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Dear Hillel,
Passover is just a few days away, and here at Hillel, we couldn’t be more excited! This is a special times of the year when we come together to share traditions, reflect on our freedom, and, enjoy delicious Passover meals.
We’re looking forward to welcoming hundreds of Jewish Blue Hens to our Seders, special events, and kosher-for-Passover meals throughout the holiday. Whether this is their first Passover Seder at Hillel, or their first Seder ever, we’re here to make sure everyone feels at home.
But the connections don’t stop after Passover! We have an awesome lineup of impactful events this month, including hosting award-winning journalist Lee Yaron (we invite you to join us!), Holocaust Education Week, and our annual Israel Fest.
I hope this Passover brings you moments of joy, deep conversation, and a chance to reflect on what freedom means in your life. On behalf of our entire Hillel at UD team, we are wishing you and your loved ones a meaningful and happy holiday!
Donna Schwartz
Executive Director
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| Hillel to host award-winning journalist Lee Yaron April 23rd | | Hillel at UD is honored to bring Lee Yaron to campus on April 23rd at 7pm for a conversation about her groundbreaking book "10/7: 100 Human Stories," which is the winner of the 2024 Jewish Book of the Year Award from the Jewish Book Council. You are invited to join us - please RSVP below. | | Ms. Yaron will share insights from her investigative work including conducting interviews with survivors, the bereaved, and first responders. She will discuss how the book sheds light on the stories of the people of the land of Israel, offering intimate, unforgettable accounts of life and love, grief and resilience. | | Building the Jewish Future Brunch | | | | |
Join us on May 18th for an exciting new event: our Building the Jewish Future Brunch!
You'll have the opportunity to hear from Jewish students, Hillel staff, and our featured speaker Joel Greenberg, who will be sharing his journey "From Nazi Hunter to Philanthropist". Learn more and RSVP now using the link below!
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Alumni Spotlight: Tara Silberg, Class of 2021
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One of Tara Silberg's first memories of Hillel at UD was not a Shabbat dinner, or on-campus program, but the kindness of strangers. While figuring out how to pick up a prescription transferred from her home state of New York to Delaware, Tara recalls that "I happened to be at Hillel, and an older student said 'I have a car, I can take you to get it no problem'. I thought, if these are the kind of people who hang out at Hillel, I want to be a part of this".
From then on, Hillel became a home base for Tara, where she found not only lifelong friends, but also inspiration for her future academic studies. Using what she learned as a Holocaust Education Week Intern, combined with her Human Services major and Jewish Studies minor, Tara began to research intergenerational trauma studies, and found a mentor in Jewish Studies professor Polly Zavadivker. This path led her to attend graduate school at the University of Glasgow, where she graduated with a Master of Science in Human Rights and International Politics.
Today, Tara is continuing her passion for protecting the Jewish community and human rights through her career at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), where she serves as the Assistant Regional Director of the New York/New Jersey region. At ADL, Tara leads the region's Words to Action program and the Glass Leadership Institute, empowering today's students & young professionals to recognize and challenge antisemitism in their own communities. She is also a member of the ADL's team reviewing daily incidents of hate, from physical assaults to even antisemitism occurring on dating apps. Discussing her work, Tara acknowledged that when working to combat hate, "It is both very, very sad and emotionally taxing, and fulfilling in knowing that we can help."
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This month, Tara was awarded UD's College of Education and Human Development Alumni Trailblazer Award, which is awarded to recent CEHD graduates who have distinguished themselves in their chosen professions or communities.
Interim CHED Dean Rena Hallam, when presenting the award to Tara, shared the following, "Since graduating, Tara has worked as a researcher in our Center for Research in Education and Social Policy, a project supports assistant for the Jewish Federation of Delaware and a lead educator at a Holocaust education nonprofit called ShadowLight....In all aspects of her career, she has shown an unwavering dedication to education, humanitarian interventions and serving vulnerable populations."
Mazel Tov Tara, and thank you for sharing your UD story with us!
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| (Are you an alum who wants to share their Hillel at UD story? Please email our Development Manager, Sara Rubinfeld, at srubinfe@udel.edu) | | |
Every April, Hillel at UD puts on a week of events dedicated to educating hundreds of students, faculty, staff, and community members about the Holocaust.
We will begin Holocaust Education Week on April 21st with our annual display of flags on UD's Green, a visual representation of the immense loss of life, not only of the 6 million Jews that were murdered, but all of the 11 million victims of the Holocaust.
On April 23rd, students will be publicly reading the names of all those known to us who perished in the Shoah from 10am to 4pm on the South Green, amidst the flag display.
On April 25th, UD's AEPi chapter will sponsor The Walk to Remember at 11am, with our Rabbinic Intern Larry guiding the AEPi community through meditations and prayers in remembrance of those murdered at the hands of the Nazis. There will be a moment of reflection, and time for discussion following the return to Hillel from the South Green.
| | | Save the Date: I Heart UD Giving Day is April 30th! | | |
I Heart UD Giving Day, the largest day of giving for the University of Delaware, is April 30, 2025! Each year, our Jewish Blue Hen community rallies together on I Heart UD Giving Day to raise crucial funds for Hillel programs.
You can help Hillel get a head start on our campaign by becoming an I Heart UD Giving Day Champion! Champions will receive a personal giving link to share with their friends & family, helping to spread the word about the work Hillel at UD does on campus. Please email our Marketing & Development Manager Ana (analevy@hillel.org) with questions about IHUDD or becoming a Champion.
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