They Came for Water Polo, They Found a Jewish Community

David Rowe | Beach Hillel Class of 2021

When Inbar Geva left Israel to study in the U.S. two years ago, maintaining her connection to Judaism wasn’t a top priority. Inbar and two other local Israeli students, Itay Batito and Itamar Kolodny, had their eyes on the prize – water polo.

They may all hail from the homeland, but their stories are quite different. Inbar kicked off her college career in Brooklyn, where her games and practices were held in a basement, safe from New York’s harsh winters.

“I really liked Brooklyn,” Inbar said. “It’s such a cool place to be, and the people were nice – but the water polo really wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be. I knew I had to come to California.”

Seeking to make the most of her time in America, Inbar transferred to CSULB, known for its stellar water polo program in the classic California sunshine. Having settled in with a professional, competitive team filled with friends from around the world, Inbar’s bet on CSULB paid handsomely.

Coming off of a fantastic season with Golden West College, Itamar’s time here has also been well-spent. After playing for many years in Israel, former coaches and teammates directed him to Southern California, and with only two losses and a state championship this year, that advice was invaluable.

Itay also had a great season at LBCC, competing at the highest level – Division 1. Like Inbar and Itamar, Itay couldn’t pass up the prospects of playing in the Golden State as was recommended to him by friends, teammates, and coaches alike.

Along with their remarkable water polo experiences, our local Israeli athletes reveled in the quality of education they’ve received. Still, in the shadow of the pandemic, their classic college experiences have lacked a distinctive social scene.

“I knew the water polo program would be serious and would take a lot of hard work, Itay explained. “But the college experience just wasn’t there. Virtual classes made it harder to get the full experience and social life that I expected.”

Itamar and Inbar echoed the same sentiment – great sports, great education, not so great social situation. That’s where Beach Hillel comes into the picture.

“Being thousands of miles away from home is tough,” Inbar explained. But being active with Beach Hillel through celebrating our holidays, speaking Hebrew, and keeping our traditions alive with the local Jewish community helps make my time here so much more meaningful.”

At a time of accelerating antisemitism, especially on college campuses, the desire to connect and draw strength from our shared Jewish heritage is bringing a new generation of students to their local Hillels. For Beach Hillel’s Israeli cohort, there’s an extra factor driving them to get involved – a taste of home. It’s a reminder that, through the challenges of competitive sports and the weariness of social isolation, they will always have a place to fall back on.

Like a hanukkiah on the eighth night, Beach Hillel penetrates our hearts and illuminates the darkness. Inbar, Itamar, and Itay know this better than anyone.

Beach Hillel student Inbar Geva blocks a goal while playing for the CSULB Women’s Water Polo team.