JUNE 16 • 2022 | 25

on those fronts. 
I’m deeply concerned that 
the congregational school 
model was a broken model 
before COVID. I think it’s 
now laid bare its inadequa-
cies. These kids haven’t been 
in a classroom in a regular 
way. I’m seeing that take 
shape as to where their iden-
tities, where their competen-
cies are when they’re called 
up to the bimah as a bar or 
bat mitzvah. It’s of concern.
Starr: I’ll shift gears a little 
bit. You are on the board now 
of the University of Michigan 
Hillel. What is the experience 
like today for Jewish college 
kids? And how do you see 
that impacting the Jewish 
future?
Cosgrove: Not only am I a 
graduate of the University of 

Michigan, I have a daughter 
at U-M and another daughter 
on her way. So, I can look 
from both vantage points. I 
think this is the best of times 
and worst of times to be a 
college student on campus. 
I’m actually not concerned 
in a way perhaps I should 
be because of how strong 
Michigan Hillel is; but I think 
the Israel BDS conversation is 
manageable. I think it tends 
to get more airplay than it 
deserves. 
I actually am more con-
cerned about the inability of 
people to come together in 
the same way, such as it was 
for me, when I walked into 
Michigan Hillel and someone 
tapped me on the shoulder. 
That’s not happening with the 
same ease now. 

It seems everything has 
to be intentional these days. 
You’ve got to show proof of 
vaccination, and you have to 
make a conscious decision 
that you’re going to mask up 
and sit with someone. The 
numbers of Friday night din-
ners are down. I know that 
for those students who are 
engaged, a good Hillel has 
been the anchor of commu-
nity and identity. The work of 
Hillel is even more important 
right now.
Starr: Just one more ques-
tion. If you could tell every 
Jew in America one thing, 
what would it be?
Cosgrove: Do a mitzvah. 
When I say mitzvah, I mean 
an act of positive Jewish iden-
tification. It might be lighting 
Shabbat candles. It might be 

ordering from one side of 
the menu, as opposed to the 
other side. It might be putting 
on tefillin in the morning. It 
might be any number of acts 
that differentiate you as a Jew. 
It’s Jewish mitzvahs we need 
to do. I think this goes to the 
heart of it. 
We actually have a toolbox 
bequeathed to us through 
the generations by which 
Jews form community. And 
we come together at Shabbat 
tables and at communal cele-
brations at Shabbat services. 
“We have the tools to do 
that in a distinctly Jewish way 
that uplifts the soul and the 
spirit. 

This lecture is free and open to the 

community. Register at https://jlive.app/

events/2358.

Paid for by Janice Winfrey For Congress