28 | JUNE 3 • 2021 

B

eing involved with Hillel 
in college is an experi-
ence that I have tremen-
dous gratitude and pride in. It 
was crucial for me to be 
able to cultivate a space 
where I could reflect 
on what it means to be 
Jewish in the diaspora 
and how my Jewishness 
impacts other intersec-
tions of my identity.
Small-town Hillel 
engagement is import-
ant because it offers a needed 
sense of community. Through 
Hillel, I have discovered a 
deep passion for advocacy and 
Jewish learning. What I find so 
beautiful about Judaism is the 
connectedness I feel with Kol 
Yisrael and the multitude of 
Jewish experiences. 
I feel extremely lucky to have 
had so many structured and 
informal experiences within 
Albion College Hillel for learn-
ing. During my college expe-
rience, I participated in three 
Jewish learning fellowships, 
two community service trips to 
Poland and facilitated a canine 

Bark Mitzvah service. 
This connection with so many 
incredible Jewish educators 
and students has made me feel 
supported in ways I have 
never felt before. While 
in college, I was able to 
hear from so many beau-
tiful, pluralistic expres-
sions of Jewish people-
hood. I feel a sense of 
security from knowing 
my history. The Jewish 
narrative is so beautiful, 
nuanced and complex.
Keeping kosher in a small 
town provided many challenges. 
I was lucky to have Hillel profes-
sionals to help me navigate my 
food access and self-advocacy 
needs. 
In reflection, I feel like that 
is the driving force behind 
my own goal of becoming 
a Hillel professional myself. 
This summer, I will be joining 
Binghamton University Hillel 
as an Ezra Jewish Education 
Fellow. Being able to engage 
with students about their pas-
sions and infuse Jewish learning 
in conversation is a skill I am 

extremely proud of developing 
as a part of my participation in 
a Hillel community rooted in 
inclusion and celebration. 

My Hillel Cohort
On top of that, I’ve had the 
pleasure of connecting with 
three fantastic MSU Hillel and 
HCAM graduates about their 
next steps regarding shaping the 
Jewish narrative and repairing 
the world. 
The first student, Caroline 
Strauss, is a recent graduate 
of Michigan State University 
who will be participating in the 
University of Michigan Jewish 
Communal Leadership pro-
gram. She said she was drawn 
to the program because of the 
close-knit community that it 
provided and the opportunity 
for her to “deepen my Jewish 
learning, but also expand it 
and discuss topics that may be 
uncomfortable for some.
” 
A Kalamazoo College grad-
uate I am proud of in my grad-
uating Hillel cohort is Audrey 
Honig. She will be attending 
Pardes Institute of Jewish 
Studies in Jerusalem next year. 
She said she is excited to expand 
her comfort zone and learn 
more about Judaism within a 
welcoming community. From 
planning events and attending 
retreats, she has had many 
opportunities to be grounded 
in her Judaism. She said she 
believes Pardes will help to set 
her up for success both in future 
endeavors as a rabbi and as 
someone who enjoys learning 
for the sake of learning. 
Last but not least, I would 
like to mention Carly Fleck, a 

recent graduate of Grand Valley 
State University and upcoming 
Springboard Innovation Fellow 
at Houston Hillel. She recounted 
her journey from a nontradi-
tional Jewish upbringing to a 
deep passion for Hillel and the 
Jewish community after attend-
ing a Birthright Israel trip with 
her sister in 2017. Since then, 
she joined Hillel and quickly fell 
in love with the sense of Jewish 
community that wasn’t accessi-
ble in Portage, near Kalamazoo. 
“I have already learned so 
much about my own Jewish 
journey and identity, and I 
wanted to explore that even 
further,
” she said. As part of this 
exploration, she accepted a posi-
tion through Houston Hillel as 
an innovation specialist. 
“I never want to leave Hillel 
in general as I feel it brings 
community and connections 
worldwide that I would not 
have otherwise,
” she said. “I also 
never had much Israel learning/
knowledge, so I love that Hillel 
provided programs for me to 
learn more about Israel and my 
heritage. I still have a long jour-
ney ahead and I’m still figuring 
out my Jewish identity, but I 
can’t wait to stick with Hillel 
and connect with other Jewish 
students who may be going 
through the same type of jour-
ney that I am.
” 
It is clear how her passion for 
Jewish community and creativ-
ity comes through in conversa-
tion with her. @

Mickey Benson is a 2021 graduate of 
Albion College from Portland, Ore. 

for college students by college students
June 3, 2021/16 Sivan 5781

Hillel unlocks a love of Judaism 
in this graduating cohort.

A Passion 
for Jewish 
Learning

Mickey Benson

Mickey Benson } jewish@edu writer

