Jewish joy: A look into UT’s thriving Hillel community

olate. Faupel said while tradition does play a role in Hillel events, what matters most is being together.

UT’s Jewish community is full of different people from different walks of life and sects of Judaism, all coming together to help each other discover their identities within the faith. Hillel at UTK, an on-campus organization for Jewish students, helps foster this community.

Leah Faupel, a junior double majoring in Jewish Studies and psychology and Hillel’s student president, framed this campus community as just one of many campus chapters worldwide that make up the international organization. To her, Hillel serves as a “Jewish home away from home” for many students, including Faupel herself.

Some Jewish students come from out-ofstate and may be unable to go back home to celebrate important holidays with family, so, as Faupel stated, Hillel becomes especially important so they can foster ties with their faith and identity.

Faupel said that students within Hillel have meals and celebrate together, such as at their Purim Party last month, in which participants also wore costumes and danced. Hillel also recently hosted a Passover Seder, but with a special twist: Instead of having the traditional foods for the Seder plate, everything was choc-

For Faupel and other Hillel students, the activities of the organization are a way of fostering joy on campus, both for fellow Jewish students and herself because of how her community is thriving. Faupel said that joy is a very important thing for everyone, and it is certainly something we all need, especially now.

Devin Kornblum, a junior elementary education major and vice president of philanthropy for Hillel, described the atmosphere at the organization’s events as welcoming.

“It is a community composed of students with different Jewish denominations, as well as other students, regardless of their religion, with an interest in learning more about Judaism and Jewish life on campus,” Kornblum said.

Beyond the sense of togetherness surrounding Hillel, Kornblum also cited the general importance of having a Jewish community on campus.

“It provides Jewish students a safe place to be surrounded by others who understand and appreciate everything Judaism has to offer,” Kornblum said. “It provides a sense of comfort not having to explain aspects of my Jewish identity to others, but rather being able to connect through it with others who know what it means to be Jewish.”

Here a sense of togetherness becomes tethered with a sense of belonging because Kornblum and other Jewish students can interact with students who are also part of Jewish culture.

“It makes such a large campus feel smaller through the simple connection that Judaism allows us,” Kornblum said.

According to Faupel, Hillel holds its own events and rents venues for them, since there is no dedicated Hillel House. However, planning events is still a very close, intimate operation.

The idea of home as any place with loved ones became especially evident when Faupel described Shabbaton, a unique retreat Hillel members take to the Smoky Mountains every year. Faupel said that this Shabbaton was Hil- lel’s third, and numbers are growing: 21 people came this year, compared to around nine at the first.

Both Kornblum and Faupel emphasized growth when referencing Hillel and UT’s Jewish community.

Kornblum highlighted her personal growth in conjunction with the growth of other Jewish students.

“Hillel is an organization that not only fosters the growth of Jewish students on UT’s campus but internationally as well. Being given the opportunity to connect with other Jewish students around the world is such a unique opportunity that I am honored to be a part of. Not only has Hillel allowed me to grow in my Jewish identity but as a leader in the UT community as well and internationally as well,” Kornblum said.