Emily Hamel is a fall 2024 graduate of the Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) program with a minor in Jewish Studies, as well as our Access Torch for the month of January. Hamel is passionate about both early childhood education and Jewish history and culture. During her time at MSU she converted to Judaism, an experience she describes as ‘life-changing’ and one that helped her discover her purpose in life and what she is most passionate about.
Like many individuals at the beginning of their college journey, Hamel suffered from anxious thoughts about being able to handle her course load and what major to eventually settle on. After starting out on a nursing track, Hamel pivoted to the College of Social Science, first as a School of Social Work major and eventually joining Human Development and Family Studies as her interests in childhood development grew. That was also when she discovered the Jewish Studies program.
Hamel describes herself as a ‘bookworm’ who grew up constantly reading, especially finding a fascination with history. Jewish history was one particular area that drew her in, despite, she says, growing up in a town with “virtually no Jewish population or representation at all.”
She found her interest rekindled in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “During COVID I had a lot of questions and I did a lot of introspection,” she explained. Leaning on her passion for Jewish history and the community, she approached a local synagogue upon returning to campus in 2021 and began the conversion process.
During this time, Hamel also began taking courses within the Jewish Studies program. Knowing that she was ready to convert, she hoped the program would assist in giving her more background knowledge and exposure to Judaism as a whole. She also became involved with MSU Hillel, the on-campus center for Jewish student life.
“Besides my actual experiences in the Jewish community, what really helped my conversion process and my understanding of Jewish history and finding what I ultimately wanted to do with my life really came from the Jewish Studies program and Serling Institute here,” she said. She credits Dr. Amy Simon, a professor in history and Jewish Studies, as well as Associate Professor of Religious Studies Dr. Morgan Shipley, for being two particularly helpful mentors, both during her time at MSU and as she began to immerse herself in Jewish culture.
Along with taking classes both in HDFS and Jewish Studies, Hamel found friends and further guidance through MSU Hillel and the Jewish community here on campus. “It was really my first exposure to the Jewish community beside my synagogue, and they both cross over a lot with the Jewish Studies program,” she said. “That was also where I gained more of my historical knowledge and the things I needed to know before I could engage with the Jewish community.”
All told, the conversion process took around a year and a half, ending with a visit to a Biet Din, a rabbinical court consisting of three rabbis who oversee the conversion to Judaism as well as other aspects of the legal process in religious matters.
“I was able to finally come home to Judaism, and that was a super transformative experience,” Hamel said. “It was something I never necessarily expected to do. I’ve always been interested in spirituality and that aspect of one’s personal life. But coming to Michigan State and engaging with all of these things really helped me find my footing and what I ultimately wanted to do.”
Hamel explains that her conversion journey helped expand her worldview and her Jewish identity informs much of her life, from the way she navigates personal issues to her actions in the workplace. “I find a lot of the cultural teachings of Judaism, such as embracing the stranger [a central tenet in the Torah], definitely flows into my work and into everything that I do,” she said.
Hamel works for the Refugee Development Center of Lansing as part of their First Steps program, a federally-funded initiative that focuses on early literacy learning and language acquisition for non-native English speaking children. She began as an intern before being hired as a full-time employee in June. She had had previous experience working with children, but not much involving children who speak little to no English. Many of these children also carry a heavy burden of personal trauma and mental health issues from their family’s struggle to find safety in a country often far from their own.
“I really learned through the Refugee Development Center how to better navigate children’s social and emotional health,” said Hamel. “I don’t think I would have nearly as good of an understanding, or the patience, or the informed knowledge that I have now if I hadn’t interned there.”
In the future, Hamel hopes to continue her research into Jewish Studies and her involvement with the Jewish community as a whole. She is particularly interested in building upon her knowledge surrounding the Holocaust. After taking classes with Dr. Simon on both antisemitism and the history of the Holocaust, Hamel was inspired to learn more about how intergenerational trauma can impact not just the Jewish community but many others, such as the refugee groups she works with.
“Dr. Simon’s classes provided so much understanding that I really needed before I could further engage with the Jewish community, and it’s when I first started to engage with her about Holocaust research and work,” Hamel explained. “I think especially in an academic context, that was super pivotal for my conversion process and my general educational journey. It’s been really important and helpful for me to understand how certain prejudices develop, especially as it relates to my work.”
Hamel’s own journey has inspired her to want to educate others on Jewish history and culture. She is also interested in assisting with the preservation of oral history and testimonies from Holocaust survivors. She laments the fact that, growing up, she was barely given any education in public school about the Holocaust, let alone any aspects of Jewish culture. If she did learn about the Holocaust, she says, it likely came up briefly in history class during lessons on World War II. “I think it’s true for a lot of non-Jewish folks, that the context in which you learn about Jewish people often happens only in the context of the Holocaust,” she said.
Hamel is deeply grateful for her newfound community and purpose that she has discovered through Judaism. “I definitely feel like, especially through community organizations here like MSU Hillel and Jewish Studies, I’ve found my home in Judaism. Judaism informs so much of my moral compass and has deepened my morals and allowed me to engage in a lot of introspection. There’s just so much room for personal and communal growth that I had never really experienced before.”
“I’ve always craved the feeling of being part of a community, and I have definitely found that. I’ve experienced so much support, especially as it comes from MSU. Conversion can be kind of a layered process, and I feel like I have had so many positive experiences in regards to it, and that really happened because I was here.”
Honorees’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the College of Social Science.