Sami Weiss is used to being in the news; for years she made it. As a college student at University of South Florida, Weiss studied broadcast journalism.
Heading through school, Weiss imagined life as a sideline reporter. Whether for ESPN or another network, Weiss, 23, envisioned a career in which she’d offer midgame updates and insights.
One trip, however, forced an audible.
“In May of 2023 I decided to go on Birthright,” she said.
The then-undergraduate wasn’t particularly involved with Hillel on campus. Her community, she said, primarily came through her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha. “I was just one of those Greek students that was going to use Hillel for Birthright.”
Like several hundred thousand Jewish college students before her, Weiss went on the free 10-day trip to Israel.
“It changed my life,” she said. “I came back wanting to do Shabbat every week, wanting to learn more about my Judaism, my faith — really dig deeper into it — wanting to be involved in the community and share what I had learned,” she said.
Months later, Weiss’ perspective changed again.
Following Oct. 7, 2023, she started seeing news from a new angle. Both from the stories that followed Hamas’ attack on Israel, and comments “some professors” made, Weiss said she began considering a different path.
“I heard about jobs through Hillel,” she said.
A new role had opened at Hillel JUC in Pittsburgh.
The position, as described by Dan Marcus, the organization’s executive director and CEO, required someone who could connect with Jewish fraternity and sorority members at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, and who would encourage them to participate in Birthright.
Weiss researched the position and deemed it a perfect fit.
“I knew I wanted to be in the Jewish world, in some capacity, post-graduation,” she said. “I’m really happy that I landed at Hillel JUC.”
In late July, the newly-hired Jewish professional arrived in Pittsburgh. Apart from a separate weekend apartment hunting, Weiss had never before visited the city. Born in Montreal, she moved to Orlando at age 3.
Pittsburgh presented an immediate change.
“I remember my first time driving to the Giant Eagle in Squirrel Hill and just seeing people walk around with tzitzit or kippot or long skirts. And I’m coming from a community where we had to hide that stuff for a while or else we would have gotten yelled at and spit on,” she said.
Weiss noticed a “great community” where people exhibited Judaism with pride — a sentiment that wasn’t only expressed in Squirrel Hill, she continued. “I heard from students about how they feel being on campus, and just how strong the Jewish community of Pittsburgh is, and it’s really inspiring.”
A quiet summer is now over and Oakland is buzzing again. Classes are back in session. Students are packing public buses, rushing between buildings and ambling across Forbes Avenue.
Weiss is eager to connect with as many Jewish undergraduates as possible. For those students who belong to fraternities and sororities, she sees herself offering a unique perspective.
“If there’s an issue in their chapter, and they don’t know who to go to — or they experience some sort of antisemitism — I can be that person that they can rely on and talk to,” she said. “I had a community within my sorority, but there were some girls that didn’t necessarily agree with my point of view, and Hillel was there for me to be a space where I could be my true self.”
Weiss wants to return the favor.
Allowing students to see “why I found Hillel to be such a phenomenal place,” is one goal. But there’s another charge, she said. “I want to show them that it’s OK to be their true selves.”
She wants students to feel comfortable and supported in expressing their Jewish identity.
“And if something happens and you don’t feel safe around somebody, or if you kind of start to lose that community, I want to be there for them and help them navigate it, help them figure out how to educate and really teach, but also learn themselves.” PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at areinherz@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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