My sophomore year of university was a turbulent one. Following October 7 and the normalization of blatant antisemitism on campus, I no longer felt welcome in many of the spaces I had frequented and in the friendships I had cultivated my freshman year. I felt adrift and isolated.

I found my mooring in the American Sephardi Federation community, where I had the privilege of participating in the ASF’s Sephardi House Fellowship. 

Growing up in Tucson, Arizona to a family of Syrian, Spanish, and Russian Jewish descent, I had never heard of the ASF and didn't have access to a robust Sephardic community. I found out about Sephardi House through an Instagram story urging students to apply to the fellowship. I remember turning to my parents and telling them that I had just stumbled across the most incredible opportunity and that I had to get in; I wanted more than anything to be a part of the passionate cohort of young Jewish leaders I saw represented among the ranks of Sephardi House. 

As October 7 and its aftermath unfolded, Sephardi House filled a critical role in centering me in my identity and community. The fellowship took on an entirely new meaning for me. Originally I had applied seeking connection to other Sephardim my age; what I found exceeded my expectations. Although we were strangers, immediately there was a shared sense of solidarity and support among the fellows and program leaders, and there was a united feeling of motivation to hold strong to our Judaism and to honor the cultural, philosophical, and educational traditions of our Sephardic heritage in response to the darkness around us. Sitting around the Shabbat table during my cohort’s fall Shabbaton, talking and singing late into the night, it felt like I was back at home; I felt a deep sense of belonging and contentment. With support from my peers and guidance from my mentors in the ASF—Ruben Shimonov, Joshua Benaim, and Jason Guberman—I found my own voice on campus and grew into my role as a campus community leader. 

Tapping into the ASF’s longstanding tradition of empowering young leaders, Sephardi House works to fortify Jewish college students with the wisdom, values, and traditions of the Sephardi world. Sephardi House has become a home for me; it has grounded me in my culture and heritage, welcomed me into a community of dedicated people, and helped me take ownership of my identity as a young Sephardic Jewish woman living in tumultuous times. 

Sephardi House Fellows have been key leaders in enriching and rejuvenating their college communities by infusing Sephardic warmth and vitality into Jewish campus life and programming. They lead Sephardic clubs on campus, contribute pieces to school newspapers that highlight Sephardic, Israeli, and Jewish student perspectives, and host events that range from Sephardic Shabbatot to music and trivia nights to history lectures to calligraphy workshops. 

With the rise of antisemitism on college campuses after October 7, they have also spoken up on the national stage about the importance of Jewish student safety, via congressional testimonies and opinion pieces in major newspapers. Being a part of this special group of driven students and mentors has not only given me the sense of belonging that I had yearned for, but also the motivation to further develop my own leadership.

Sephardi House is built around the concept of bringing all Jews together, of celebrating the many unique cultures, traditions, and communities that make up Am Yisrael—the Jewish People. My time as a fellow filled me with a renewed excitement and drive to be more vocal about the richness and value of Sephardic Judaism, both within the Jewish community and the world as a whole. Throughout the year, I gained critical skills and knowledge that have allowed me to bring Sephardi culture, education, and joy to my campus. The mentorship and training I received and the joy I experienced when I was surrounded by my peers at our Shabbaton leadership summit inspired me to establish the University of Arizona’s first Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish Culture Club at my campus Hillel. As its founder, I have been able to broaden the horizons of my peers and deepen their understanding of global Jewish diversity by hosting events that bring together students of all backgrounds to celebrate Sephardic history, holiday traditions, music, languages, and the arts. 

Creating meaningful opportunities that deepen Jewish pride, resilience, and community belonging on college campuses is more important now than ever before. As an alumna of Sephardi House, I feel prepared and eager to continue this work. Although my time as a fellow ended in May 2024, my journey with the ASF family is far from over. The ASF and Sephardi House alumni network has been an indispensable support system to me over the past year. I have continued to use ASF resources and turn to my peers and mentors in Sephardi House for guidance in planning events on my campus, and I have had the opportunity to attend one-of-a-kind ASF events, such as the New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival. I now work with the ASF as the inaugural Sephardi House intern, where I have been honored to watch yet another cohort of dedicated, inquisitive, and bright students grow into leaders and educators in their own right. 

Over the last year and a half, Sephardi House has truly become my home. It is my hope that many other young Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews have the same opportunity to be a part of a community that celebrates Sephardic traditions, encourages curiosity, and empowers each student to find their own voice.