Today, you can boost Jewish students’ well-being

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Day 1 of Hillel Global Giving Week is Here!

This past year has been a journey of resilience and transformation for many Jewish college students. Today, you can help shape those journeys. When you give during Hillel Global Giving Week, your donation will be MATCHED dollar for dollar up to $55,000 thanks to the Leichtag Foundation and Hillel International.

Match My Gift Now!

Meet Shayna.

Shayna is a second-year psychology student at UC San Diego. Even before setting foot on campus, she knew she wanted to find a strong Jewish community—and she found that at Hillel. From the summer after her high school graduation, Shayna jumped in, eager to connect and contribute.

As she immersed herself in campus life, she became passionate about mental health and emotional well-being. She brought her ideas to create a student-led wellness initiative to the Hillel team at UCSD, who welcomed her vision with open arms.

“I was met with a community that wanted to make my wishes come true.”

Working within Hillel’s Wellness program, Shayna  launched the Weekly Wellness Hour—a recurring Monday evening program for students to relax, recharge, and reconnect. From sound baths and paint nights to vision boards and meditation, Hillel’s Weekly Wellness Hour has quickly become a much-needed sanctuary for Jewish students on campus.

“I felt a sense of empowerment that I don’t think I would feel anywhere else.”

Your gift today makes stories like Shayna’s possible. 

Did you know that Hillel of San Diego, through a collaboration with JFS, provides free mental-health therapy for Jewish students thanks in part to an anonymous community grantor and donors just like you? Your support helps students feel seen, heard, and supported.

Give now and double your impact for students like Shayna.

Create a Resilient Jewish Future

P.S. Many people choose to give from their assets- stocks, mutual funds, gifts from their IRA, and grants from their donor-advised funds. Please contact Lisa Kalal, Senior Advancement Officer, at lkalal@hillelsd.org and 619-764-5992 to learn more.

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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