You’re going to want to read this!

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Spoiler alert: this month’s spotlight isn’t on students – it’s on YOU.

Your support is what makes Jewish life on campus thrive and ensures a strong Jewish future for all of us. So for the month of November, we want to talk about and celebrate the people who make it all possible and share YOUR impact. Hillel of San Diego thrives because of parents, alumni, San Diegans, and everyone who believes in the power of the next generation.

Because YOU are a fundamental part of Hillel, this month we are going to be celebrating YOU! Each week, you’re going to be connected to a community member, just like you, who is making an impact through Hillel. This is not a fundraising campaign. This is about acknowledging that Hillel only has impact because we are a product of this Jewish community.

We’re calling it the Heart of Hillel Month because at the heart of this work is YOU. It’s going to be a new tradition here and we’re so excited to celebrate! It’s really all about YOU

Because at the end of the day, we are a pipeline to our collective future. Whether students create meaningful Jewish memories, build their own Jewish community, and feel connected to Israel in college matters. It shapes how they show up as Jewish adults. 

The work YOU are a part of through your support of Hillel does just that – prepares students to be active Jewish community members when they graduate. We want them to affiliate with a synagogue, become JCC members, send their kids to Jewish preschool and camps, volunteer with Jewish Family Service, participate in the Federation, and be an active part of our Jewish future. It’s why we focus so much on being student-centered and empowering young people to create and envision their Jewish identity and community. It’s why we teach them how to be leaders so that they feel confident to step up as leaders at their synagogue, JCC, Federation, JFS, day school, etc. 

Hillel is the pipeline of hope for all of us. And where the students are the lifeblood, you are the heart that keeps them going. 

So stay tuned, you’ll be getting an email once a week and I hope it fills you with joy and gratitude for what you get to make possible when you support Hillel.

Warmly, 

Karen Parry
Chief Executive Officer
Hillel of San Diego

P.S. I’m sharing this with you first (and I’ll probably send out another email after some finishing touches)! Check out our NEW website! It has been a labor of love to reshape our digital footprint so it reflects our robust wrap-around services, and we’re finally at the finish line. When you peruse the website, remind yourself that YOU make all of it possible through your support of Hillel. Thank you for helping us do this meaningful and impactful work! Check it out! www.hillelsd.org

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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