A couple weeks ago, the JCC Maccabi Games was hosted by San Diego through the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. Hillel of San Diego was proud to be a partner of the games and our entire staff dedicated their time to the experience– why? Because these are our future students. The goal was for them to leave JCC Maccabi knowing that when they get to college and need to start making decisions about who they want to be as Jewish adults, they will come to Hillel for support, opportunities, and community. 

At the JCC Maccabi Games Opening Ceremonies on Monday night, I saw San Diego’s incredible co-chairs; Kira Finkenberg, Adam Jacobs, and Larry Katz speak about the 1500+ athletes as our future Jewish leaders.  Then as we waved goodbye to these teens at the end of the games on Friday morning, all very exhausted but inspired, we thought “what’s next?” 

Well, what’s next is Hillel. 

Each of those young people will go off to college in a few years and their parents won’t be there to sign them up for Hebrew School or camp or JCC Maccabi. It will be on them, as young adults, to make decisions about how they want to live Jewishly. Hillel is truly the next step in caring for Jewish continuity. 

This week we begin our waterfall of “Welcome Backs!” First at SDSU, then USD and CSUSM, and finally at UCSD. Our 10 staff (small but mighty) will make connections with over 2,000 young people who are brimming with possibility. We will stand at little tables on campus all week and gather student information, give out swag, and invite students to our Welcome Week events at our Hillels. Then when each person comes through our doors, we will remember their name, ensure they are reminded of their inherent value, and connect them to their Jewish community. 

And truly, it is their Jewish community. The one they get to define. The one they get to lead. The power of inspiring a young person to create their own Jewish practice and fortify their own Jewish identity is an impact we get to see on a daily basis and it is an impact that will shape our collective Jewish future. 

This year will be an exciting one for Hillel of San Diego. We will finally open our doors at the Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center at UCSD and together with our Melvin Garb Center at SDSU, connect even more young people to Jewish community at a critical time in their development. Through Hillel this year, thousands of young adults will shape the trajectory of the Jewish people. At Hillel of San Diego, we are all looking forward to… what’s next.