the weekend, each team will have the chance to play against teams from all over the country and from all kinds of Jewish backgrounds. 

In a moment unique to NHBT, at sunset on Friday, the competition of the Friday games will be set aside as the entire tournament welcomes Shabbat together. 

For me, Shabbat is a moment outside of space and time. It鈥檚 a paradoxical moment of disconnecting from the noise of weekday life in order to connect with friends, family, and God. Hillel is all about bringing connection and passion to our Jewish lives, and Shabbat at NHBT is an opportunity for students to experience that regardless of their background. 

When Shabbat ends after a Havdalah ceremony, which marks the separation between Shabbat and the rest of the week, the playoff games will kick off, and the tournament will be back in full swing. It鈥檚 these moments which have made NHBT such a special part of so many students鈥� lives and had such an impact on me. 

As I wrap up my last semester of college, Hillel, Shabbat, and basketball continue to be foundations for my life and my identity. I鈥檓 so proud of the work I鈥檝e done with NHBT and I鈥檓 excited to see where this journey takes me next.

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