Coming from a very competitive school and environment, I knew exactly what it was like being on the outside of reality. I was desperate to better my resume that I decided to join the bowling team. It wasn’t until I was instantly named captain that I realized I was carrying my inner strength in my backpack with me all along. Joining the bowling team wasn’t just about playing a sport, it was about becoming independent and taking a leap into a different part of the world around me. The bowling team taught me to be independent and enabled me to build a home out of an activity, while creating bonds with people who had similar interests as me. Starting college and adjusting to a new life is a very new experience. When I started my first day of college I suddenly felt the same desperation as before, I felt a need to become part of another community that impacted me as much as the bowling team did.
INSERT BIBAfter conducting research, I decided to shift my interest in researching a community at FSU called Hillel. Hillel is located on St. Augustine St. in Tallahassee Florida and is reaching the community of local FSU students. Hillel is an organization that brings together students that all share a common interest. The idea of joining Hillel sparked my mind since I come from a Jewish household. Joining Hillel would give me the opportunity to learn more about the Jewish culture and meet new people who have similar interests as me. After researching about Hillel, I want to focus my paper on the different events that are held weekly and how they impact the people in this environment. While there are more participants and more events during the Fall, there are events held Thursdays and Fridays that I can attend to learn more about the people and the environment.
On Monday July 9th, I visited the Hillel center located on St Augustine St, located in Tallahassee, Florida. As I walked up to the steps of the center, I realized the door was kept locked. A bell was required to be rung in order to get the attention of the working staff. At first, this informed me that this center was safe and organized and could be a place I could count on. I interviewed a board director, named Dan Leshem, and a student member named Jason Randall. These two interviewers from different aspects of Hillel will give me different point of views for research and can help develop my paper. Jason can hopefully help me understand what it’s like being part of Hillel as a student and what activities and events mean the most to him. Dan can give me the perspective of a board director and what it’s like being in charge and having such an influential role in so many individuals’ life.
As I sat down with Mr. Leshem he gave me a unique perspective on how Hillel has impacted a large society. After asking “what exactly Hillel is” I was informed that Hillel is a Jewish student run organization that exists on college campuses around the country and world with the mission to offer Jewish students the opportunity to participate and engage in some aspect of Jewish life while at college. These aspects can include reservations, a wilderness camp that is on a lake, Friday night services, full Shabbat dinners, and Jumba (Zumba but for Jews). During the summer these events happen just as often (weekly), but with less participants. In the summer session 30 students are expected for a full Shabbat dinner, while during the fall around 50-75 students are expected.
I further questioned Mr. Leshem about how Hillel has impacted him directly. He continued to explain that Hillel impacts each individual differently. Hillel is not part of any single denomination which makes it possible to serve every Jewish student in any way whether it is in a social or religious context. The common thread of Hillel is that they provide a community where any Jew on campus can feel like they belong to something. While interviewing Mr. Leshem, I was surprised to find that Hillel has some non-Jewish activates. Activities are open to everybody to enjoy and experience.
After conducting more research, I found out that Hillel chose the name because it is based on one of the early founding religious fathers of Judaism after the destruction of the temple. His writings have been included in several writings and has been concerned with Jews and how they face the outside world primarily concerned with ethics and behaving right in the world. Hillel faculty here at FSU see themselves as training future leaders of the world. INSERT BIB
Personally, Mr. Leshem has experience with leading a birthright trip. This experience was very instrumental in his view towards Israel and has shaped his teaching. He continued to describe that the smallest ideas have the largest transformational impact on the students.
As the interview came to an end, I decided to take another route and get another perspective on Hillel by interviewing a student. According to Jason Randall, a day at Hillel is very productive. Hillel is open every day of the week and students and individuals can come in and study or hangout. This is so important to Jason because having a place to come and hangout with free Wi-Fi and with friends no matter their religion means a lot. Leadership members are also in the building for at least 2-3 hours a week planning activities because it is such a student run center. For Jason particularly, Hillel creates a sense of belonging and a network of friends. It is a place individuals can go and constantly have people standing by them. Jason continued to describe during the interview that this community is unique because the people here at FSU and part of Hillel have different intentions than those at different colleges. The people here are truly focused around making sure everyone is consistently positive and looking for what they can do to make your life the best possible thing.
To learn more about the Hillel community I decided to visit the office on campus to get a better understanding of the day to day activities that occur. The office is located on campus which is beneficial to students as it is in close proximity. This encourages the 4000 Jewish students at Florida State University to take part in the community in an easy and efficient way. As I walked into the Hillel office, I noticed it was secure and safe for students. In order to enter the building, one must ring the bell to get the office members attention. I visited the office around 12:30 pm on a Monday. The office seemed a little empty with just 2 members of Hillel present: a board director, and a student participant. Jason Randall gave me a tour following the interview. The office building was set up in a way that was welcoming to students. There was a large couch, TV’s, and free Wi-Fi for students to use when they visit.
As I spent time in Hillel, I felt very welcomed. The two individuals I interviewed were very interested in persuading me in joining the community. Aside from the interview, Jason Randall and I got to know each other. I was surprised to find out that we knew a lot of the same people. Immediately I felt welcomed and I knew this was a place I could feel at home. Coming from Boca Raton Florida a very affluent and Jewish area, I have always been used to being surrounded with people that have similar vales and cultures as me. Entering a new environment here at Florida State university was intimidating at first. After seeing and witnessing the accepting environment of Hillel I am inspired to be a part of the community. This will give me the chance to surround myself with others that have similar interests as me.
When you are a part of the Hillel community, there are many interactive activities on a daily basis. Every Friday, a Shabbat dinner is held for students to interact with others in the community and eat typical Shabbat foods that individuals can’t find anywhere else. This environment is more interactive than a typical day in the office. While the office provides a location for students to relax and do their homework, a Shabbat dinner introduces ideas and individuals with each other. This gives the opportunity to meet new people and get accustomed to the community.
After experiencing the community of Hillel in my own eyes, I decided to take a virtual route through their website. The Florida State University Hillel website offers a wide range of information about the events that take place mostly in the fall and spring terms. Community buildings and Israel Birthright trips are available to students. The website makes it engaging for students to learn and feel welcomed in joining these events. While the website does not offer as much information about the organization, it provides motivation for students to engage with the community by visiting the office and meeting members of the staff. The range of tabs on the website give insight on the environment of Hillel. Staff members work diligently weekly to put together and upload an organized schedule with events coming up to keep students and members in the loop and updated.
The Hillel website has opportunities to get involved in other ways such as subscribing to an e-newsletter and joining the Facebook group. Whether an individual is browsing the Hillel website or actually entering the office, it seems that it is guaranteed that one will learn and feel immediately welcomed into the community.
According to Brown, a community is “one of those things that is hard to define, but you know it when you are in it. It is a feeling that you are not alone, that you are part of something greater than yourself—but yet, even when you are in it, you are still yourself” (1).