Over the past year, Jewish college students across the US have been yearning for meaningful, relevant, and supportive programs as they face unprecedented challenges on campus. Emet Outreach has now embarked on an exciting collaboration with Olami. A new initiative called jHealth debuted last spring and just wrapped an incredible fall semester at both Queens College and Adelphi University. Geared towards students pursuing careers in health-related fields, the eight-week course provided a “prescription” for success in melding career and Judaism.

“Our jHealth students experienced a motivational semester that will inspire them to realistically incorporate Judaism into their lives,” said Rabbi Reuven Kigel, Emet Campus Director. “By connecting them with role models who are both leaders in their medical fields as well as observant Jews, students were able to see that it is possible to achieve career goals while following a Torah lifestyle.”

Held on Mondays for students at Adelphi and on Wednesdays for students at Queens College, the program featured compelling lectures and hands-on training by a roster of notable professionals. Each session was moderated by Emet rabbis and included Torah concepts that were relevant to the topic at hand. Captivating presenters included EMT and Founder of Hatzolah Air, Eli Rowe; neurologist Dr. Osher Rechester; anesthesiologist Dr. Avishai Neuman; physician assistant Eleanor Nouvahian; gastroenterologist Dr. David Sosnowik; and oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Steve Yusupov. There were also four potentially lifesaving sessions that provided training on delivering Narcan after opioid overdose; building suturing skills; administering CPR; and “Stop the Bleed” training from the American College of Surgeons. Besides hearing from medical professionals, there was a discussion on medical ethics by Rabbi Mordechai Kraft, Emet Educational Director, and a session on Torah and nutrition with Rabbi Kigel. A central part of the program, and a hallmark of all Emet fellowships, was that students attended a meaningful Shabbaton is Passaic, where they were able to disconnect from academics and enjoy the beauty of Shabbos together.

Ariel Akbashev, a pre-med student at Queens College, shared his perspective: “As a jHealth student, you don’t just come to classes; you come for experiences. Nowhere else can you sign up for a program that provides you with such an abundance of resources to prepare you for the medical field while inspiring your Jewish soul, knowing that those around you and those who run the program are Jews helping out other Jews.” Natalie Abayev, a biology major at Adelphi, added, “Joining Emet almost two years ago has completely changed my life for the better, providing me with countless opportunities, like jHealth. Through this club, I’ve had the chance to see students engage, learn, and grow, while also gaining invaluable insight from speakers who shared their expertise about careers in the medical field. I am so grateful for Emet and the knowledge, experiences, and community it has given me.”

jHealth has chapters on other campuses throughout the US, so students are part of a larger network and there are opportunities for internships and mentoring. Emet’s jHealth group just returned from a five-day trip to London, where they built medical and spiritual connections with an international spin.