My heart is so full. Last Friday we hosted 120 students at Shabbat at UCSD. This is the most we have ever seen in ….well, none of us can really ever remember that many young people at Shabbat.

We were crammed into every nook and cranny at the Potiker Hillel House and in the backyard. We ran out of food so we pulled everything from the fridge– pizza from the Wednesday event, personal leftovers were passed out, and extra pasta was made. We did what we needed to do to feed every single young person who walked in.

And let me tell you, it was such a blessing, I wish you could have seen it. The house was buzzing. The laughter and joy reverberated off the walls. The cacophony of passed plates and filled cups, and voices talking over each other danced in the air. It was truly a holy experience.

This is the community you are building through Hillel. A generation of young Jewish leaders who are committed to Jewish life–who come to Hillel and receive spiritual, emotional, and physical nourishment.

As I drove home, I thought about our budget (I know, buzz kill) and how I am going to continue to make this work. This turnout is far exceeding our most ambitious expectations. We anticipated 80-90 students and we got 120… and we are seeing this trend across the board. Hundreds of sign-ups for our High Holy Day experiences. Programs maxing out capacity. And I refuse to turn students away. We will never turn a young person away from Jewish life. We will get in the kitchen, get scrappy, hustle, and do whatever we need to do to ensure that every single person who walks through Hillel doors is cared for.

So I am asking for your help. Our budget did not plan for this rapid influx– we knew we were growing but we are growing even faster than our wildest dreams. It’s a gift. It’s a blessing. And it’s our collective responsibility, kol yisrael arevim zeh b’zeh, to ensure we can continue to provide incredible care to our Jewish future.

G’Mar Chatima Tova. May you be inscribed in the book of life. May this year continue to bring good health and a vibrant and thriving Jewish community for you and for the next generation.