Dear Missy,

This past weekend epitomized what makes WashU Hillel so special. Last Friday night, we gathered for a gratitude-filled, Friendsgiving Shabbat dinner. Our hearts - and stomachs - were full as we enjoyed spirited Reform and Conservative Shabbat evening services and all of our favorite holiday foods, including challah baked with love by our very own Nazun: Challah for Hunger chapter. Orthodox Shabbat morning services and a delicious lunch followed on Saturday with a training and meeting for our Hillel student board on Sunday.

In this season of gratitude, I'm reminded of our incredible parents, alumni, community members, and friends whose generous support makes our events possible. Whether it’s providing students with a space to gather and recharge at the end of a busy week or facilitating skill-building opportunities for our emerging leaders—thank you for partnering with us to inspire and empower the next generation.

Our Hillel calendar has been full! Keep reading to see some of what we've been up to and a bit about what’s ahead!

Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving – we’re grateful for you!

Jackie Levey, WashU AB ’97; JD ‘01 

Executive Director

A gorgeous evening in the Sukkah

WashU Hillel’s beautiful sukkah once again hosted student events daily, as well as our Fred J. Rosenbaum Annual Meeting and night of appreciation for our St. Louis leaders, major donors, and friends. The evening, chaired by Board member Susan Godwin Kofkoff, included a performance and special serenade by Staam a cappella, remarks from Jackie Levey; Brian Herstig, CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis; and WashU senior and chair of the Hillel Advisory Board, Orly Einhorn, who shared about Hillel’s impact on her undergraduate experience. We also extended a heartfelt farewell to Immediate Past Board Chair, Penny Alper, for her years of tremendous leadership, and ushered in Lori Sheinbein, former WashU Hillel parent and long-time board member, as Board Chair.

Parents, join our special giving program!

Come together with other parents committed to supporting vibrant Jewish life at WashU by joining our Parent Leadership Circle with a gift of $180 or more. WashU Hillel does not receive any direct funding from the university; we rely overwhelmingly on the generosity of parents invested in our work. 

Your gift also includes benefits for your student, including WashU in Hebrew merchandise and other packages. If you join the $360+ level by 11/29, your student will receive a fun cake pop package for finals (kosher with gluten-free option available). For a full listing of our Parent Leadership Circle benefits, visit our giving page.

Lest We Forget exhibit engages campus community

WashU Hillel co-sponsored the opening of Lest We Forget, a Holocaust memorial exhibit featuring life-size portraits and brief bios of 90 survivors from around the world by famed German-Italian photographer Luigi Toscano. The extraordinary installation, on view at Washington University’s Tisch Park from Oct. 20th - Nov. 6th, offered an opportunity to commemorate survivors at a moment when distortion and denial of the Holocaust, as well as public expressions of antisemitism, are rising alarmingly.

We were grateful to host Toscano for Shabbat Lunch over Parent & Family Weekend and also have him speak at a Kristallnacht vigil at the exhibit. Many thanks to St. Louis community leaders, Dee Dee & Eliot Simon, and their organization, Conversation Builds Character, for underwriting the exhibit and bringing it to WashU, along with various campus partners.

Shabbat Around WashU inspires new traditions

Shabbat Around WashU (SAWU) is WashU Hillel’s annual opportunity for students to host their own Shabbat dinners with friends across campus simultaneously. Students choose the setting and guest list, and Hillel takes care of the rest by providing ritual items, a Shabbat resource card, a catered meal or a subsidy for students to cook on their own or order in, and a keepsake for each host. 

This year, hundreds of students participated in 18 dinners in dorms, apartments, fraternity houses, at Hillel, and even at Dance Marathon! You can see some pictures from the event below.

Follow us on Social Media!

Stay connected with WashU Hillel on Facebook and Instagram.