While the results of the Pew survey have been dismaying to those of us who care about the future of Jewish life in America, I firmly believe that all is not lost and that there are certainly things we can do to address the challenges highlighted in the report. In order to do this we need to bolster foundational programs and institutions to help ensure that future generations will feel connected to Judaism. One area where I firmly believe that our support and attention is likely to pay significant dividends is on college campuses in the state.
Here in New Hampshire there are many Jewish students attending schools from UNH and Southern New Hampshire University in the east to Dartmouth College in the west. There are also places where people are working to create Jewish community, such as at Keene State College, where I had the pleasure of meeting with two students who are doing just this: building a Jewish community designed to not only meet the needs and interests of current students, but to create something that will be there to welcome future Jewish students as well.
With some financial and faculty support from the college these students have begun to establish a presence on campus and have already held several events, including a sushi Shabbat dinner and a Hanukkah party. When we spoke I told them that I would share the news of what they are doing with others in the NH Jewish Community and also think about ways that the Federation might be able to offer support and guidance. I think the administration of Keene State should also be applauded for their support of this student initiative, since having visible, vibrant Jewish life on campus benefits not only Jewish students, but all students, providing an opportunity for everyone in the college community to learn about Jewish life, culture and traditions.
Of course when it comes to Hillel I'm not really objective, since when I was a graduate student Harvard Hillel played a vital role in my life, both personally and professionally, providing resources and opportunities to connect with Judaism in new and creative ways, to learn firsthand about Israel and offering countless lessons in leadership and community building. During my time on the graduate student steering committee at Hillel we had many successes (and some failures) as we worked with the different minyanim, Hillel staff and undergraduates to create programs that we thought would improve Jewish life on campus.
This was one of the places where I learned about the challenges (and the wonderful rewards) to be found in working within a pluralistic Jewish environment, something which certainly has resonance for me today as I visit different Jewish communities across New Hampshire. Although I would say I grew up with exposure to different ways of being Jewish, it was at Harvard Hillel that I learned to work across denominational lines, working with other Jewish young adults from across the country who found their own connections to Judaism in diverse and myriad ways. The lessons I learned through my involvement with Hillel have proven invaluable, so the prospect of being able to help college students in New Hampshire enjoy some of the same benefits I got from Hillel is particulary exciting for me, and I am very much looking forward to continuing the dialogue with them.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the towering figure whose name adorns countless Jewish student centers across the US: Hillel himself. His dictum that we must not only act for ourselves, nor must we delay action, has been a guiding principle in my own life and one that the Jewish people have held dear for centuries. Perhaps as we think about the sobering results of the Pew survey we would do well to think about Hillel, both his call to action, and the modern institution which bears his name. Both represent, each in their own way, important tools we have for ensuring Jewish continuity in New Hampshire and throughout North America.
