Rhodes College

Jewish Community Fellow Mandy Cassius is pictured on Rhodes College’s campus during her freshman year.

Memphis Jewish Federation is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Rhodes Jewish Community Fellowship for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Once again, Rhodes College is making five renewable $10,000 fellowships available to first-year Rhodes students who participated in Jewish life in their home communities. Fellowship awardees are expected to become active in Jewish life at Rhodes, including active involvement with the Rhodes Hillel chapter.

“I’m looking forward to meeting peers and gaining new experiences while participating in the Jewish Community Fellowship and Hillels of Memphis,” said Mandy Cassius, a Rhodes College freshman and current Jewish Community Fellowship participant. “I’ve heard a lot of great things from people who’ve been involved in these programs previously, and I’m looking forward to getting into them too. I’m from Memphis and the fact that Rhodes already feels like my extended family excites me the most. I can’t wait to make Rhodes a part of my home for the next few years!” 

Eligible students must apply for admission to Rhodes for the Fall of 2023 semester, be admitted, and choose to enroll at Rhodes. Fellowship applications will be reviewed by Memphis Jewish Federation and Federation will recommend applicants to Rhodes. A complete application includes a resume of current participation in Jewish life and a 500-word essay. The deadline to apply for the fellowship is December 1, 2022.

Learn more and apply here.

“We are thrilled with our ongoing partnership with Rhodes College, including the support given to the Rhodes Hillel chapter led by Hillels of Memphis Director Sophie Bloch and the annual Jewish Community Fellowship,” said Federation’s Chief Impact Officer & Executive Vice President Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein. “The broader Rhodes College community embraces Jewish life on campus and is always seeking ways to strengthen it.”

The first Rhodes Jewish Community Fellow began in 2016 and many more have followed, enjoying the gorgeous campus, wonderful and challenging education, and warm and vibrant Jewish life on campus.

The Rhodes College chapter of Hillel was launched in 2017, building on the previous work of the Jewish Student Union. Rhodes Hillel is operated by a student board in cooperation with Hillels of Memphis Director, Sophie Bloch and a lay-led Advisory Council chaired by Wendy Rotter. Rhodes Hillel focuses on cultural, religious, educational, and social programming and is open to all students regardless of background. Rhodes Hillel is managed by Memphis Jewish Federation and endowed through the generosity of an anonymous donor.

Read more

Season 4 of the Hillels of Memphis On One Foot: Jewish Faculty Lecture Series will kick off on Friday, September 9, and features a new group of Jewish academics from Rhodes College and the University of Memphis. Lectures this season will be featured every second or third Friday of the month, starting with Professor Naomi Eichorn, Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. Hillels of Memphis is a program of Memphis Jewish Federation, which is operated by Jewish Community Partners.

“This initiative was created during COVID when there were little to no in-person events happening in the Memphis Jewish community,” said Sophie Bloch, Director of Hillels of Memphis. “It was also created when we were trying to leverage virtual programming to engage with the community. Now in its fourth season, we’ve continued the online series because of the great feedback we’ve gotten. With the speakers that we have lined up for this series, I’m sure everyone will leave feeling not only more informed on interesting topics, but also more connected to the Memphis Jewish community and to Hillels of Memphis.”

Season 4’s topics are as diverse as the lecturers, whose expertise in speech and language pathology, law and education reform, information technology, disability studies in the Middle East, and more will bring the episodes to life. Viewers can look forward to hearing from Jewish professors exploring topics related to current events and issues affecting our daily lives.

“I’m looking forward to participating in the On One Foot Jewish Faculty Series this Friday and sharing ideas related to my research and teaching interests with the Zoom audience,” said Professor Naomi Eichorn, Season 4’s first lecturer and Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. “As we approach the High Holy Days and introspect about our personal and communal goals and values, it feels especially meaningful to connect with other students, faculty, and community members in learning and growth. Kudos to Sophie Bloch and Hillels of Memphis for coordinating this opportunity!”

Each hour-long lecture starts at noon, with time included for group discussion. The series is designed for any community member interested in learning and is open to everyone.

“The Faculty Lecture Series is a rare Hillel program that isn’t specifically student-focused. We intentionally created it as a community-focused program for anyone with a student’s curiosity,” said Sophie. “Any adult community member will find the topics intellectually stimulating, and the sessions also give students the opportunity to learn from professors outside of their major or department, and possibly outside of their school as well.”

“On One Foot is a wonderful program because involvement is very important in any Hillel,” said Harry Samuels, a past President of Memphis Jewish Federation who was instrumental in establishing the first Memphis Hillel as a student at then Memphis State University, and who has remained involved with the program for more than 60 years. “It’s a wonderful thing that she’s done because involvement is very important in any Hillel. When you get the Jewish professors involved, it really means something to the students, aside from the benefit of the lectures themselves.”

The sessions are open to the public, but viewers must register in advance. Click here to learn more and register. The lectures will be recorded and posted on the same webpage. Viewers can catch up with the first three seasons now and watch upcoming lectures the week after their live debut.

“I’m hoping that viewers leave with a sense of connection to the Jewish academic talent at our local institutions, and a renewed perspective of how our religion ties into more topics than we may realize,” said Sophie.

Read more

“While interviewing for the Hillel International Student Cabinet, I was asked about what my specific individual project would be upon acceptance into the group, and I responded by stating that I intended to work on outreach towards Jewish communities outside of the traditional Hillel network,” said Samuel Cross, a rising junior and Hillels of Memphis member at Rhodes College in Memphis.

“Hillel tends to be super Euro-centric, and my goal is to reach out to other Jewish communities that are rich in tradition and culture but have begun drifting away from the more mainstream Ashkenazi/Sephardic traditions that we think of. Examples include the population of Beta Israel in Ethiopia, Bene Israel in India, and Central and South American Jews. I want to find ways to bring these communities in and facilitate a closer link between groups and hard-to-reach students.”

This thoughtful response earned Samuel a seat on the Hillel International Student Cabinet, with his term beginning in July. For people who know Samuel, this exciting news should come as no surprise, as he has always demonstrated a tendency to be outgoing in his Jewish involvement.

Raised by Kerry and Brian Cross, Samuel and his younger brother grew up in Griffin, Georgia, a small town in rural Georgia with a very small Jewish population. However, Samuel’s parents made an active effort to give their children access to a Jewish education.

“My parents took me to synagogue (Congregation B’nai Israel in Fayetteville, GA) every week for Sunday school and weekly Hebrew school on Wednesdays. It was a huge part of my life at that point,” he said. “The congregation was about an hour’s drive away from where I lived, so it was a real endeavor to go there and resulted in many late nights over the years, but my parents were consistent in making it happen and I am thankful for that.”

By the time Samuel began looking at potential colleges, he knew that he wanted a school that offered rich Jewish experiences.

“I didn’t have a strong social connection to my Jewish identity due to growing up in an area with relatively few Jewish peers. When college came around, I remember looking at various schools and thinking that some leaned too heavily on Judaism while others had a relatively weak Jewish population, and neither of those options fit with what I wanted,” said Samuel.

“Then, I came across Rhodes and saw that the school offered a nice, personal connection with a growing Jewish community. There is an active push at Rhodes to increase religious diversity on campus, and I saw an opportunity to get involved and find a connection for myself in a way that I couldn’t elsewhere. I thought Rhodes would be a great fit and it absolutely has been.”

“I saw that Rhodes had a scholarship, the Jewish Community Fellowship, so I ended up asking a few questions about the scholarship with Hillels of Memphis Director Sophie Bloch, and eventually, that turned into discussing Hillel at Rhodes. Immediately showing up and having students actively reach out to me and build connections was also very nice.”

The Jewish Community Fellowship is an exclusive college scholarship created from a partnership between Memphis Jewish Federation and Rhodes College which requires that students be involved with Jewish leadership both within Rhodes and the larger Memphis Jewish community. Each year, five $10,000 merit-based scholarships, each renewable for 3 years for a total of $40,000 per student are available for qualifying Rhodes College students. Fellows aim to bring the Jewish community into events and pull Jewish students out into the community, and Samuel is a proud Fellow himself.

It was through his connection to Hillel that Samuel learned about the possibility of sitting in a leadership position at the national level, almost hidden at the bottom of an email.

“I saw a small ad about an application for the Hillel International Student Cabinet and I didn’t think that I would get it because of the nature of them only accepting very competitive students, and certainly from much more widely recognized schools with larger Jewish communities. But I threw my hat in, wrote a few essays, and was invited to interview. It was a nice surprise when I was accepted.”

The same week that Samuel received the acceptance, he was also elected President of VOICES, Rhodes College’s multicultural organization on campus.

“Samuel has played an integral role in Rhodes Hillel during his time on campus these last few years,” said Hillels of Memphis Director Sophie Bloch. “He is a familiar face to his peers and doesn’t hesitate to step up into leadership roles as a Jewish Community Fellow and board member of Rhodes Hillel. We are so proud that Samuel also represents Hillel and the Jewish student population in other student groups and councils on campus, ensuring that Jewish students have a voice that is heard by other students, faculty, and the administration alike.”

As a busy college student, Samuel hasn’t yet mapped out what a post-college future looks like. “I’m interested in looking along the lines of diplomacy, international affairs, or international work of some sort, and want to continue reaching out to communities and work on providing representation to under-represented groups,” said Samuel.

There is no doubt that Samuel is finding ways to make his time in Memphis impactful, and his drive to help connect communities is very admirable. He is sure to do a fantastic job representing Rhodes College and Hillels of Memphis in the 2022-2023 Hillel International Student Cabinet.

Read more

Jewish Community Fellow Sophie Enda is pictured on Rhodes College’s campus during her freshman year.

Memphis Jewish Federation is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Rhodes Jewish Community Fellowship for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Once again, Rhodes College is making available five renewable $10,000 fellowships to first year Rhodes students who participated in Jewish life in their home communities. Fellowship awardees are expected to become active in Jewish life at Rhodes, including active involvement with the Rhodes Hillel chapter.

“Being a part of the Rhodes Hillel community has played an integral role during my college experience,” said Sophie Enda, Rhodes College senior and Jewish Community Fellow. “I found Hillel to be a place of comfort for me during stressful times and a source of many lifelong friendships. I knew that I wanted to give back to the Jewish community on campus somehow and I was able to do so as a Jewish Community Fellow and by serving on the Rhodes Hillel Executive Board. I cannot imagine my time at Rhodes without Hillel and the Jewish Community Fellowship, and I know once I graduate, I will have left a mark on Hillel and it on me.”

Eligible students must apply for admission to Rhodes for the Fall of 2022 semester, be offered admission, and choose to enroll at Rhodes. Fellowship applications will be reviewed by Memphis Jewish Federation and Federation will recommend applicants to Rhodes. A complete application includes a resume of current participation in Jewish life, and a 500-word essay. The deadline to apply for the fellowship for Early Decision and Early Action Applicants is December 1, 2021. The deadline for Regular Decision Applicants is February 1, 2022.

For more information and to apply, go to: Jewish Community Fellowship | Rhodes College

“We are thrilled with our ongoing partnership with Rhodes College, including the support given to the Rhodes Hillel chapter led by Hillels of Memphis Director Sophie Bloch and the annual Jewish Community Fellowship,” said Federation Executive Vice President Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein. “The broader Rhodes College community embraces Jewish life on campus and is always seeking ways to strengthen it.”

The first Rhodes Jewish Community Fellow began in 2016 and many more have followed, enjoying the gorgeous campus, wonderful and challenging education, and warm and vibrant Jewish life on campus.  Check out this video featuring Hillel at Rhodes students to learn more about Jewish life on campus.

The Rhodes College chapter of Hillel was launched in 2017, building on the previous work of the Jewish Student Union. Rhodes Hillel is operated by a student board in cooperation with Hillels of Memphis Director, Sophie Bloch and a lay-led Advisory Council chaired by Wendy Rotter. Rhodes Hillel focuses on cultural, religious, educational, and social programming and is open to all students regardless of background. Rhodes Hillel is operated by Memphis Jewish Federation and endowed through the generosity of an anonymous donor.

Read more

“Because students have returned to campus in person this year after a year and a half of being online, it’s especially important to be proactive about educating our campus communities about what Antisemitism looks like on college campuses today,” said Sophie Bloch, the Director of Hillels of Memphis, a program of Memphis Jewish Federation. “College students have unique needs and experiences that require a nuanced look, and we all have a role to play in proactively combatting Antisemitism on campus by engaging in dialogue, honoring our differences, and creating space for students to feel comfortable exploring their Jewish identity without fear.”

On September 30, Hillels of Memphis participated in co-sponsoring the event Moon and Stars: Supporting and Celebrating Muslim and Jewish Students. Primarily organized by Chaplain Beatrix from Rhodes College, this event was held both in person and virtually and featured guest speakers Josh Losner, from Hillel International’s “campus climate” department, and Ishaq Pathan, the Director of Islamic Networks Group in the Bay Area.

“Multiple students of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian backgrounds came to show support, demonstrating that a sense of community truly does exist here on Rhodes campus,” said Samuel Cross, a sophomore who is also a Rhodes Hillel Co-Vice President and Jewish Community Fellow.

During this event, the two speakers were invited to discuss proactive strategies that students, faculty, and administrators in campus communities can use to talk about these issues and educate one another, empowering them to combat Antisemitic and Islamophobic beliefs on campus together. Josh and Ishaq highlighted the importance of interfaith dialogue and the crucial need for Jews and Muslims to engage together. The speakers shared that through simple conversation both sides can better relate to each other, identify mutual similarities, and work to overcome adversities together.

“The event was also attended by multiple members of the V.O.I.C.E.S committee, who serve as the voice for minority groups on campus. As a member of this committee myself, I know that my counterparts left the meeting with both an increased respect for the Jewish and Islamic communities as well as a better understanding of how to best represent them and safeguard their traditions on campus,” said Samuel. “I expect that in future years we will see increased interactions between V.O.I.C.E.S, Hillel, and the Muslim Student Association, fostering stronger relationships between the communities.”

Another theme addressed was that the experiences of Jews and Muslims are unique to each individual, so it is crucial to share stories and get to know one another as individuals. By interacting and learning each person’s unique perspective, both groups gain the opportunity to reflect and relate with one another. Through listening to each other’s experiences and viewpoints, we can start to build relationships and a culture of mutual understanding.

“I believe this type of seminar should become a tradition on campus. It’s rare that these issues get the attention they warrant, and it does a good job opening much-needed discussion about campus diversity and how to protect it,” Samuel said. “By opening this door, it also gives us the opportunity to discuss issues beyond the Judeo-Islamic communities on campus, including race, sexuality, and variance in ability as well. On a college campus, especially for one as small as Rhodes, it is important to foster an inclusive community and I believe this event was a significant step in that direction.”

Read more

Memphis was not remotely on Tess Herzog’s radar as she searched for places to attend college.

“I was ready to go North East and get out of Tennessee,” said the Nashville native, Rhodes College freshman, and a recipient of a 2019-2020 Rhodes College Jewish Community Fellowship.

Lucky for Tess, her high school college counselor told her about the Fellowship opportunity and how she’d be a great match for the program. “I knew a few kids from my high school in Nashville that were a couple of years older than me who attended Rhodes and have introduced me to their friends,” said Tess. Another Nashville high school mate lives in her same dorm.

Tess is acclimating to the small campus, and is happy that a fellow classmate was able to bring her car to school so that they could explore Memphis.

“Memphis seems to be a great city with so much to experience,” she said. “I’m looking forward to my years at Rhodes and getting to know the other Fellows and meet the members of Hillel.”

“Tess is an amazing addition to the Rhodes Jewish community,” said Sophie Bloch, Director of Hillels of Memphis. “She is a passionate, driven young woman who offers a friendly face to other new students and engages in Jewish learning with a contagious sense of openness. It’s been a pleasure to get to know Tess over the course of her first semester and I’m eager to see where the rest of her college career takes her.”

Tess qualified for the Jewish Community Fellowship because of her active involvement as a leader in various Jewish and communal activities. She and her family belong to The Temple in Nashville. She was active in BBYO in her freshman and sophomore years. She served as vice president of her class at Harpeth High School, and in her senior year served as secretary of the school’s ambassadors. As an ambassador she led tours for new students and helped train incoming leaders. Tess also played basketball and softball.

“The Fellowship continues to provide a unique opportunity to recruit Jewish students to Rhodes and to introduce those students to the warm and vibrant Jewish community that exists beyond the college walls,” said Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein, Chief Strategy Officer for Jewish Community Partners.

“I’ve been so busy and have only been here for part of a semester,” exclaimed Tess. “But it feels like I’ve already been here for a long time.”

Tess attended the first monthly Fellows introduction meeting convened by Rhodes Hillel and is looking forward to involvement with Hillel as the semester progresses.

There are five $10,000 merit fellowships available to first-year students who participate in Jewish life in their communities across the United States. Eligible students must apply for admission to Rhodes for the Fall 2020 semester, be offered admission, and choose to enroll at Rhodes. Fellowship applications are reviewed by Memphis Jewish Federation (MJF), which is managed by Jewish Community Partners. MJF will recommend applicants to Rhodes based on their participation in Jewish life and service, and based on the responses to an essay prompt.

Read more

One of the many ways we help the Memphis Jewish community thrive is by creating opportunities for community members to find meaningful involvement in Jewish experiences. In 2016, we helped launch a program designed to help engage college students, the Jewish Community Fellowship at Rhodes College.    

In support of strengthening both Jewish campus life in Memphis and the greater Memphis Jewish community, a prestigious college fellowship opportunity is available for students participating in Jewish life in their communities who elect to attend Rhodes College.

The Jewish Community Fellowship created by Rhodes College has made available five $10,000 merit-based fellowships, each renewable for 3 years for a total of $40,000 per student.

“Students come to Rhodes from all over the world. Some are here for those four years before embarking on their careers or graduate programs elsewhere, while others choose to make Memphis their home. Some have lived in Memphis their whole lives. But whether they are here for a short period or are permanent Memphians, Jewish Rhodes students should feel like they are part of our Memphis Jewish community,” said Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein, Chief Strategy Officer at Jewish Community Partners (JCP).

“These fellowships are the beginning of the process of connecting Jewish students to the Memphis community,” said Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein. “Once they have been awarded the fellowship, we expect them to become involved in the Rhodes Hillel’s leadership, we invite them to interact with community leaders, and offer other meaningful ways for them to become woven into the fabric of Jewish Memphis.”

Read about past fellowship recipients here, in their own words.

Students must apply to Rhodes College as either Early Decision or Early Action applicants by November 15, or as Regular Decision Applicants by January 15. Students must then be offered admission for the Fall 2020 semester, and choose to enroll at Rhodes. Details on the application process can be found in the Fact Sheet below.

An evaluation committee for the Fellowship, established by JCP, will review all applications and make recommendations to Rhodes. Recommended students will be considered for admission and the fellowship by Rhodes on a competitive basis. Students winning recognition will receive a Jewish Community Fellowship from Rhodes of $10,000, renewable for up to three years.

Rhodes may award competitive students an academic scholarship in a larger amount. In that case, the scholarships may not be combined and the larger scholarship will be awarded. However, students will still receive the other benefits of being named a Rhodes Jewish Community Fellow.

The fellowship application can be found here.

For additional information, contact Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein at 901-767-7100 or bzuckerbrot-finkelstein@jcpmemphis.org.

Rhodes College Jewish Community Fellowship-2020-2021

Fact Sheet

Deadline to apply for admission for Fall 2020 semester
Early Decision: November 1, 2019
Early Action: November 15, 2019
Regular Decision: January 15, 2020

Deadline to apply for Fellowship
For Early Decision and Early Action Applicants: November 15, 2019
For Regular Decision Applicants: January 15, 2020

Scholarship description and requirements

Rhodes College is pleased to make available five $10,000 merit scholarships to students who participate in Jewish life in their communities across the United States. Eligible students must apply for admission to Rhodes by January 15th for the Fall 2020 semester, be offered admission and choose to enroll at Rhodes. Fellowship applications will be reviewed by Memphis Jewish Federation (MJF) and MJF will recommend applicants to Rhodes. A complete application includes a cover letter, a resume of current participation in Jewish life, and a 500-word essay. The essay prompt can be found below.

Fellowship awardees are expected to become active in Jewish life at Rhodes and to fulfill the following requirements:

Attend a minimum of 10 Rhodes Hillel events/programs each school year;

Plan one Rhodes Hillel event/program per year;

Attend monthly leadership meetings with other Fellows and Rhodes Hillel Director;

Write an article about Jewish life at Rhodes for print and electronic distribution;

Make a presentation about Jewish life at Rhodes at a Memphis Jewish Federation board meeting;

Complete an annual Fellowship Recertification Form.

In addition, Fellows are strongly encouraged to consider an elected leadership position on the Rhodes Hillel Student Board.

Essay prompt

We live in an increasingly complicated world. How does your involvement in Jewish life influence the way you foresee accomplishing Rhodes’ vision of “graduating students with a life-long passion for learning, a compassion for others, and the ability to translate academic study and personal concern into effective leadership and action in their communities and the world?”

Please apply here: https://admission.rhodes.edu/register/jewishcommunityfellowship

Background on Hillels of Memphis

Hillels of Memphis serves Jewish students throughout the Memphis community, from all Memphis campuses. The Rhodes College chapter was launched in 2017, building on the previous work of the Jewish Student Union. Rhodes Hillel is operated by a student board in cooperation with Hillels of Memphis Director Sophie Bloch and a lay-led Advisory Council. Rhodes Hillel focuses on cultural, religious, educational, and social programming and is open to all students regardless of background. Rhodes Hillel is operated by Memphis Jewish Federation and endowed through the generosity of an anonymous donor.

Background on Memphis Jewish Community

The Memphis Jewish community is a full-service, vibrant community with seven synagogues, a beautiful and first-rate Jewish Community Center, engaging programming for youth and young adults, outstanding Jewish preschools, day schools and religious schools, an active Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation, kosher food options, award-winning residential nursing home and rehabilitation facility and more.  For more information about Jewish life in Memphis, please go to www.jcpmemphis.org

Questions/Additional information

At Rhodes College, please contact Ali Hamilton, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions: 901-843-3706/hamiltona@rhodes.edu

At Rhodes Hillel, please contact Sophie Bloch, Campus Director: 901-452-2453/sophiebloch@hillelsofmemphis.org

Read more

By Marisa Moore

There are currently five Jewish Community Fellows at Rhodes College. As part of their fellowship, they periodically share their experiences as Jewish college students with the larger community. 

Being Jewish has always been a huge part of my life.

When I was younger, I attended Hebrew school since I was 3 years old. I made some of my favorite memories with my friends such as attending Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, going to the Holocaust museum, and making hamentaschen and challah in our weekly cooking classes. These memories will stay with me forever, and have shaped me into the person I am today.

Going into college, I wanted Judaism to continue to play a role in my life. I am so thankful that I was offered the Jewish Community Fellowship at Rhodes College because it allowed me to continue to be a part of the Jewish community far away from home. It also allowed me the opportunity to attend my dream school where I could further my education, continue my softball career, be a sorority member of Alpha Omicron Pi, and intern at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Leaving California to go to school in Memphis was a big change, but it was also the best decision I have made in my life. Some of my favorite events in Hillel have been bagel brunches, Shabbat dinners, and bowling with the University of Memphis Hillel. As a member of Hillel at Rhodes, I was inspired by other people’s birthright experiences, and I am planning my own birthright experience this coming summer!

The Jewish Community Fellowship has given me so many opportunities here in Memphis that I wouldn’t have had without it. I am thankful for all the friends, memories, and opportunities of a lifetime all thanks to Jewish Community Partners and Rhodes College.

Read more

By Emma Figarsky

There are currently five Jewish Community Fellows at Rhodes College. As part of their fellowship, they periodically share their experiences as Jewish college students with the larger community. More information about the Fellowship can be found on the JCP website.

When I was growing up, change was not a stranger to me –from moving over 1,000 miles, to changing schools and therefore changing ‘friend groups’ frequently. Throughout my life, however, I have had Judaism remain, as this constant, grounding presence. Although my relationship with Judaism has transformed over the years, I have always confidently had the Jewish community by my side.

Ever since I can remember, my favorite aspect of Judaism is that of community, or kehillah. The first song that comes to my mind is Wherever You Go, There’s Always Someone Jewish by Rabbi Larry Milder.

In every Jewish community I have encountered, time and time again I have witnessed this strong sense of community–  and this sense of obligation to take care of one another as if you were family, even if you had just met. From attending religious school and becoming a bat mitzvah, to teaching religious school, going to youth group and spending countless summers at HSJ, I always had Judaism and the numerous lifelong friends I had met along the way.

The idea of parting with the Jewish community that I had grown up with and become so involved with once high school ended unsettled me. So, when I was offered the Jewish Community Fellowship at Rhodes College I was thrilled to be given this opportunity to further my studies and find that community that I value so dearly here in Memphis!

Between balancing Rhodes’ rigorous course load and my extra-curriculars, it has been so comforting to have our tiny, but mighty, Jewish community at Rhodes college, whether we are gathering for a Friday night dinner, a discussion over lunch, or a quick candle-lighting with latkes in the midst of finals.

Read more

Hello Memphis Jewish Community! My name is Yanai Almalem. I am a Jewish student lucky enough to be starting my Junior year at Rhodes  College this year.

In 2016, I was the first student to receive the Jewish Community Fellowship at Rhodes College thanks to Jewish Community Partners (JCP), which makes me the Senior Fellow!

Yanai attended an event to welcome incoming Rhodes College President Dr. Marjorie Hass (right), with Hillels of Memphis Director Rabbi Jeremy Simons and Hillel at Rhodes College Student President Merit Pinker.

Over the course of the past two years, my mind and my identity have been changed and reshaped by the college experience and coursework, as has my Jewish identity. The warm and welcoming Rhodes Hillel has been a huge part of that.

During the semester, my busy college schedule does not allow for too much other than work, but the Hillel is one of the truly peaceful parts of my week. The delicious Shabbat dinners, informational Birthright meetings, and special holiday events are a fun reminder and outlet for expressing my identity as not only Jewish but also as a first-generation Israeli immigrant to the United States.

Thanks to the financial aid offered by the Fellowship, I could attend my number one choice for school, and keep my unique identity in the process. My primary reason for going to Rhodes College was so that I could receive a quality education right here in my hometown, near the synagogues and schools I grew up in and I made the right choice. Keeping my Jewish identity was an important factor in determining what college I went to, for me and for my parents, and Rhodes College was very accommodating.

Although they do not have the largest Jewish population, there is a very close-knit and family-like Jewish population. We all know each other, which is a pretty good representation of the Rhodes College experience in general. JCP and Hillels of Memphis have made my transition into a meaningful and whole college experience not only less stressful, but a pleasure.

I very much look forward to another two years of amazing experiences with my fellow Jewish fellows and students at Rhodes College Hillel.

Read about the recent endowment which will fund Hillels of Memphis for perpetuity. 

Read more