HaKesher President, Yael Farber, on Building Community and Celebrating Joy

For Yael Farber, the HaKesher (Student Association) President at Hebrew Union College’s Los Angeles campus, leadership is all about creating opportunities for connection and celebration. Having arrived in LA shortly after the height of the pandemic, Yael noticed a strong need for fostering relationships within the HUC-JIR community. She began her involvement as the association’s Director of Marketing and Communications and is now in her second term as President, a role she has embraced with creativity and care. We spoke with her about her role, HaKesher’s activities on campus, and the future of student involvement.

Why did you become involved in Hakesher?

I became involved in HaKesher to help build community on our campus. Coming to LA during the first year after COVID, I saw the need and desire to spend more time with people in our campus community.

What are some activities Hakesher has been a part of, that you’re most proud of?

HaKesher has created the annual “Tu B’Shvat Swap” – an opportunity for members of our campus community to bring their pre-loved clothing, household items, and books and give them a new home! Situated around Tu B’Shvat, this program creates less waste as we recycle items to new owners. Any donations left over at the end of the week are donated to local nonprofits.

Additionally, I created the Campus Rosh Hodesh Oneg. Each month, we gather together to share in celebrating the joys in our lives. This gathering gives students, faculty, and staff the chance to share birthday celebrations, professional firsts and milestones, as well as the more regular joys in life like perfecting a new recipe. I am hopeful that the next President will continue both of these traditions as ways to bring our community together for different reasons.

In your role, you collaborate closely with both the Director of Student Life and the Dean. What have been some key takeaways from these meetings, and how have they helped shape the student experience?

Getting to work closely with Rabbi Joshua Garroway, Ph.D., Interim Dean of Los Angeles, and Ken Rosen, Director of Student Life and Campus Culture, I have been able to gain an understanding of the reasoning behind various decisions and changes on campus. It has been immensely helpful to be able to not only advocate for the needs of students but to also be able to bring greater understanding to the students about issues from the administration. I see myself as a liaison between the students and administration, serving as an advocate for the student voice and helping each party to hear the other’s responses more clearly.

Reflecting on the recent High Holy Days, how do you see the skills and lessons from leading during this spiritual time translating into your preparations for future events like student-centered holidays or communal gatherings?

When we plan campus holiday programming, we think about what our community is not getting elsewhere. We often strive to host holiday programming that provides opportunities for personal reflection and holiday celebration. HaKesher leans into fun when we think that it’s needed to be able to decompress. For example, our Sukkot event was an opportunity for good food, good company, and crafting to decorate our HUC Sukkah. While crafting, many students discussed their student pulpit experiences and how things were going throughout the chagim. This chance to connect in celebration of the holiday is one that isn’t always possible when students are busy with their various fieldwork commitments.

As you look ahead, what are some of the major goals you hope to accomplish for students, and what advice would you give to future students on campus?

My advice to future students is to take the time to show up on campus. The best conversations I’ve had with students in other class years have been on the days when I’ve felt particularly tired or stressed and have sat down with a group at lunch to find that I am not alone in what I am feeling. The opportunity to connect with people who have had similar experiences is special and not something to be taken for granted.