Jewish Life at Harvard – Spring 2025

Going

Building Community Together

This year’s Commencement was absolutely gorgeous! It reminded me of a favorite Talmudic passage from Berakhot (43b): when observing a blossoming fruit tree in spring, we recite the blessing “blessed [are you God] for creating a world that lacks nothing.” Nothing? Our world is filled with suffering and pain—far from perfect. So is this blessing a lie? Of course not. In Rabbi Norman Lamm’s words, “it is a fiction, but what a glorious fiction it is.” When we believe our world is perfect and dedicate ourselves to its perfection, we transform a broken world into a perfect one.

With Harvard at the center of attacks on higher education, this blessing feels especially relevant. Despite chaos and uncertainty about Harvard’s future, admitted students visited during Visitas weekend, bringing optimism and excitement about building vibrant Jewish community. Meanwhile, our seniors enjoyed Senior Week—duck tours on the Charles, Jewish Heritage Night at Fenway Park, and mixology at Hillel (lechayim!). Commencement celebrated our students’ exceptional dedication and hard work.

While much remains uncertain, one thing is not: our students. They’ve demonstrated profound resilience and will continue exceeding expectations. As my three years at Harvard Hillel conclude, I want to thank our incredible students for enriching and inspiring me. I’ll miss you all—keep in touch!

Best,

Rabbi Noah Marlowe
Orthodox Rabbi