Achayot: Jewish Young Women of UCSB

The UCSB Jewish Community is strong: we have the highest percentage of Jewish students and the most Jewish undergrads in the entire UC system; at the end of each week 300+ students feast and connect at the Hillel and Chabad for Shabbat; our AEPi chapter is growing as more young Jewish men find brotherhood; as of this Winter, business-minded students have an opportunity to connect with Israel's economy by joining our new chapter of Tamid; we are socially active with a "Jewish Gaucho's" group chat of nearly 250 united community members; in light of antisemitic incidents in Spring 2023, Jewish students in UCSB Student Government passionately fought to pass a Resolution in Support of the Jewish Community and the Condemnation of Antisemitism; Jewish students organized a vigil in light of the Oct. 7 launch of surprise attacks from Hamas and hundreds gathered in solidarity with Israel.

We are strong. We are growing. We are alive!

There's only one thing missing from the UCSB Jewish Community: a space for female Jewish college students to connect and grow together.

This fall, a group of 14 motivated, involved UCSB Jewish girls recognized this something missing and did something. We founded the first Jewish Girls Club at UCSB, Achayot (אחיות), meaning “sisters” in Hebrew. The club’s objective is to create an open and safe space for Jewish women to form a tight-knit community. We have since held weekly planning meetings, hosted a bonding game night at one of our apartments, followed through with becoming a UCSB-recognized Registered Campus Organization (which we are soon to complete), learned about stories of inspirational Jewish women (such as Inbal Rabin-Lieberman, a 25-year-old kibbutz security coordinator who saved countless lives on October 7th), held study jams at the library, fundraised in Isla Vista selling home-made brownies, and partnered with UCSB alumni donating canned food and toiletries to the IDF.

Achayot is growing... and we are now a connection of 35+ Jewish girls. We want to reach the roughly 1,700+ Jewish girls at UCSB. We are driven to expand Achayot as an established space for UCSB girls to connect, grow, and learn.

The founding board members have been hosting these events out of pocket...

We are asking for menches to support us financially as we grow. We will allocate the funds to hold events such as Shabbat dinners, female leadership education programs, retreats, bonding events, a big-little program, community outreach, Shabbat candle making, and Jewish Holiday gatherings. Becoming a driving force in bringing together the passionate, caring, go-getter, Jewish young women of UCSB as we grow!! Am Yisrael Chai!