The Hillels of Georgia Weekly Chai-Lights Reel

ISSUE NO. 25 | VOL. 2026

A Year In Review

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This year, Georgia Tech Hillel achieved remarkable growth, engaging over 270 Jewish community members and increasing student engagement more than sixfold to 80 active students. For the first time, students gained a dedicated Hillel space and a true home on campus for studying, socializing, and finding community. Together, students shared 17 Shabbat dinners, celebrated every major Jewish holiday with pride, and devoured over 800 bagels at Bagel Break. They deepened their Jewish learning through programs exploring Israel's minority communities and Jewish perspectives on love and relationships, built leadership skills at the Leven Silberman Leadership Institute, and expanded their connection to Israel through Israel Fest and conversations with students from Technion. At its heart, this was a year of belonging, where Georgia Tech students found friends, built community, and embraced their Jewish identity with confidence and joy.

A Growing Hillel Community

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At Georgia State University Hillel, this year was defined by meaningful, hard-won growth. On a commuter campus where building consistency is no small feat, students showed up, brought friends, and made Hillel a genuine anchor in their college lives. The micro-community that emerged is a testament to the resilience and dedication of a student body that could easily have gone in a dozen different directions. Most inspiring of all was watching student leaders step fully into their roles, taking ownership of programming, welcoming newcomers, and serving as proud ambassadors for Jewish life across campus. The momentum built this year sets a powerful foundation for what's ahead.

Showing Up for Emory Students When It Matters Most

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Right before finals, Emory Hillel's first-year council delivered something students truly needed: a night of joy! "Destress Fest" drew 60 attendees and offered acai bowls, a DIY waffle bar, bracelet making, puzzles, a therapy dog, and more to create a full evening of relief and fun at the most stressful time of the semester. What made it especially meaningful was the built-in tikkun olam moment: students assembled finals care packages not just for themselves, but for others, which is a small but powerful reminder that at Hillel, looking out for one another is always a core value.

Honoring 4 Years of Jewish Community

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Kennesaw State Hillel closed the year with a Senior Sendoff Shabbat that captured everything Hillel is about: memory, gratitude, and the bonds built over years of shared Jewish life. Graduating seniors were honored with personalized photo collages from four years of Hillel moments, framed with a heartfelt "Mazal Tov, Hillel Class of 2026." Students and staff added handwritten notes, words of wisdom were exchanged, and the warmth of Shabbat wrapped around it all. It was a fitting farewell and a reminder that the friendships and community formed at Hillel don't end at graduation.

Reading Day Becomes A Celebration of Community

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At Hillel UGA, Reading Day became so much more than a study break; it became a full celebration of community at the exact moment students needed it most. Food trucks, a gaming truck, and a bounce house (which famously deflated and heroically re-inflated mid-event) filled the day with energy, laughter, and connection. As night fell, students gathered for Midnight Breakfast, sharing pancakes and late-night conversation in a reminder that no one faces finals alone. From the first food truck to the last syrup-soaked pancake, the day reflected Hillel UGA's core belief: that even in the middle of the most stressful week of the semester, there is always room for joy.