This week, I was moved by the bravery of a student leader who stood before a House of Delegates select committee in Richmond to share her personal experience with antisemitism on campus.  Kiera Schneiderman is the student body president at Virginia Tech and through her testimony she exhibited not only courage, but also eloquence, empathy and leadership. I encourage you to WATCH her testimony.  

This week's Torah reading begins with the passing of Sarah, our first matriarch, and ends with the next generation stepping forward—Rebecca’s emergence as a leader and her role in carrying forward the legacy of Abraham and Sarah. When Abraham’s servant seeks a wife for Isaac, his encounter with Rebecca at the well is transformative. Rebecca’s kindness, decisiveness, and strength mark her as the next bearer of the covenant. She is not merely chosen; she chooses to step into the role of leadership.

It is our sacred duty to invest in leaders like her. Just as Abraham’s servant recognized Rebecca’s potential at the well, we must recognize and nurture the potential in our young people.

Your generous support of the UJCVP's Annual Campaign helps to strengthen Jewish identity on local college campuses.  Every year, the UJCVP supports Hillels throughout the Commonwealth with an annual allocation that bolsters their programming.  And this year, the UJCVP Endowment provided a grant for W&M Hillel to bring on an Israel Fellow.        

Our regional community security advisor Dave Brackins is working with Jewish campus professionals and with campus law enforcement as part of our Secure Community Initiative.  

And our Jewish Community Relations Council continues to advocate for our community, including by participating in this week's House Select Committee on Maintaining Campus Safety and First Amendment Expression.

Kiera is a modern-day Rebecca. In the face of adversity, she has chosen to stand tall and carry the torch of Jewish values and resilience. She reminds us that leadership is not only about courage, but about vision—the ability to see beyond the present and build a future where empathy and dignity prevail.

The investments we make in the next generation – through education, connection, and values – are the seeds of continuity and shaping a future filled with hope and possibility.  Let us continue to give them the tools, the platforms, and the encouragement to stand tall and speak loudly. 

Shabbat Shalom, 

Eric Maurer
CEO 
emaurer@ujcvp.org