Cincinnatian Sarah Shmoel took over as executive director at Miami University Hillel earlier this year, and for her, the opportunity felt like a chance to support students the way she had when she was in school.
“My mom passed away in my third week at Ohio University,” Shmoel said. “I called the Hillel director, and explained my situation and that I wanted to sit Shiva, I wanted to say kaddish for my mom every single night for the 30 Days like I was supposed to, and the Hillel director said, ‘Not a problem. I will make sure you have a minyan every single night.’
“I just thought, like, if this is what this director is doing for me, what is she doing for other students?” she said.
It was that support and the experience of a welcoming community that kept Shmoel coming back, and even briefly working at Ohio University Hillel.
That experience anchored her path. Shmoel became an active student leader at OU Hillel, later worked at Cincinnati Hillel and Tel Aviv University Hillel, and even volunteered with Miami Hillel while in graduate school.
“I thought at the time, ‘This is a really great career, a really great job.’ I always wanted to work at Hillel, and it’s really a dream come true to be here now.”
Shmoel continued working and supporting students, focusing on student programming and Jewish engagement on campus, before working in the admissions office at Rockwern.
And she wants to bring that experience to bear at Miami University during a challenging time for Jewish students on campus.
“I really wanted to work at a campus where Jewish life was small but mighty,” Shmoel said. “That’s what attracted me to Miami Hillel. It’s a place where there’s so much potential to grow, but also such a strong, close-knit community.”
Many college campuses became flashpoints over the Israel-Hamas war, and in the past two years, antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed on campuses across North America. Even before Oct. 7th; in 2022, the Miami University Hillel sukkah was vandalized.
Shmoel wants to help empower Jewish students to feel comfortable in their identity on and off campus. For her, that means listening to students and what they need.
“I think Hillel is most successful when it’s responsive to students and gives them the tools to create their own Jewish experiences,” she said.
Another part of that to Shmoel is advocating for students to leaders on campus through collaborating with student groups and University departments, to help integrate Jewish life on campus.
“Jewish life should be woven into campus life,” she said. “That means showing up, working with others, and making sure our students feel like they belong here.”
Sarah Shmoel Outside Miami University Hillel
And for Sarah Shmoel, that means not just listening to students but going out and bringing the programming to them.
“Not every student is going to come through our doors for Shabbat,” she said. “So, how do we meet them where they are? That’s a big focus for me.”
“It’s really about creating a home away from home,” Shmoel said. “That’s what Hillel was for me in college, and that’s what I want to provide for students here.”
For Shmoel, leading Miami Hillel isn’t just a career move but a way to help students feel as welcomed and accepted as she was.
“I always knew Hillel was where I wanted to be,” she said. “To have the opportunity now to lead this community and help students build their Jewish lives – it’s exactly what I hoped for.”
So excited for Hillel’s next chapter with Sarah leading the way. The students are in exceptional hands with her more than capable leadership. Go Sarah and go Hillel!!!!