Students from UConn Hillel joined close to 2,000 Jewish students from Hillel organizations all across the country for the 8th Annual National Hillel Basketball Tournament, held at the University of Maryland, April 19 – 22.

One of the largest Hillel gatherings in the world, the tournament brings together students and visitors from diverse backgrounds for a weekend of competition3 and events…and vibrant Judaism.

Players compete for the holy grail of Jewish basketball, the ‘Kiddush Cup’ and, this year, Gift of Life hosted an activity in which the organization promoted bone marrow registration by introducing a bone marrow donor to the donor’s recipient.

The competition is exhilarating for both players and sports enthusiasts alike, but the tournament is about more than just sports. It also fosters the perfect climate for young, Jewish students to share different perspectives and meet new friends from across the country.

Calling the tournament “an amazing experience,” UConn Student Brandon Milich (’21) said, “It was a lot of fun playing basketball with other students like myself and then celebrating Shabbat as one large community. It was a great way to meet other like-minded individuals and build relationships with others all while having fun.”

UConn’s Jacob Rizick (’20) agreed.

“After playing in the tournament last year, I decided to captain the UConn Hillel team this year,” he said. “It was nice seeing how much went into planning such a massive and well run event. It’s great seeing Jewish students coming from all different schools and areas of the country to participate in this tournament. I can’t wait to come back next year!”

CAP: The UConn Hillel basketball team included (l to r, front row): Adam Persson,  Benjamin Levin, Brandon Milich; (back row) Joshua Moskow, Nicholas Monllos, Jacob Rizick, Jonathan Sporn.