Hillel’s Jew-It-Yourself Initiative Fosters Enduring Jewish Traditions
By: Hannah Rubin-Schlansky
My JIY was a fantastic experience! My family celebrates Shabbat weekly, and also hosts Seders, Rosh Hashanah, and other celebratory meals often. While it has been great attending Hillel events during my time at WashU, I always felt like something was missing. I realized I was missing welcoming people into my home and sharing an experience that I helped create. JIY helped make this possible. – Jonathan, 2023
When I was a counselor at Jewish summer camp, learning how to do your own laundry was an important skill to learn. Starting the summer before my senior year of high school, it was a highlight each week when we would all go to Sun Laundry and Walgreens. There were always some very important questions from peers who were just learning this vital skill—How much soap do I put in to avoid a bubble pool on the floor? Should I use soap or pods? Do I really have to separate my whites, colors, and darks? Should I use a dryer sheet?
Like laundry, there are a variety of skills that are crucial to learn before attending college—How do I get myself up when the alarm goes off? What materials can go in the microwave? How do I fold a fitted sheet? What are best practices for living with a roommate? How often do I need to do laundry?
Creating one’s own Jewish traditions and gaining the confidence and skills to host friends for Shabbat and holiday meals are other important skills to develop during the college years. WashU Hillel’s Jew-It Yourself Initiative (JIY), provides students with this opportunity. JIY gives students the tools, resources, and support to host friends and their micro-communities on whatever night and in whatever ways work for them.
The challah, the candles and the prayer cards were super helpful. The stipend was also crucial in making sure we could bring people together for dinner without financial stress. Most of my guests were not Jewish, so I loved getting to show them a piece of who I am. The fact that everyone was so open to learning about Shabbat and Judaism, and that they loved coming together, was very important to me -Hayley, 2024
The JIY Initiative has three (3) primary goals:
• To engage students where they are (physically and spiritually) by providing them with the resources and support to create their own meaningful Jewish experiences for Shabbat and holidays among small groups of friends or other micro-communities on campus.
• To expand WashU Hillel’s number of impactful Jewish student engagements through student-led experiences.
• To provide opportunities for students to explore and develop their own authentic Jewish practices, giving them the confidence to create Jewish traditions that will endure post-college.
Once a student applies for a JIY grant, Hillel staff meets with them individually, putting together a “JIY kit” to ensure they have everything they need to create a meaningful experience for their friends—grape juice, candles, blessing cards, paper goods, etc. After their JIY experience, we follow up with a survey to better understand how JIY impacts our students. For example, does it help them connect deeper to the Jewish community on campus? Does it strengthen their Jewish identity and help them incorporate Jewish tradition in their life? Do they feel like they have a mentor/resource within WashU Hillel? This data not only helps us reflect on a host’s experience, but it also allows us to continue to connect the host to other Hillel opportunities that might be of interest and refine the program based on the ever-changing needs of our students.
Over the course of the 2022-23 academic year so far, 28 students have hosted their own JIY experiences, engaging a total of 350 students. By the end of the spring semester, we hope to have engaged 750 students through the JIY Initiative this year.
What makes the JIY Initiative so special is how it allows students to curate their own enduring Jewish traditions and celebrations in ways that are most meaningful to them and their peers.
It was really nice to be able to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah while away from home. Given the stress of finals, my friends and I especially appreciated the celebration. The opportunity to practice my traditions with my Jewish and nonJewish friends alike made me feel more at home and supported during an otherwise stressful time of the semester. – Maddy, 2025
This semester we look forward to students gathering for Shabbat, Passover Seders, and more! For additional information, or to apply for a JIY grant, contact WashU Hillel’s Assistant Director, Hannah Rubin-Schlansky at hannah@washuhillel.org.
