Can Curiosity About Community Connection Be Our Compass To Navigating New Environments? My Guest: Leah Palestrant, Director at Hillel International

Transitioning from the familiar to the unknown can be daunting, especially  during our formative years. Whether faith and community were once at the center of our education, or it becomes a new space in which to find more ways to connect on a deeper lever, college campuses have often been at the heart of spiritual journeys. My first excursion away from my regularly scheduled programming of prayer was on a college campus, in fact, where words like "fellowship" meant where active seniors gathered, "pluralistic" meant a lot of us, and "micro-communities" was not in our vernacular. (Was it even in existence?) And they all somehow were what made me find my very diverse and inclusive people at something called Hillel.

In this episode, I schmooze with Leah Palestrant, the inspiring director of the Springboard Fellowship at Hillel International. From her impactful experiences with Teach for America to volunteering with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Leah shares heartwarming stories of working with Special Olympics athletes, young adults and a society of global citizens that highlight the transformative power of exploring unexpected career paths and just saying yes to things that make her happy.

In this episode, we are also celebrating the diverse and inclusive world of Hillel International. At a time when Jew hatred globally, and on college campuses intentionally, are at the highest rate historically- how do micro-communities continue to thrive and cater to the unique backgrounds of Jewish students? Through a grassroots approach, Hillel empowers students to create spaces that resonate with their identities. We discuss the challenge of balancing Jewish identity and community engagement and the evolving role of leadership in meeting individual needs.

Video: 12 Who Care: Leah Palestrant: https://youtu.be/TqqB7a1f6Z4?si=trT-QNJyDgRAkypq 'Tikkun Olam' sums up Leah Palestrant's mission. Her impressive volunteer resume reflects her passions as she aims to help repair the world.

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