News

糖心vlogl鈥檚 New Student Cabinet to Shape Future of Jewish Campus Life

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

July 21, 2026

Student leaders will elevate the voices of nearly 200,000 Jewish students from over 850 campuses around the world.

 糖心vlogl, the world鈥檚 largest Jewish campus organization, today announced the 20 members of the 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet for the 2026-2027 school year. The selected students will collaborate with 糖心vlogl staff as trusted advisors, bringing diverse perspectives to task forces and serving as ambassadors of the Hillel movement. 

This year鈥檚 group is spread across the United States, Canada, Israel, South America, and Poland. Members were nominated by their campus Hillel for their exceptional leadership and commitment to enriching Jewish student life on campus. 

“The Student Cabinet provides exceptional Hillel student leaders drawn from across our global movement the opportunity to guide and influence critical conversations about Jewish life on campus today and in the future,鈥� said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of 糖心vlogl. “We depend on the valuable insights and reflections from our Student Cabinet leaders, and we鈥檙e very excited to work with this new cohort of Student Cabinet members in the year ahead.鈥�

Founded in 2015, the Student Cabinet helps shape Hillel’s mission of putting the voices of students first. The initiative is a core part of Hillel鈥檚 in empowering the next generation of student leaders.

Rachel Lennard of the University of Oregon and Ben Small of the University of Pennsylvania will serve as the incoming Cabinet鈥檚 co-chairs and represent their peers as members of the 糖心vlogl Board of Directors.

鈥淗illel serves as a second home for Jewish college students around the world, providing a nurturing environment for their personal and professional growth,鈥� said Lennard. 鈥淚 am honored to contribute my perspective and advocate for my peers, as Hillel continues to be  a beacon of support for Jewish college students worldwide.鈥� 

鈥淗illel strives to thoughtfully support its students through creative and continuously evolving strategies,鈥� said Small. 鈥淭his year, I am excited to represent the brilliant students who power their campus Hillels and proudly serve their diverse, vibrant Jewish communities.鈥�

Below is a full list of the members of the 2026-2027 糖心vlogl Student Cabinet: 

• Adina Fridman, New York University, 鈥�27听
• Aleksander Nowak-Burkiewicz, University College of Professional Education, 鈥�27
• Ashley Mason, University of Pittsburgh, 鈥�27
• Austin Lambert, Rice University, 鈥�28听
• Ben Small, University of Pennsylvania, 鈥�27
• Ben Werner, University of Colorado at Boulder, 鈥�28
• Claire Conner, Northwestern University, 鈥�27
• Ethan Goetz, University of Miami, 鈥�27
• Gabriela Sznajderman, PUC-RIO, 鈥�27
• Isabelle Ehrlich, University at Buffalo, 鈥�27
• Jada Monroe, University of Georgia, 鈥�28
• Joseph Joffe, Brown University, 鈥�27
• Kate Blumberg, McMaster University, 鈥�27
• Lia Mitrani, Florida International University, 鈥�27
• Lilith Greene-Friedman, Dickinson College, 鈥�27
• Rachel Lennard, University of Oregon, ’26
• Ruby Berney, Bryn Mawr College,听 鈥�27
• Sam Korff, Dartmouth College, 鈥�27
• Shalhevet Tzur Fisher, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 鈥�28
• Teddie Waxler, DePaul University, 鈥�27

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News

What is Tisha B’Av?

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

July 20, 2026

What is Tisha B鈥橝v?

Tisha B鈥橝v, the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av, is recognized as the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is a day of mourning for tragedies across Jewish history, most particularly the destruction and loss of the first and second Temple and Jerusalem nearly 2,000 years ago. Over the last 100 years, Tisha B鈥橝v has also become a day of mourning for the lives lost in the massacres of Jewish communities in the Middle East and North Africa, the pogroms of Eastern Europe, and the Holocaust.

Traditional ways to observe Tisha B鈥橝v

Throughout history, the Jewish people have mourned the loss of Jerusalem as a symbol of the loss of Jewish sovereignty and religious freedom. The traditional practices observed on Tisha B鈥檃v reflect that loss and make space for mourning, reflection, and a communal expression of grief. Here are some ways Jewish communities have traditionally observed Tisha B鈥橝v:

• Refraining from eating, drinking, listening to music, studying Torah, sitting on chairs, and wearing leather shoes. These are all drawn from traditional mourning practices that a person might observe when they lose a close family member. 
• Reading the book of Eicha, or Lamentations, as a community. Lamentations expresses the anguish the Jewish people experience during the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. 
• Spending the day in study and reflection of tragedies in Jewish history, such as October 7th and the Holocaust.听

Ways to think about observing Tisha B鈥橝v this year:

Looking for a way to connect with Tisha B鈥橝v this year? Check out the suggestions below:

• Jewish families often carry years of stories and traditions that survive, despite tragedy and upheaval. Think about speaking with relatives, family friends, or community members about their experiences over the last year or your family history as a way to connect with the historical aspect of Tisha B鈥橝v.
• What are you hopeful about for the coming year? Are there steps you can take or practices you can commit to in order to make that hope a reality?

As Tisha B鈥橝v ends and the calendar moves towards Rosh Hashanah, may the year ahead bring hope, and may our communities across the world find safety and joy in their Jewish stories.听

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News

What Happens When We Teach Philanthropy Like We Teach Leadership?

Author

Rabbi Stephanie Max

Date

July 15, 2026

Rabbi Stephanie Max is the executive director of Texas Hillel: The Topfer Center for Jewish Life.

Rabbi Tarfon used to teach: 鈥淚t is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.鈥� (Pirkei Avot 2:16)

When I look at the Jewish community on UT Austin鈥檚 campus, I see students who build, create, organize, lead, and show up for one another. They are ambitious and deeply engaged in shaping the communities they want and need. I also see a desire to contribute to something bigger, as Rabbi Tarfon teaches. 

Our students are givers. Every day, they demonstrate their care for others through responsibility and problem-solving, following the UT Austin motto of, 鈥淲hat starts here changes the world.鈥� Many students go on to lead organizations, businesses, and communities, and we have the opportunity to prepare them to contribute in a meaningful way. 

What happens when we teach philanthropy the same way we teach leadership, not as a matter of wealth or status, but as a lifelong practice of investing in our values?

This idea found its champions in Joe and Debs Weinberg. After successfully supporting the launch of Campus Champions, a student-athlete philanthropy leadership program at the University of Virginia, they began imagining what a similar opportunity might look like for Jewish students. With additional support and partnership from Karen Kogut and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, that vision became the inaugural Texas Hillel Philanthropy Leadership Lab.

Over the course of six sessions, twenty-five students came together to explore philanthropy, leadership, and community impact. To ground each session, students spoke about the distinct Jewish values that animate our shared responsibility to each other and the world. They met with nonprofit leaders, learned about organizations addressing pressing local needs, and wrestled with difficult questions about priorities, resources, and responsibility.

Participants explored issues ranging from housing and homelessness to food insecurity, women’s health, and domestic violence. Along the way, they gained a deeper understanding of Austin and the organizations working every day to strengthen it, while also building relationships with one another and growing an appreciation for shared purpose and collective responsibility.

Future cohorts of the Texas Hillel Philanthropy Leadership Lab will build on this work through deeper community engagement, expanded volunteer opportunities, and more robust nonprofit evaluation.

The inaugural program culminated in a final presentation before community leaders and philanthropists. After thoughtful discussion and deliberation, the cohort selected Mobile Loaves & Fishes as the recipient of a $10,000 grant in recognition of its work addressing homelessness in Central Texas.

While the grant itself was never the primary goal, it gave students a real-life understanding of how they are already philanthropists 鈥� and generosity is learned through practice. We become more generous by giving, more responsible by taking responsibility, and more connected to our communities by showing up for them. The Philanthropy Leadership Lab was designed to not only teach students about philanthropy, but to help them live it. 

As I look ahead, I see the Philanthropy Leadership Lab as more than a single program. It is part of a broader effort to help students develop the skills, values, and relationships that will shape them throughout their lives, building future Jewish leaders who understand they have both the opportunity and the responsibility to contribute to something larger than themselves.

As Rabbi Tarfon reminds us, the work is not ours to finish.

But it is ours to begin.

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News

Supporting and Growing Talent Through Relationships

Author

Jordenne Parker, Rachael Cohen and Taylor Silverman

Date

July 9, 2026

Jordenne Parker is the associate director at Texas Hillel, Rachael Cohen is the managing director at USC Hillel, and Taylor Silverman is the managing director at ASU Hillel.

Four years ago, a small group of assistant directors were introduced to each other as potential thought partners by our 糖心vlogl campus support director. What began as a simple introduction over Zoom quickly evolved into something more meaningful as we began to plan an in-person gathering.听

Our executive directors supported bringing us together in person to create space for valuable support, perspectives, and guidance in navigating the complexities of our roles. While so much evolved around us, this group has been a constant. Now, three in-person gatherings, dozens of zoom calls, and hundreds of texts later, we continue to gather and grow as leaders. 

Initially, 糖心vlogl invested in these gatherings and created them with us. We had special guests join these gatherings – everyone from colleagues in the field to senior executives at SIC. Together, we grapple with the big questions: What challenges are emerging on our campuses? What leadership decisions weigh on us most heavily? What sustains us so we can continue doing our work to support Jewish college students with energy and care?

And gathering this particular group as thought partners, was intentional. We are all women working at Hillels with similar characteristics 鈥� large campuses in major cities with complex Jewish communities and quickly changing environments. These shared experiences created immediate trust and allowed us to speak openly about the realities of our work and the strategies that help us navigate it.

Assistant directors occupy a unique role within the Hillel ecosystem. We often manage up, down, and sideways. We serve as thought partners to our executive directors, mentors to early-career staff, and guides for student leaders shaping Jewish life on campus. In many ways, we sit at the intersection of institutional strategy and the lived experience of students. We translate vision into action, support new student initiatives, and help ensure that programs, partnerships, and leadership pipelines continue to grow. 

The work that we do together as a cohort inspires us to bring an even deeper level of thought and energy to our work with students.  

The impact of this cohort extends well beyond our own gatherings. In a sector where early-career turnover can be high, we spend time focusing on how to build a healthy team culture to sustain our people as they serve our communities. We consult each other on planning staff retreats, delivering end of year reviews, and having difficult feedback conversations.

Our conversations contributed to a growing recognition within the Hillel movement that assistant, associate, and managing directors should be supported as leaders. Programs like 糖心vlogl鈥檚 professional development training course Accelerate, once designed primarily to prepare assistant directors to become executive directors, now reflect a broader understanding that investing in mid-level professionals strengthens the entire field.

We also reinforced the importance of mentorship pipelines within the movement. When we first stepped into these roles, many of us looked up to experienced Hillel professionals who informally mentored us and helped us navigate the complexity of the job. Today, we are honored to offer that same support to newer assistant directors and continue a cycle of leadership development that sustains and strengthens the field.

Perhaps most practically, this cohort created something invaluable: a reliable brain trust. We now know exactly who to call when we are navigating a delicate staffing question, looking for perspective on a campus challenge, or simply needing advice from someone who understands the nuances of our work. These relationships strengthen collaboration across campuses and provide stability during moments of transition.

We are deeply grateful for the investment that made this cohort possible. At a time when Jewish campus life is both vibrant and increasingly complex, supporting the professionals who steward these communities is essential.

Sometimes the most meaningful investments begin with something small: a handful of professionals coming together as thought partners. But when those leaders are given the space to grow, reflect, and support one another, the impact reaches far beyond the room 鈥� shaping campuses, strengthening organizations, and sustaining the movement as a whole.

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News

From Student Leaders to Hillel Professionals, These Recent Grads Are Making a Difference

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

July 6, 2026

Through 糖心vlogl’s Leadership Passport program, over 200 student leaders attended some of the most influential Jewish communal gatherings in the country, including the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly, ADL鈥檚 Never is Now summit, and the American Jewish Committee鈥檚 Global Forum. Passport gives students the opportunity to build relationships, explore careers in Jewish communal life, and see firsthand how Jewish organizations create impact. For some participants, that experience does more than strengthen their personal leadership. It inspires them to join the next generation of Hillel professionals shaping Jewish life on campus.

For Passport participant and recent Kent State University graduate Jacob Rathkopf, that inspiration and decision was deeply personal. 鈥淕rowing up, I didn鈥檛 have a strong Jewish community around me, so my experience at Hillel was transformative,鈥� said Rathkopf, who will head to the University of Delaware this fall to serve as a Springboard Fellow. Rathkopf’s time at Kent State Hillel gave him a lens into how the community he found on campus translated into a global community. 鈥淚t showed me what Jewish community could look like, and it inspired me to become a source of support and a role model for other students as they navigate their own Jewish journeys,鈥� he said.听

糖心vlogl鈥檚 Springboard Fellowship is a two-year program, focused on professional and personal growth and designed for recent college graduates. Springboard Fellows are embedded in campus Hillels, where they have the opportunity to engage Jewish students and help build Jewish communities with emerging leaders.听

For Lilly Chavez, a Florida State University graduate and Leadership Passport participant who will be a Springboard Fellow at CU Boulder starting in July, the work she did in partnership with the Hillel staff at FSU was part of what inspired her to continue her Hillel journey. 鈥淎s a student leader, I learned that relationships are at the center of everything,鈥� she said. 鈥淧rograms and events are important, but the most meaningful impact comes from making people feel seen, valued, and connected.鈥�

“As a Hillel student, I was given the gift of a powerful national conference. I came back to campus inspired and ready to lead, and now we’re giving that same gift to hundreds of students through Passport,” said Jordan Fruchtman, 糖心vlogl’s associate vice president of community partnerships. “It puts them in rooms with lay leaders and professionals, building relationships and shaping the conversations that define Jewish life on campus.”

Kylie Miller, a Leadership Passport participant who graduated from Roosevelt University this spring and served on the 2025-2026 Hillel Student Cabinet, is starting her professional career with Hillel at . She鈥檒l serve as an IACT (Inspired, Active, Committed, Transformed) coordinator. IACT coordinators work within campus Hillels and focus on supporting students鈥� Jewish journeys through Jewish learning, immersive Israel travel like Birthright, and community service.

鈥淢y focus as the IACT is to engage and foster connections between students, for students to connect with Hillel, and for students to connect with Israel in as many ways as possible,鈥� she said. She鈥檚 looking forward to taking the skills she learned as a student leader on both the campus and national level and bringing them with her into her new role. 鈥淚 know my experience [with Passport] will help me present leadership opportunities to students the way they were presented to me.鈥�

The experiences Rathkopf had as a student leader and through Passport were also part of what inspired him to become a Springboard Fellow. 鈥淚 loved being able to [be part of] spaces where students could show up as their authentic selves, make friends, and build meaningful Jewish connections,鈥� he said.听

For Chavez, her moment of inspiration came as she  listened to 糖心vlogl President and CEO Adam Lehman speak at the JFNA General Assembly this year.

鈥淗e spoke about the idea of Hineni, meaning 鈥榟ere I am,鈥� and the importance of showing up for your community,鈥� she said. 鈥淗earing a Torah based message in that setting caught me by surprise and really resonated with me. It became a turning point that helped me realize I wanted to dedicate my career to creating meaningful Jewish experiences for others.鈥�

鈥淚 hope to help students see that there is a place for them in Jewish life exactly as they are,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 want to build genuine relationships with students and create opportunities for them to explore their identities, connect with others, and grow as leaders. Most importantly, I want students to know that their voices matter 鈥� and that showing up for one another can make a lasting difference in a community.鈥�

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A Farewell Message from Board of Directors Chair Lee Dranikoff

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

June 25, 2026

When I became the chair of 糖心vlogl鈥檚 Board of Directors in July 2023, I could not have imagined what the next few years would hold. Timing is everything. 

People sometimes say to me that I got more than I bargained for, and they are right. But I also got more than I gave. It was a privilege to serve in this role at this moment in history, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity.

I spent my career in the private sector. There is a perception I sometimes hear among private sector professionals that nonprofits are easier to run and could learn from business. My experience over these last few years is that the opposite is true.

After October 7th, the leaders of every Jewish organization in the world had to figure out how to stay true to their missions but also pivot the strategy to meet the moment, and no organization more so than Hillel. And that is exactly what we did.

The ability of Hillel professionals to adapt, grow, and carry the weight of the last few years has been extraordinary. Hillel professionals became spiritual leaders, counselors, organizers, fundraisers, advocates, media commentators, legal coordinators, and crisis managers 鈥� often all at once. Hillel is a network of roughly 1,300 professionals, which sounds large until you consider the scale and intensity of what they were asked to accomplish.  

Hillel leaders found the right balance. They dramatically scaled our work around campus climate and advocacy. They developed an entirely new strategic plan for our organization. And through it all, Hillel remained focused on our core mission to serve Jewish students.

As I reflect on the future of Hillel, there are several shifts and challenges that I believe should shape our path forward.

First, we must place an even greater emphasis on community building. For years, Hillel鈥檚 relationship-based engagement model transformed Jewish campus life. It was revolutionary in helping us track progress toward our mission. Last year, we engaged over 190,000 students. It鈥檚 extraordinary. But, relationship engagement has a tendency toward effectuating change one student at a time. This 鈥渉ub and spoke鈥� theory of change is not enough.  We must also explicitly build Jewish community.

That means all of our Hillels need to feel that much more welcoming, more personal, and more like a home 鈥� perhaps even a bit less 鈥渃orporate鈥�. It also means empowering students to create their own micro-communities and helping those communities remain connected to the larger Jewish whole. Jewish community is not simply a programmatic goal; it is the antidote to many of the challenges we face.

Second, and closely related, Hillel must continue embracing its role as the voice of ALL Jewish students on campus. Hillel not only represents students who identify as 鈥淗illel students.鈥� On most campuses, we serve the majority of Jewish students, but our responsibility extends beyond those who walk through our doors regularly. We have an obligation to help ensure that every Jewish student feels welcome, safe, and able to belong on campus. That represents a significant evolution for our movement.

Third, we must recognize that the battle against antisemitism on campus is fundamentally a battle for the hearts and minds of the student body. Relationships with university leadership matter. Holding administrations accountable matters. But ultimately, the future campus climate will be determined by students themselves.

Whenever I hear a graduation speech turn into a denunciation of Israel, I often find myself listening carefully to the applause afterward. The challenge before us is not simply confronting those moments, but understanding how we impact the students listening in the crowd. Jewish students will help lead in this effort. Our responsibility is to support, prepare, and empower them.

Finally, when this publication interviewed me shortly after I became chair of the 糖心vlogl Board of Directors, I was asked about my greatest fear for the future of Hillel. My answer was that America鈥檚 political polarization would eventually come for our movement and pull us apart. That concern feels even more urgent today.

There may be no Jewish organization that navigates as many internal Jewish dividing lines as Hillel does. We span religious movements, political perspectives, Jewish identities, views on Israel, and international boundaries. There are powerful forces pushing Jews apart. We cannot allow ourselves to fracture.

More than 100 years ago, our founders had the wisdom to name this organization after Hillel the Elder. Now is the time to live up to our name.   

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News

Inside 糖心vlogl’s Summer Internship Experience

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

June 16, 2026

Each summer, 糖心vlogl welcomes a new cohort of student interns from across the country, to learn about what it鈥檚 like to work behind the scenes for the world鈥檚 largest Jewish campus organization, and explore potential career paths. This year, 糖心vlogl is hosting eleven students with diverse backgrounds, skills, and interests for a summer of learning and growth.

The summer internship gives students the chance to build their professional skills, connect with a community of peers and senior leadership, and gain an inside look at the work that powers the Hillel movement. From human resources and communications to talent development, interns work alongside professionals while exploring how their passions and experiences can contribute to the future of Jewish life on campus. 

“Because they are fully immersed in campus life, they bring a fresh student perspective to our work,” said Allyson Silver, 糖心vlogl鈥檚 senior manager of strategic human resources. “They contribute unique insights, innovative ideas, and great suggestions that directly push our mission forward.” 

For Silver, who oversees the program, one of the most rewarding aspects is watching interns grow as individuals and as Jewish leaders throughout the summer and beyond. Many former interns go on to become Hillel professionals themselves, helping strengthen the movement’s talent pipeline and provide mentorship for future cohorts. 鈥淢y favorite part is getting to know each intern individually, curating impactful professional development opportunities for them, and celebrating their accomplishments throughout the summer,” said Silver. “It’s incredibly rewarding to follow their career journeys after the program ends.”

This summer鈥檚 cohort brings together students from across the country for weekly professional development cohort meetings and time to learn from members of 糖心vlogl鈥檚 leadership team. While each intern arrives with their own academic interests, career goals, and passions, they all share a desire to make a meaningful impact on Jewish life.  

Creating spaces where students feel connected and supported has long been important to Daniela Gonzalez Quintanilla. A fourth-year student at the University of Houston majoring in management and entrepreneurship with double minors in political science and marketing, Gonzalez is a first-generation college student passionate about building communities and developing future leaders. She was drawn to 糖心vlogl’s internship because of its emphasis on community and belonging.听

“I was excited by the opportunity to learn from an organization that has built such a strong model for creating belonging and meaningful student experiences while gaining hands-on experience in conference and event planning,” she said. 

For Ruth Gittleman, a fourth-year student at Connecticut College studying psychology with a minor in economics, the summer鈥檚 journey began with curiosity. As an intern for 糖心vlogl’s strategic human resources team, she is eager to learn more about day-to-day operations and develop skills she can bring back to her campus community. Gittleman said she was drawn to this internship experience after she heard about the community it sparks for students and how 鈥渉ighly my friends who have done the internship speak about it.鈥�

For Eliza Goldwasser, a student at Northwestern University studying journalism, political science, and Italian, the internship offers an opportunity to explore a question that has long inspired her: How can we help people become the best versions of themselves? As a member of 糖心vlogl鈥檚 talent development team, she is excited to learn more about supporting professional growth through Jewish values like kehillah (community) and b鈥檛zelem Elohim (the belief that every person is created in the image of God).

Over the coming months, this intern cohort will gain hands-on experience, build relationships with professionals across the movement, and contribute their unique perspectives to 糖心vlogl’s mission. And whether they pursue careers in Jewish communal service or bring their experiences into other fields, the lessons and connections they build this summer will continue to shape the future of Jewish life long after their internships ends.

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News

Connecting with a Global Jewish Community Through Birthright Israel

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

June 16, 2026

Each year, thousands of Jewish college students travel to Israel with Birthright Israel and their campus Hillels, gaining a powerful experience of Jewish identity and belonging alongside a community that will be there for them even after the trip ends. For over 80,000 participants, Hillel: Birthright Israel has been one of the most meaningful Jewish experiences of their college careers.

As conflict continues in the Middle East, many Jewish students are once again watching headlines from thousands of miles away and wondering how to understand what Israelis are experiencing on the ground. But for those who travel to Israel on a Birthright trip, the rich meaning of this ten-day journey cannot be overstated. The trip takes students from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea to Tel Aviv, offering a glimpse into sites that are both ancient and modern 鈥� and along the way, students build impactful relationships with each other and with Israelis, whose lives continue to be shaped by grief, resilience, uncertainty, and hope. 

For Ben Novorr, director of Jewish student engagement at University of Kansas Hillel, who recently returned home from Israel, staffing Birthright trips has become a way to deepen those relationships with Israelis and with Israel itself year after year.

鈥淓ach time I staff Birthright, I leave with a slightly different takeaway when it comes to my own Jewish identity or connection with Israel,鈥� said Novorr, who has led five Birthright trips with KU Hillel, including one this month. 鈥淲hen you visit a place enough, you start to feel like there is a community there that you are a part of, and even if you are only there once a year, it is waiting for you when you return.鈥�

That sense of connection can look different for every participant. Birthright trips may share a structure, itinerary, and set of educational goals, but no two students experience Israel in exactly the same way.

For Judah Schuster, a rising fourth-year student at the University of Kansas, who traveled with Novorr this year, Jerusalem was one of the places that left a lasting impression. Every Hillel: Birthright Israel bus stops in Jerusalem for a ritual where the group pauses together to make the shehecheyanu blessing 鈥� a moment of gratitude for bringing them to this special place and time. 

鈥淏oth times I鈥檝e been to Israel, the Old City [of Jerusalem] never disappoints,鈥� Schuster said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always impactful seeing one of, if not the most, important cities in the world鈥� [And] seeing the ways in which the four very distinctive quarters combine to make up the city is so fascinating.鈥�

For Brenna Gross, another rising senior at the University of Kansas, one of the most meaningful moments of the trip came through service. While volunteering at Netiv HaAsara, an Israeli agricultural village, she helped make sunflower bouquets and pick strawberries from the ground.

The work was simple, she said, but the ties she made with Israel were deep.

鈥淢aking sunflower bouquets and picking strawberries directly from the ground seemed simple, but it gave me a tangible connection to the people and communities of Israel,鈥� Gross said. 鈥淏eing able to contribute, even in a small way, helped me feel more connected to the resilience and strength of the people who live there.鈥�

Given the recent conflicts between Israel and Iran, safety was top of mind for many participants. Birthright Israel’s extensive security measures and continuously updated protocols helped students focus on the purpose of the trip: learning and building relationships.

鈥淏efore traveling, I was worried about having to be in a bomb shelter for the majority of the trip and that our itinerary would be greatly impacted by the war.鈥� Schuster said. 鈥� [But] there was not a single time on the trip where I was worried about my safety.鈥�

Yet Gross was deeply moved by the lasting impact of conflict on Israelis and Israeli communities.

鈥淎s an American Jew, it is sometimes hard to process what happened on October 7th,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut after visiting the sites, specifically Nova, I was fully able to understand how this could have happened to anyone. Seeing the texts between the victims and their families and friends was gut-wrenching, especially the fact that a majority of the victims were people my age. While it may have been one of the hardest days of the trip, it was easily one of the most impactful.鈥�

Unlike traveling alone, a Hillel: Birthright Israel trip gives students and staff a shared experience they can carry back to campus together. Gross reflected, 鈥淚 hope to keep the inspiration alive by staying involved in Jewish life on campus, sharing my experiences with others, maintaining the friendships I made, and continuing to engage in conversations about Israel and Jewish identity.鈥�

鈥淚 choose to be a Hillel professional and to be a Birthright staffer because my passion is creating Jewish community,鈥� Novorr added, reflecting on the ways students built community throughout the trip. 鈥淲herever we are and whoever we are, we are better together.鈥�

Whether it鈥檚 standing together in the hills of Jerusalem, forming new friendships with Israelis in Tel Aviv, or taking that inspiration back to Hillels across the country, Jewish students are finding a deeper sense of belonging and connection through Birthright Israel. 

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News

Accompanying Jewish Students Through Challenge and Joy

Author

Rabbi Sara Paasche-Orlow

Date

June 11, 2026

Before coming to Hillel, I spent nearly two decades working as a chaplaincy leader in a large Jewish care system for older adults. Chaplaincy is all about helping individuals draw on their deepest values and beliefs to build resilience, and to provide accompaniment and support no matter what the situation. I entered that work because I was drawn to working with elders, and saw an opportunity to help improve their quality of life during a time of growing vulnerability. My colleagues and I built a strong Jewish spiritual care program and a chaplaincy education institute that was the first of its kind, offering chaplaincy training with expertise in Jewish patients and aging.听

Hillel was important to me as a college student, and I had thought early in my rabbinate about working in Hillel. While still in senior care, I was a researcher on a study mapping Jewish chaplaincy. () It became evident that even with the increase in mental health concerns among college students post-COVID-19 in particular, chaplaincy is largely absent.  

And so I pivoted to become a Hillel professional, where I recognized that college students today face high levels of anxiety, feelings of isolation, and a range of mental health concerns. Hillels have the opportunity to deepen the ways we care for Jewish students during some of the most formative and challenging years of their lives. While universities invest in students’ intellectual growth, students also need spaces where they can wrestle with questions of identity, purpose, belonging, and meaning.

That need has become more apparent in recent years. Since the October 7, 2023 attacks, many of our students have also faced antisemitism, social polarization, and difficult conversations with classmates, friends, and even family members. They are figuring out who they are and what types of communities they want to build. 

As Hillel professionals, we are often among the first people students turn to when confronted with these challenges. They come to us after difficult classroom discussions, during moments of uncertainty, and when they are searching for connection. They also come to celebrate and to explore their Jewish identity, and to imagine the future they want to create.

That is why bringing my chaplaincy knowledge and leadership to the Hillel world feels so important to me 鈥� and like such a natural continuation of the work that I was doing in the world of Jewish aging.

At its core, chaplaincy teaches us how to be present with another person. It teaches us how to listen deeply, ask better questions, and create space for someone else’s experience without immediately trying to solve it. Those skills help us accompany students through moments of struggle and growth alike.

Chaplaincy is not about having the right answer. It is about helping people feel seen, heard, and supported as they find their own way forward.

Last year, Northeastern Hillel, in collaboration with McLean Hospital, launched an innovative ACPE-accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program focused on Jewish community chaplaincy, campus life, and mental health. Hillel professionals who participate complete the clinical component of the program through their work with students on campus.  The first group has four participants, each of whom is a full-time Hillel professional working on a campus in New England.  Next year, we hope to grow the program to be available nationally for a group of up to eight participants.

CPE helps build Hillel professionals who are more than program organizers, caring adults, and non-profit leaders 鈥� it builds our skills to help us truly accompany a generation of young people who are often alone, and struggling with a complex world that is detached and disconnected.

In the Jewish calendar, we鈥檙e entering the period known as the Three Weeks, which leads into Tisha B鈥橝v, a national day of mourning. This time reminds us that Jewish tradition does not ask us to ignore pain. It teaches us how to hold loss while continuing to imagine renewal. We remember destruction, but we also make space for hope. We gather the sparks that were scattered when our world broke, and find meaning again. Chaplaincy education helps us be present for students as they encounter a broken world and seek meaning and a path forward.

There is an opportunity before us on campus today. By investing in chaplaincy education, we can help Hillel professionals care for individual students with greater depth and wisdom, while building Jewish communities where students feel supported, connected, and celebrated.

Rabbi Sara Paasche-Orlow is the executive director of Northeastern Hillel.

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News

The Virtual Hillel Leadership Institute Builds Student Leadership and Community

Author

糖心vlogl

Date

June 4, 2026

On a campus with just under two thousand students, finding Jewish community can sometimes feel challenging.

That is part of what drew Sam Scherzer, a student at Franklin & Marshall College, to 糖心vlogl鈥檚 Virtual Hillel Leadership Institute (HLI) this spring.

鈥淥n a small campus, it can sometimes be difficult to find a strong Jewish community of people who share similar values and interests,鈥� he said. 鈥淛oining HLI helped me build meaningful connections and feel part of something larger.鈥�

Scherzer was one of 22 Jewish college students from 15 campuses across the United States who participated in the Virtual HLI pilot, a program designed to expand leadership development opportunities for students at student-led and small, professionally-led Hillels. Through four national cohort sessions focused on strengths-based leadership, collaboration, belonging, and leadership purpose, VHLI students built practical leadership skills while connecting with peers from across the Hillel movement.

Virtual HLI was created to bring the leadership development experience of 糖心vlogl’s campus-based Hillel Leadership Institute to students who may not otherwise have access to a cohort experience on their campus. Since its launch in fall 2025, the campus-based HLI cohorts have engaged more than 350 students across 34 campuses. HLI is part of a broader effort from 糖心vlogl to catalyze the largest-ever generation of Jewish leaders through programs, including the Leadership Passport initiative, that empower them to lead the Jewish people into a vibrant future. 

“What makes the VHLI curriculum, and the HLI curriculum more broadly, particularly impactful, is that each session provides students with a practical leadership framework they can immediately apply on their campus,鈥� said 糖心vlogl Senior Director of Student Leadership and Engagement Corinne Janet. 鈥淲hether exploring strengths, collaboration and feedback, belonging, or leadership purpose, students develop skills that not only help them lead more effectively today, but also prepare them to thrive as professionals and community leaders long after graduation.”

For many VHLI participants, making connections with each other became one of the most valuable parts of the experience. Students from smaller Jewish communities often carry significant responsibility for creating engagement and building opportunities for belonging on their campuses. Meeting peers facing similar challenges helped them exchange ideas, build confidence, and realize they were not alone.

鈥淭he most valuable part of the experience for me was getting to meet and talk to leaders at other schools,鈥� one student shared. 鈥淟earning that we face similar issues in planning events and growing engagement was super comforting and also gave us opportunities to talk about how we can all improve.鈥�

The program also challenged students to think differently about leadership itself.

Rowan University student Holly Cowan said HLI transformed her understanding of what it means to lead. 鈥淏efore this experience, I tended to think of leadership as something more external, like taking charge or guiding others,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e come to understand that effective leadership really starts with understanding yourself. And I鈥檝e learned that leadership isn鈥檛 about having all the answers. It鈥檚 about being open, adaptable, and willing to grow. That shift in perspective has been the most meaningful takeaway for me so far.鈥�

For Scherzer, the cohort taught him that leadership can mean focusing on building something simple but powerful: like creating more opportunities for connection and belonging.

鈥淚 plan to implement what I鈥檝e learned by focusing on small, consistent improvements on my campus,鈥� he said. One of those ideas is a regular Sunday bagel breakfast where students can gather before the stress of the week ahead.

鈥淚t [will be] a great way to connect and hang out before the craziness of upcoming exams,鈥� he added.

The impact of the Virtual Hillel Leadership Institute pilot was clear. Every participating student reported feeling more confident leading others, nearly all said they felt more connected to Hillel as a result of the experience, and even more developed a stronger sense of Jewish purpose in their leadership.

For Janet, who helped facilitate the virtual cohort, those results were reflected in the students themselves.

鈥淒eveloping and facilitating the Virtual HLI Cohort was one of the highlights of my year,鈥� Janet said. 鈥淕etting to learn with student leaders from campuses with more limited staffing structures gave me a deeper appreciation for the creativity, determination, and heart they bring to their communities every day. Their commitment to creating meaningful Jewish experiences, building community, and leading through challenge left me feeling incredibly hopeful about the future of Jewish leadership.鈥�

This year鈥檚 cohort experience may be ending, but students say the lessons will continue shaping how they show up for their communities. 糖心vlogl also convened a parallel training for the advisors and Hillel professionals who support VHLI participants, creating a shared language and framework that will help students continue putting their learning into practice long after the program concludes.

鈥淭hrough this program, I have learned that leadership is a process,鈥� Scherzer said. 鈥淚 want to keep building a space where everyone feels valued and excited to participate.鈥�

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