Jessica, an honors student at Baruch College, studies economics and political science, and serves as vice president of programming at her Hillel. Jessica’s parents fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution, and her pride in her Persian Sephardic heritage compels her to connect with other Jewish students at Hillel.

Brian, whose parents emigrated from the former Soviet Union, is pursuing a degree in philosophy and ethics at the College of Staten Island and studying brain cancer. Though he grew up in a secular household, Brian has recently become observant and is grateful to Hillel for providing a space for Jewish students of all backgrounds.

Aharon left his Haredi community in Bnei Brak, Israel, served in the IDF, and then moved to Brooklyn where he received his GED. He’s now double majoring in philosophy and computer science at Brooklyn College. And he’s found a welcoming Jewish community at the Hillel, where he runs an “Off the Derech (Path)” club for other students whose stories mirror his own.

What do these students have in common? They’re immigrants or the children of immigrants. They don’t have career networks or family resources to bolster them. They’re seeking Jewish community on their own terms. And while college gives them academic credentials, Hillel offers connection to Jewish community, career guidance, and emotional support. For those like Jessica with long commutes (sometimes 90 minutes or longer), Hillel also serves as their home base, a de facto dorm.

I met with these inspiring students and five exceptional CUNY Hillel directors at a gathering convened on Monday by Hillel International. The Hillel directors spoke powerfully of Covid’s significant emotional and financial toll on students. They also spoke of the burden of now having to run essentially two Hillels, one in person and one online.

Even before Covid, UJA was keenly aware of the financial challenges facing many of the 16,000 Jewish CUNY students. Beyond carrying a full course load, most work part-time jobs to support themselves as well as their families. And, shockingly, a UJA study conducted in 2019 found that more than 40% of Jewish CUNY students experience food insecurity and almost 30% report bouts of depression.

Pre-Covid, we began focusing more actively on the social service needs of Jewish students in CUNY Hillels. And in the early days of the Covid lockdown, we provided funds for emergency cash support, administered by our partner the Hebrew Free Loan Society, to help students pay for rent, food, tuition, technology/Wi-Fi, and other critical needs.

A New Comprehensive Approach   

Twenty months into the pandemic, it’s clear that more needs to be done for these students in a comprehensive way. In that regard, I’m delighted to report that UJA’s new plan to address holistic needs of CUNY Jewish students was recently awarded a $2.5 million grant (over four years) funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Schusterman Family Foundation, as part of the Jewish Communal Relief and Impact Fund. These funds will be supplemented by the $1.6 million UJA provides annually to CUNY Hillels.

UJA’s plan draws on the full power of our network: We’ve piloted a digital food pantry at Baruch, operated by our partner Met Council, and will bring the model to other campuses. We’re enhancing employment services and career counseling already offered by our partner Commonpoint Queens. In addition to social work interns already on campuses provided by our partners at the Jewish Board and Commonpoint, we’ll place full-time licensed social workers as part of the Hillel staff to help meet students’ mental health needs.

Our hope is that this approach to addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of Jewish students on CUNY campuses will enable us to engage more students in Jewish life. And this can become a model for Hillels around the country.

At the gathering Monday, Rabbi Jonah Geffen, the campus rabbi at Hunter Hillel, examined the Talmudic principle “Im ein kemech, ein Torah” — without flour, there’s no Torah. Essentially, it’s the Talmudic version of the Maslow hierarchy of needs. We must address people’s basic needs — and only then can we begin to deepen their Jewish engagement.

Jessica, Brian, Aharon, and thousands like them have big professional dreams, and a yearning for Jewish community. We aim to supply them with flour and with Torah — the necessary ingredients to nourish Jewish bodies, minds, and souls.   

Shabbat shalom