Shabbat at Hillel

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Shabbat at Hillel is something everyone should experience. There is a palpable spark of energy. It’s a magic you can’t really describe but you can 100% feel. This year, after over a year of virtual Shabbats, the feeling is even more special. Holy really. It’s recharging and energizing – a great end to a hectic week and an important reminder that we are each part of something bigger.

This year, we are feeding around 500 students meals at our Shabbats each month. That’s 500 moments with hungry young people whose only opportunity for a home cooked meal might be when they come to Hillel on a Friday night. That’s 500 moments young people who discover they aren’t alone. That’s 500 moments with young people who will be our future Jewish community leaders. It’s the one day a week where every single student is reminded of their inherent value and can just come as they are.

Per usual, this week we are hosting THREE SHABBATS across San Diego. At San Diego State we are hosting an allyship Shabbat in partnership with the Black Resource Center and Asian Pacific Islander American Resource Center. At UCSD we are celebrating diversity within the Jewish community through a Mizrahi Shabbat. At USD, we are hosting a Shabbat that celebrates each student’s unique experience. And while there is no Shabbat this week at CSUSM, we will see our San Marcos students join their friends at other campuses (don’t worry they have some awesome experiences just for them coming up!). At Hillel of San Diego, we reach students across the entire city — it’s a big operation and we love it!

As we enter Thanksgiving, we want to express so much gratitude to this wonderful community that embraces our young people and recognizes the value in investing in their future. We want to invite each of you to come to a Hillel Shabbat this year, feel the holiness that you fuel through your generosity, and get a taste of home away from home at Hillel. I want you to feel that palpable spark of energy that comes from doing so much good for others.

 

Other Stories From Hillel

What Could Go Right?

December 8, 2025

As we help kick off Hillel of San Diego’s year-end fundraiser, I can’t help but reflect on the moment that first made me and Sheava believe in this important work. It was the day the Glickman Hillel Center at UCSD opened its doors after twenty years of persistence. I saw what it means for Jewish young adults to have a place they can count on, and what a community can accomplish together. That is why Sheava and I became supporters, and why we remain committed as Hillel of San Diego has grown into one of the most impactful Hillels in the country.

This one is worth opening – I promise!

December 2, 2025

I know you’ve likely gotten a ton of emails today, but I had to send one on behalf of Hillel of San Diego! This is Noa (SDSU, Class of ‘28), and we’re down to the wire on Giving Tuesday. The $25,000 donor match is about to disappear, and we hope donors like you are racing to grab the final funds! We’re SO close to hitting our goal.

It’s Waylon – We need to talk

December 2, 2025

I wanted to reach out today, on Giving Tuesday, to share my story with you. Last fall, I arrived at UCSD knowing literally no one. Finding my community at Hillel of San Diego not only changed my college experience, it changed my life. Thanks to your past generosity, I found a place where I could be unapologetically Jewish, make friends at Shabbat, and step up as a leader.

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