 | FUN FACTS Major: Elementary education Favorite Jewish food: Kugel – "I miss it so much, the kind with the cinnamon and raisins, so good." Spirit animal: Zebras – "They also start with a 'z' and also I think it's really interesting that they're whole reason for their pattern and what makes them unique is that they work together." |
As a freshman, junior Zahava Davis started out going to Hillel with an embarrassing experience, which left her afraid to get involved. Her first time going for Rosh Hashanah services, she got lost and went to the wrong venue, causing her to show up late, in the middle of services. "I freaked out,” Davis said. “I was extremely embarrassed and I thought, ‘I can never show up to this place again, I’m just going to have to find another organization to be a part of, it’s over.’” After arriving at the service, however, Davis felt welcomed. People at the service introduced themselves and were kind, marking the experience as one of Davis’s favorite Hillel moments.
“People didn’t care that I was late. They made sure I was okay, they made sure I wasn’t late because of something wrong – so that is my Hillel moment,” Davis said.
The community aspect of Hillel is one that kept Davis wanting to get involved and to make it a part of her KU life. “Hillel pushes me to develop relationships with people beyond the surface level and grow close bonds with people.”
Now as a junior, Davis uses her first experience at Hillel as an example, as she is one of the leaders of freshmen engagement alongside junior Sarah Herman. Davis said freshmen engagement is important to her because of her experiences at Hillel, as well as her experience from being a camp counselor at Camp Shwayder and being a part of sorority at KU.
Being a leader at Hillel and at a Jewish camp allows her to give younger people the same experiences she has had and then find ways to make those experiences even better.
“I love the idea of helping people younger than me experience what I did. I want freshmen to be able to come here and to experience Hillel the same way I have and even better.”
For all freshmen, and other students, considering getting involved, Davis encourages trying it out and going to whichever events sound interesting.
“There are so many different things we do, there are so many doors, so many ways you can get involved,” Davis said. “That’s what I love about Hillel – it’s so diverse and I think what I tell every freshman is basically Hillel has everything no matter what you’re looking for; whatever you’re looking for, Hillel has it.”
“People didn’t care that I was late. They made sure I was okay, they made sure I wasn’t late because of something wrong – so that is my Hillel moment,” Davis said.
The community aspect of Hillel is one that kept Davis wanting to get involved and to make it a part of her KU life. “Hillel pushes me to develop relationships with people beyond the surface level and grow close bonds with people.”
Now as a junior, Davis uses her first experience at Hillel as an example, as she is one of the leaders of freshmen engagement alongside junior Sarah Herman. Davis said freshmen engagement is important to her because of her experiences at Hillel, as well as her experience from being a camp counselor at Camp Shwayder and being a part of sorority at KU.
Being a leader at Hillel and at a Jewish camp allows her to give younger people the same experiences she has had and then find ways to make those experiences even better.
“I love the idea of helping people younger than me experience what I did. I want freshmen to be able to come here and to experience Hillel the same way I have and even better.”
For all freshmen, and other students, considering getting involved, Davis encourages trying it out and going to whichever events sound interesting.
“There are so many different things we do, there are so many doors, so many ways you can get involved,” Davis said. “That’s what I love about Hillel – it’s so diverse and I think what I tell every freshman is basically Hillel has everything no matter what you’re looking for; whatever you’re looking for, Hillel has it.”
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