It’s here! Welcome Week 2022 has officially begun! The Hillel at Miami students and staff have been working towards this week for the last 3 months — from hosting multi-city engagement dinners to texting and calling every single Freshman whose information we have (over 150 incoming students and counting) —- your Hillel at Miami team is so ready to welcome you whether you’re a new Jewish student to Miami or you’re returning.

Welcome Week 2022 started out with an incredible meeting that included myself, Hillel at Miami Chair of the Board, Patty Rubin ‘79, and President Crawford. Patty and I had the opportunity to sit down with President Crawford and share a sort of ‘State of the Miami University Jewish Student Union’ conversation. For over an hour, Patty and I shared our deep pride in the leadership and growth of the Jewish student community at Miami. We also shared our hopes for more thoughtful and deliberate support and leadership from the University as it relates to protecting Jewish students from antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments and behaviors that have sprung up on campuses all across the US. We were there to educate President Crawford on the dangers and hypocrisies of such movements as the BDS movement and the banning of Zionist-identifying students from registered student organizations and how all of this can affect a Jewish student on campus. President Crawford listened attentively, asked questions, and ended up having us for twice as long as the scheduled time. It was a thoughtful start to the year and we hope to continue to have these types of conversations with the Miami administration.

We are ending this week on a similar high note having met our $5,000 #MoveinMiami fundraising goal! As in years past, Hillel joined other Miami-based organizations and academic departments in Miami’s annual day of giving; a way Miamians collectively make a difference each year for the students and the university. We are so grateful to everyone who supported our goal. As a non-profit organization, we receive 70% of our funding from donors like you (the rest of our funding is via the allocations of incredible community partners such as the Jewish Federations at Dayton, Cincinnati, and Cleveland as well as the Jewish Foundation in Cincinnati). We cannot thank you enough for your continued support. What a way to start the year! Thank you so much!

Shabbat Shalom,

Whitney Fisch, MSW
Executive Director
Hillel at Miami