When I came to college, the first thing I did was join Hillel. I participated in a pre-semester welcome weekend designed to introduce incoming freshman to Jewish peers and foster a stronger community. I was swept off my feet. Hillel is generously endowed, or so it seemed, and the endless barbecues and pizza dinners were a big draw. I went to every event I could. I talked it up. I brought non-Jewish friends, hoping to introduce them to my world.
That world doesn’t exist anymore for me. Not only would I never bring friends to recent events, I rarely go myself. A disconnect happened between my first and second years, and I’ve had trouble placing my finger on where the break happened. It has less to do with disdain, and more to do with my greater dissatisfaction in how the American Jewish community sees spirituality, faith, and Israel.
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