Lost and Found: Sonia's Story

At first, I was incredibly hesitant. I felt overwhelmed on a campus of 18,000 New Yorkers who are all searching for their path. I was lucky to be introduced to the Hillel community. I found a welcoming home where students, staff, and new friends made me feel proud to be Jewish for the first time in my life. I grew up in a Russian-speaking home in Brooklyn, where no Jewish traditions were observed and I didn't feel a connection to a Jewish community.

Earlier this semester, a student with a Hillel t-shirt approached me and offered me some apples and honey. She brought me to a space on campus where Jewish and Israeli students can express and explore their identities and feel comfortable and safe. Hillel became a source of love, support, and friendship. At Hillel, the staff, volunteers and student leaders give unconditionally. The Hillel professionals genuinely care about us, their students, and want to build meaningful relationships and a flourishing Jewish community.

Now, I am the student in the Hillel t-shirt inviting other Jewish students on campus to join our family. My transformative experience would not have been possible without your support, and for that, I am so grateful.