"When I started at Brown, I wasn't sure what role Judaism would play in my life. I expected Hillel would be a space for me to celebrate the holidays, but not much else. My first time visiting Hillel was during the Orientation BBQ and as I was leaving, I stumbled upon the Hillel activities fair. Harry Samuels at the Puzzle Peace table asked me whether I knew anything about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (I did not), and told me a that J Street was really interested in bringing Jewish values to bear on the conflict and to fight for the human rights of Palestinians and Israelis. I was interested, so I started attending weekly meetings and I also started to get involved with the Tzedek Committee, but those were my only avenues into Jewish life at Brown. I remember distinctly that when I would attend Tzedek meetings freshman year, I would be sure to leave the Hillel building as quickly as possible once they were finished. I just didn't feel very comfortable in that space; I didn't feel like I belonged. Over the course of the next few years, all of that changed. I discovered through Tzedek and JSUB (J Street U Brown) that it was possible to construct a Jewish identity rooted in values of justice and tolerance, and that my lack of traditional observance practices did not hinder that identity. At the same time, I found in Jewish text and teachings a language by which to articulate my dedication to social justice and my vision for a more complete world. I also found that Hillel as a community was changing over time to reflect a greater diversity of approaches to Judaism. As new students and staff came in, Hillel was no longer a space for only traditionally observant Jews, and I am really proud to have been a part of that transition. As I became more comfortable at Hillel I felt myself more a part of the community, and what was once 'get in, get out' became 'come, stay for a while' and then became "come, stay for the entire day'. Now, Hillel is a space for work, activities, community, and spiritual life and is my second home on campus. I feel a deeper connection to Judaism now than I ever have before, and that is in large part because Hillel has given me the opportunity to define Judaism on my own terms. If someone had told me four years ago that I would be leaving Brown to work in the Jewish non-profit world, I would have said they were crazy. Looking forward, I am excited by the potential to continue to explore my Jewish identity and to challenge traditional assumptions of what is or is not proper Jewish practice."
Next year Adam will be an Eisendrath Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center in Washington D.C.
Next year Adam will be an Eisendrath Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center in Washington D.C.
