As the new-ish Executive Director, this feels surreal. Despite the pandemic, Hillel provided emotional and spiritual support while continuing to build connections to Jewish community, Jewish identity, and the greater Jewish world.
And now, the momentum built in the past year has ignited a renaissance of Jewish community on our campuses. There is a special spark of magic that happens at Hillel and that feeling was palpable at our Welcome Back BBQ for San Diego State University students (our first San Diego campus that started their Fall Semester).
Over 160 students safely gathered outside in the Melvin Garb Hillel Center last night to celebrate being together. Never before have we seen this level of excitement. Never before have we felt this level of buzz and electricity from our Jewish students finding each other and feeling like they were a part of a very special and holy community.
Last night, I finally met Maya in person. Over the course of last year, Maya became a student leader despite being 100% virtual. She shared that when she was touring colleges two years ago and stopped by Hillel, she just knew she wanted to be here and now, she said she gets to have her dream college job as a Hillel Welcome Ambassador and be a part of the community she only imagined.
When she came last night to the BBQ, she said, “Oh yeah, I totally get it now.” My chat with Maya reminds us all WHY we come together to support the next generation, why Hillel impacts individual lives and our collective Jewish future. It’s humbling, it’s heartwarming, and it’s an opportunity to build a stronger Jewish community than what we might have ever imagined!
The relationships that form now, as young adults, will transform our collective Jewish community and create a more connected Jewish San Diego.
I would be remiss if I didn’t share that our protocols to ensure the safety and continued wellbeing of our students will always be the priority. As we implement best practices for staying healthy, we embrace the value of pikuach nefesh, the primacy of the sanctity of life. We take this obligation seriously and are doing all we can to provide safe spaces to gather as we continue to build Jewish community at San Diego State University, UC San Diego, Cal State San Marcos, and University of San Diego.
This year will continue to look different. Our policies reflect our alignment with our partner universities and with CDC and State recommendations. We also know that this pandemic is not functioning like an on-off light switch but rather a dimmer so we will continue to assess in real time the efficacy of our policies as we navigate this challenging time together.
Our reopening is made possible in part from the generosity of the Jewish Community COVID-19 Emergency Fund by the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Leichtag Foundation, and the Jewish Community Foundation. We are indebted to our partners for helping us reopen. Our rapid regrowth this year will be made possible by generous community members like you and I hope you’ll consider investing in our Jewish future through Hillel.
Thank you for being a part of the Hillel of San Diego family and we are so looking forward to seeing what this year brings!
