By Shira Teed, Associate Director
As another calendar year comes to a close, I reflect on the immense growth that Hillel of Colorado (HOC) has seen in the two and a half years since I joined the team as Assistant Director. This academic year has given me a new challenge of holding dual roles as Assistant Director and Campus Director for our newest campus addition. Never a dull moment, this opportunity has given me a unique vantage point this year: one that allows me to zoom out and see statewide trends while also experiencing the intimate day-to-day workings of a campus. It also showed what it takes to build a Hillel community on a new campus as the first Hillel professional ever to work with the Jewish students there.
In that context, one of the most significant developments over the past two years has been the expansion of the Hillel of Colorado network itself. Last year, we officially launched Auraria Hillel, serving students at three schools, MSU Denver, CU Denver, and Community College of Denver, all on one downtown campus. As mentioned above, this year, we added myself and the HOC staff to support a new Hillel at the Colorado School of Mines. These additions mean that HOC is now showing up in more students’ lives, across a wider range of campus cultures. Hillel of Colorado now reaches students across nearly every type of campus environment, from large research universities and a private residential college to commuter campuses and a highly specialized STEM institution.
Across these four staffed campuses, which includes University of Denver (DU), Colorado State University (CSU), the Auraria Campus, and now the Colorado School of Mines, this year has been defined by intentional growth, strengthened relationships, and a deep commitment to creating meaningful Jewish experiences for students.
- At Auraria, this year marked a continued deepening of relationships across a complex and diverse commuter school. Auraria students are finding Jewish community in ways that work with their schedules and identities at this unique campus. Thanks to the professional relationships built by our amazing campus director Lauren Behm, Auraria Hillel has become increasingly integrated into campus life through sustained partnerships with faculty and administrators. We are excited to mark the one-year anniversary of our Tivoli Student Union Hillel lounge in the heart of Auraria campus this January.
- For the Colorado School of Mines, this first year of staffed Hillel programming has been both energizing and affirming. Luckily, we started the year with a group of engaged student leaders who already had a small but mighty student group established. Additionally, by reaching out to first year students and greeting them at move in, we saw immediate strong engagement from students looking for Jewish connection. Through on campus Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, bagel breaks and more we have made a true mark on the Mines campus. What stood out most was how quickly community formed once students had consistent, relational support. From our on-campus sukkah and edible sukkah contest to Spooky Shabbat and regular Shabbat dinners, Mines Hillel has grown from an idea into a vibrant, student-centered community in a very short time.
- Across our longer-established campuses, we also saw strong momentum. Under the steadfast direction of Scott Gerstel, CSU Hillel continues to grow in ways we never imagined, breaking engagement records and sustaining one of the strongest student leadership cultures in the state. Students are deeply invested in Shabbat, holidays, service, learning, and wellness programming, and CSU’s depth of engagement continues to set a high bar. We are also proud to share that Scott will be leading our first post Oct. 7 Birthright trip to Israel with over 20 CSU students this winter break.
- At DU, this year marked an important rebuilding period following a year of transition. Our new campus director of Engagement and Programming, Sophie Manis moved to Denver the same week as our first-year students arrived on campus. That said, she jumped right in and helped plan one of our most successful on campus Rosh Hashanah dinners, which we co-host annually with the DU Chabad. Sophie has shown incredible leadership and is teaching so many on our DU campus what engagement looks like in only a few short months. Student leaders are thriving under her guidance, and we are so excited about DU Hillel’s upward trajectory.
While programming highlights tell an important story, one of the clearest indicators of our growth this year can be seen in our data—particularly our depth engagement numbers. At Hillel of Colorado, we track both breadth (the number of students we reach at least one time in an academic year) and depth (students who engage meaningfully and consistently in Jewish life, which we define as six or more times in an academic year). Depth reflects relationships, leadership development, and sustained participation, and it is one of the most meaningful measures of impact we have:
“When comparing December depth numbers year over year, we saw growth across the organization. As students headed into winter break last year, our total depth engagement was 105; this year, it reached 156, an increase of 49%. At CSU, we are nearing 100 students engaged at depth, reflecting the strength of long-term relationship building on that campus. At Mines, the comparison is difficult, since it is our first year collecting data, however we are very proud of the 30 out of nearly 100 students have engaged on a depth level mid-year in our first year alone, representing nearly 30% of all Hillel students.”
Data helps us track our progress, but it is the relationships those numbers represent that matter most – behind each of these numbers is a student who found a Jewish friend, community, a sense of belonging, or a meaningful connection to Jewish life. Supporting both our students and our staff in building deep relationships is our wellness director, Shoshanna Shachtman. Without her gentle professional expertise, much of this work would not be possible. Over the last 18 months Shoshanna has helped our staff become more focused on the whole student, through training, support, guidance and programming.
Some of the most powerful moments this year were not the largest events, but the quieter ones. I recall nearly countless times when students made meaningful friendships by staying late after Shabbat to play games and talk, a first-year student stepping into leadership for the first time, or a moment when a group of students realized they had built something that truly felt like community. Watching students grow in confidence, curiosity, and connection continues to be the most rewarding part of this work.
As we look ahead to the coming year, our focus remains on deepening what we have built, and ensuring that our programs remain meaningful, inclusive, and student-centered.
I am deeply grateful to our students, staff, partners, and supporters who make this work possible. It is a privilege to build Jewish life alongside them, and I am excited for what the next year will bring.
-Shira Teed, Associate Director of Hillel of Colorado