Northwestern Hillel aims to inspire and unite Jewish students on campus. Every year, the organization invites a celebrity to campus and hosts a speaker event. Previous speakers have included Beanie Feldstein, Marlee Matlin and Monica Lewinsky.
I spoke with Madeleine Stern and Allie Greifer, the programming co-chairs at Hillel, to talk about this year’s event.
Madeleine Stern: “Northwestern Hillel puts on this event to bring the community together, Jewish and non-Jewish members of our Northwestern community, hear from a celebrity speaker who happens to be Jewish. A lot of the questions are just about the celebrity’s career, but then there are a couple that talk about Jewish identity.”
Allie Greifer: “Someone’s identity shapes their career and the person they are today. We’re really excited to bring Skylar Astin on this year.”
Known for his successful broadway career and box office-breaking role as Jesse in the “Pitch Perfect” movie series, Skylar Astin felt like the perfect person to bring to Northwestern.
[clip: “Pitch Perfect,” Skylar Astin as Jesse]
But aside from his undeniable charm and amazing voice, why Skylar Astin?
Stern: “We want to pick a celebrity who resonates with the audience, with the Northwestern community, and also someone who we’re excited about because we think if we’re excited about them, a lot of other people should be excited about them too. Since Northwestern is known for acapella, I think this is like a perfect combo. When you can find a celebrity who also shares that part of your identity, it’s cool, and I feel like I look up to him more.”
ShireiNU, Northwestern’s Jewish acapella group, opened the speaker event with a medley from “Pitch Perfect.”
[nat sound: ShireiNU performance]
The event drew a large and excited crowd. With Northwestern’s massive theatre, film and Jewish communities, there were lots of people looking forward to seeing Astin.
Greifer: “Once we revealed it was Skylar, the interest of signing up for tickets was absolutely overwhelming. We had 100 people get tickets within the first 45 minutes, which was absolutely record breaking for Hillel speakers. So I think that was great knowing that we had picked a speaker that would resonate with students.”
Astin shared some set secrets from “Pitch Perfect,” and acting tips for theatre kids. At the end of the night, he gave some life advice for McCormick auditorium’s packed crowd. McCormick junior Hannah Wilks left the event with an important message.
Hannah Wilks: “ I liked his last official question response about advice to walk away with. Just, like, being kind and leading with your heart. And, you know, having instincts but really listening, and not being mean. Because I feel like that’s important. And it’s always good to hear people echo those important messages.”
Wilks also connected with Astin when he discussed how being Jewish has impacted his life.
Wilks: “I think that being Jewish is something I’m always very proud of and it means a lot when people in positions of power and famous celebrities like Skylar- That fact that they’re Jewish and proud of it. Like the fact that he was like, I’m Skylar Astin on stage, but for the rest of my life, I’m Skylar Astin Lipstein. Like he owned that. I think that’s really important and really good to hear.”
While Hillel has had some amazing people come and speak to students over the years, for Jewish students on campus, Hillel is more than just a place to hear from your favorite celebrities.
Stern: “Hillel as an organization, I would say is my home away from home. There are many staff members there who feel like a second family to me and it’s also just a really warm and welcoming place for me to go get a hot chocolate, study because there’s a lot of great study spaces, and it’s really cool because I’ll see my Jewish friends there, but also I feel totally comfortable bringing my non Jewish friends there and it’s a great place for them to hang out as well.”
Griefer: “As a Jew, it’s obviously great to have people come together for events that are inherently Jewish, but it’s also great to be behind these community events that really can touch so many people at Northwestern.”
[clip: “Pitch Perfect,” Treblemakers final performance]
For WNUR News, I’m Jessica Watts.
