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.