52 | FEBRUARY 15 • 2024 J
N
I
t all started with a
dream for change,
increasing opportunities
and belonging for all. I am
an undergraduate nursing
student at Northern Michigan
University. Originally from
a suburb of Kansas City, I
engaged in various activities
and experiences while coming
of age.
I was raised by my single
mother, Michell Benjamin,
who encouraged me to strive
to become the leader I am
today. With a single mother
raising two kids, we faced
obstacles that accelerated my
independence faster than most
of my peers. The challenges
my family endured were never
setbacks but a push to strive for
more.
Growing up as an African
American, Jewish and
queer-identifying individual
has not always been easy. I’ve
encountered questions like, “I
did not know there are Black
Jews,” or “
Are you sure you can
be Jewish?” This implicit bias
has shaped me into a person
dedicated to welcoming all
individuals regardless of their
identity, nationality and reli-
gion. I grew up in a religious
Jewish community in Overland
Park, Kansas, attending Hyman
Brand Hebrew Academy.
There, I learned the impor-
tance of mitzvah, the mean-
ing of giving back to others,
through my Jewish learning. I
discovered the beautiful culture
of Judaism through spirituality,
music and faith, understanding
that Jews come from all back-
grounds.
The stories of Holocaust
survivors taught me the impor-
tance of “Never Forget.” I also
learned about the significance
of nature, such as planting
trees on Tu b’Shevat and much
more. After I completed third
grade, my family transitioned
to public school, where my
brother and I were often the
only Jews. My mother ensured
that our identities were always
understood, providing us with
various perspectives surround-
ed by diverse individuals and
communities.
What drew me to begin
my academics at Northern
Michigan University was the
NCAA Diving Team, where I
sought achievements through
All-American and Scholar All-
American Honors. Diving was
my passion, a feeling of identi-
ty that I believed no one could
take from me.
Despite financial challeng-
es as a self-funded student,
I had to decide what was
more important. The identity
that once defined me helped
me understand I won’t be
remembered for medals but
for kindness, inclusivity and
the ability to create change
for all. Through leadership
roles in student organizations,
I expanded my perspectives,
working with various groups
and developing intellectual
skills that guided me to culti-
vate inclusivity.
Upon arriving at NMU, I
hoped to find a Jewish com-
munity to reconnect with my
Jewish identity. I became pres-
ident of Hillel at NMU at the
start of the 2023-2024 semester,
where being around Jews from
all identities was crucial.
Our first Hillel Shabbat din-
ner was last Oct. 1, and marked
the beginning of something
much bigger than me, result-
ing in feelings of hope. On the
morning of Oct. 7, 2023, I was
in great shock and fear. I left
Israel at the end of July after
spending my summer living
in the Old City of Jerusalem,
where I found myself knowing
where my heart would always
be.
After Oct. 7, our Hillel chap-
Hillel at NMU
Finding a place of safety and understanding for diverse Jewish students.
Micah Benjamin } jewish@edu writer
for college students
by college students
Tu b’Shevat program (clockwise from left): Mitchell Fugate, Kenosha Wis., first-year graduate student; junior
Brennan Murphy, Norwell, Mass.; seniors Rose Mouradian, Southfield, (a guest), and Maggie Solomon,
Grant, Mich.; sophomore Zoe Charness, West Bloomfield; seniors Sarah Nennig-Kniaz, Madison, Wis.,
Nicole Prast, Holly, and Micah Benjamin, Overland Park, Kansas; and junior Dana Hinckley, Oak Park, Ill.