Monica Davis is the executive director at the Johns Hopkins Hillel, but she hasn’t always been involved in the Jewish professional world. In fact, she started out simply, as a day school parent.
“When [my kids] were young, we enrolled them at Krieger Schechter Jewish Day School, where I became involved in the Parents’ Association. When my kids were a little older, I left corporate America and decided to change my career path to Jewish communal service, and began working at Hopkins Hillel,” Davis said.
That was 15 years ago. For the past three, the Baltimore resident has served as the executive director, where she has become more than just the head of the Hillel: Students know her as “Momica,” she said.
“I am their nurse and social worker. [I] provide pastoral-like care, and provide opportunities for students to grieve, process and just vent,” Davis said.
As much as those students rely on her and the staff at Hopkins Hillel, she relies on them, too. Davis said that the Hillel is not just her workplace; it is her and her family’s shul.
“We’re a community where every Jewish student can find a meaningful connection, whether through Shabbat and holidays, Israel engagement, social justice, Jewish learning, or simply sharing a meal with friends,” she said. “When talking to prospective families, my go-to line is, ‘We’re a small but mighty community, where it’s great to be a big fish in a small pond and a place where everyone knows your name.’”
Baltimore is full of Jewish life, and there are many options for students in the city who want to be part of a Jewish organization. Davis said what makes Hopkins Hillel special is its culture of belonging, especially at a time when many college campuses are not the most welcoming places for Jewish students. She said that this is something consistent across the Hillel network.
“Hillel represents the best of what the Jewish community can be: a home filled with meaning, joy and connection,” Davis said.
The High Holidays exemplified this. The Hillel’s four-story Smokler Center held three different denominations of services, meals for Rosh Hashanah, a break fast for Yom Kippur, an Oct. 7 commemoration and celebrations for Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
One of the most emotional moments of the last few years at Hillel happened just this week, as students gathered to remove the posters of the last 20 hostages in Gaza who were just released thanks to the peace plan signed by Israel and Hamas.
“As we [celebrated] Simchat Torah, we [dedicated] part of our festivities to honor their return in a joyful and deeply meaningful way to conclude this holiday season,” Davis said.
As the Jewish new year gets underway, the Hillel has a number of exciting plans on deck. Davis said she is particularly excited for learning series like the Kol Israel and Israel Middle East Forum, the first of which will focus on real-world ideas and questions with Israel as the case study. The second will feature current events and politics in the Middle East and Israel.
“Our Beit Midrash program and Jewish learning fellowships are also beginning, creating space for students to explore Jewish texts, traditions and values in ways that feel personal and relevant,” Davis said.
The Hopkins Hillel’s most beloved event, however, comes around Chanukah. Davis said she cannot wait for this year’s iteration of the much-anticipated “Hamentashen vs. Latke Debate,” which brings students together for a delicious and spirited date.
Davis is as close to the Hillel and its members as close gets, and that feeling is reciprocated. She said her greatest joy is watching students graduate and become successful in their chosen fields, as well as successful in their personal lives. She has received many invitations to weddings, baby namings and other celebrations.
“Those relationships, and seeing the ripple effect of Jewish life at Hopkins carry forward into the wider world, are what make this work so fulfilling,” Davis said.
For Davis, her work at Hillel is a constant source of joy. As another school year gets underway, she is excited to see that continue to come to fruition.
