People always ask me what kind of Jew I am. I’m just a Mizrahi Jew, and that鈥檚 good enough.
鈥淧eople would always ask me what kind of Jew I was. Orthodox? Conservative? Reform? I always said, 鈥業鈥檓 just a Mizrahi Jew, and that鈥檚 good enough.鈥欌
Hillel Stories
What’s happening on campus? Hear from students, professionals, and Hillel community members whose lives have been impacted by Hillel and who impact the world with their voices and stories. Share your story with us!
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I always feel the most connected with my Judaism when I’m in nature.
鈥淚 always feel the most in touch with my Judaism when I鈥檓 in nature, surrounded by trees, on the beach, taking hikes, watching the sunrise and sunset.鈥
Raised in a Persian Jewish community, I was surrounded by people who shared my culture.
鈥淚 didn’t expect to find such a vibrant Persian Jewish community at Berkeley Hillel.鈥
As a cadet in Charleston, I was worried I wouldn鈥檛 see another Jewish person.
I knew South Carolina didn鈥檛 have a big Jewish population, and I was worried I wouldn鈥檛 see another Jewish person for the next four years.
I realized I can be Jewish and queer. One identity doesn鈥檛 negate the other.
鈥淲hen I came out as nonbinary, I distanced myself from my Jewish community. I wasn鈥檛 sure how people would react.鈥
I grew up in an interfaith family, with a Jewish father and a Christian mother.
鈥淚 grew up in an interfaith family, with a Jewish father and a Christian mother, and my parents decided to raise me Christian. I was baptized, I had communion, but I never really identified with Christianity, nor had much of a choice in practicing it. I wasn鈥檛 supposed to be questioning my practices and beliefs, […]
I had culture shock when I moved with my family from an Israeli kibbutz to Wisconsin.
鈥淚 had culture shock when I moved with my family from a kibbutz in Israel 鈥 one that only spanned two streets 鈥 to Wisconsin.鈥
My dad is Jewish, and my mom is Filipino Catholic. I have no shame.
鈥淢y dad is Jewish, and my mom is Filipino Catholic. Growing up, I felt pressured by my Jewish relatives to only focus on my Judaism and forget about the other parts of my identity.鈥
I’m one of the few Jews with a mutated BRCA gene, meaning I’m at high risk for breast cancer.
鈥淚 was adopted as a child, but I knew my chances of developing breast cancer were high.鈥
One of my classmates would whisper about me, saying, 鈥榃hy would I pray for a Jew?鈥
鈥淚 was enrolled in a Catholic school, where I was the only Jewish and Eastern European student.鈥
