Fig and Twig: Previous Editor-in-Chief is Fig & Vine’s Newest Unc

On May 12th, 2026, I sat down with Fig & Vine’s creator and co-editor-in chief, Lily Karofsky, in Hillel’s student lounge. Together, we reflected on the past two years of growth of the magazine, and the positive impact of having a platform for Jewish journalism and creativity. 

Fig & Vine has been such a fundamental part of my Jewish experience at UCSB, so interviewing Lily was very bittersweet. We touched on the immense joys that we’ve felt over the years, but also the difficulty of the constant turnover of the people we love entering and leaving this college town. As always, we reminisced on so many iconic moments, and shared lots of laughs. Without further ado, this is Lily, on the record, for the last time as editor-in-chief of Fig & Vine. 

What inspired you to create Fig & Vine?

Lily: Fig & Vine was created in the antisemitic aftermath of October 7th. I realized very quickly that people were talking about Jewish students and people were talking for Jewish students. But not a lot of people were actually talking to Jewish students and letting us have a platform to speak for ourselves. I came up with the idea for Fig & Vine because the night of the Girvetz police raid and the encampment being taken down at UCSB two years ago, a reporter asked me to give a statement. I mentioned in it that I was Jewish and they seemed genuinely surprised by it. I don’t really know why but he was like, ‘oh, are you scared being here?’ And I said, ‘well, it’s as off-putting as it would be for anyone.’ Then I realized, we should really be having our own space to be sharing our own thoughts and feelings. Then I also realized that a lot of the fun in writing was lost for me because I was writing about depressing shit constantly. Although these things are important to talk about, writing should also bring people together and be fun. So, I thought Fig & Vine should be a place for art, poetry, and satire. Just a place for Jewish students who love writing to be able to express themselves in a way that feels good, and whether that’s addressing the sad and scary stuff, or if it’s just being funny on the page. And thus: Fig & Vine! 

Maya: Yeah, I can relate. I had a journalism internship in Tel Aviv during my gap year and it was very heavy. I had to constantly write about hostage updates and terror attacks in Israel. It’s a lot. 

Lily: Exactly. We need a place for that, but we also need a place where Jewish joy can just exist without guilt. 

Maya: I’ve felt so much joy through Fig & Vine. 

Lily: Yeah, I’m gonna miss it. I also love how Fig & Vine is so encompassing of the Jewish community because, as a community, we have to hold both. We can’t let our entire world collapse every time something bad happens, or we’d never feel any joy. But we also can’t turn our backs on the ongoing antisemitism in the world and I think that being able to hold both is the epitome of being Jewish right now. I hope that Fig & Vine has represented that. 

What’s one of your favorite memories of this Jewish community? 

Lily: I had so much fun at the Shabbat crawl! I thought it was such a good idea, and I talked to more people than I usually do because everyone was moving around. I also had a good time at prom and I’m glad we were able to pull it off before I graduated. Overall, my favorite thing is walking into Shabbat and seeing so many people I know either super well or maybe just within Shabbat. Everyone is happy to be there, and I think it represents such a safe space for our community. I just love that even college students feel an attachment to that tradition, that you can slow down for a couple hours and go have Shabbat with your friends and reconnect for a little bit. 

Maya: Do you plan to celebrate Shabbat in the future? 

Lily: I’m hoping to be involved with CBB after graduation. I still want to be rooted in my Jewish life. That’s so much easier in college because there’s always Hillel and Chabad, and things like Sinai Scholars and Hillel art classes. I'm just constantly involved in Jewish things without having to put much effort in. I’m curious to see how that changes after graduation. I’m realizing I might have to put more effort into having Judaism in my life, and that is so important to me. So whether it’s coming back here to visit every once in a while or having Shabbat at CBB, I definitely want to keep up with this tradition. 

What’s something you’re going to miss about IV? 

Lily: I just love living so close to my friends. I think the realization finally hit me the other day. This is probably the last time I’m going to live within walking distance of all of my best friends. And that’s just crazy. I love that I can just text people and we can hang out in just a few minutes. Yeah I’m gonna miss that.

Maya: What is the first thing you’re doing after you graduate?

Lily: Moving the fuck out of IV.

Maya: Do you have any side quests planned for the summer? 

Lily: Hopefully going back to Boston for a week. My east coast friends are getting a house on the cape for a week so I’m hoping I could go spend a few days with them. And, um, trying not to obtain another cat. I think three is my limit but… who knows. The nights get lonely.

What are you most excited for, post college? 

Lily: Well, I’m excited to move out of IV and move somewhere new. While it’s been a ride, this town is starting to feel a bit small, and I’m excited for some more growing room. I’m also excited to never take a comm class again, that feels great.

Maya: That’s so exciting. 

Lily: Yeah, but I’m in that weird phase where I’ve felt so excited to be done for years. But as soon as you take your senior photos, the graduation goggles get stuck on your face. I don’t understand how there’s four weeks left in the quarter. That makes me want to throw up a little bit. There’s so much I’m excited for after, but right now, all I can think about is everything that I’m going to miss. It’s a little brutal. 

Maya: Yeah, I can’t think of a tougher transition. 

(Another one of our graduating writers, Simone Elliot, then enters the room.) 

Lily: It’s crazy. I’m looking at these people and wondering what it’s going to be like not living right by them anymore. Also, so many of my friends are graduating but also so many aren’t, so I’m wondering what that’s going to be like. It’s going to be a transition for sure. 

Maya: It’s so bittersweet watching all my senior friends graduate too. Yeah, brutal. 

Lily: You know what else is brutal? Being terrorized by this fly. It keeps buzzing in my ear. What a little bitch. Where’d he go? He keeps landing on my shoe. 

Simone: Dude, I was sitting in here, but it keeps landing on me. I wasn’t going to let it bother me but it keeps on buzzing in my ear! I’m leaving.

Would you rather be attacked by 1,000 little flies, or one big fly? 

Simone: Honestly, one really big fly. Bye! 

Lily: How fast is he? Can I outrun him? 

Maya: Yes… but barely. 

Lily: Hmm… I don’t know because with the 1,000 I can go crazy with the electric swatter insert flailing motion until I kill them all. But one big one…

Maya: Maybe it can be a David and Goliath situation? 

Lily: But I feel like they’re so gross, like, imagine a big fly looking at you… 

Maya and Lily: EWWWW.

Lily: Yeah, I’ll take the little ones. Assuming I have a swatter. 

Maya: And do you think you’re skilled enough to get them all? 

Lily: Who’s to say? But the thought of one massive one is so much more terrifying. How did he get so big? Where did he come from? Are there more of him? Who created him and why? I feel like that’s more of an issue. 

Maya: Well, this fly that’s been terrorizing us in the lounge will be remembered forever through Fig & Vine. 

Lily: Amen. 

Maya: Amen. 

Maya: So Lily…

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in IV past 2:00 am? 

Lily: Willingly still spend time at the AEPi house. That was a choice that I made. Ohhh also probably driving to LA at 2 am. Like, starting the drive at 2 am. I probably just should have gone to bed. Like that one quote in How I Met Your Mother…

Maya and Lily: NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER 3 AM. 

What’s the worst class you’ve taken at UCSB?

Lily: There’s this class that counts as a writing credit or a French credit but it’s technically under the French department. It’s called ‘Fantasy and Fantastic’ and I thought it was going to be the coolest thing ever because of the title but the professor is this little old woman and her instructions were so unclear. We’d have these interesting conversations about these short stories but then her quizzes would be like ‘what day was this published’ and ‘what day was this author born.’ Nobody fucking knows that shit. So I very quickly started failing it and then I dropped the class. I think half the class dropped.

Maya: Wow, that’s not fun and fantastic at all. 

Lily: Yeah the class sounded like it would be whimsical as fuck and… it wasn’t.

What’s your go-to Hillel snack?

Lily: Oh, those little chocolate panda cookie things. The Hello Panda. I also love Cheez-its. 

Fuck, Marry, Kill… Hillel, Chabad, and AEPi?

Lily: I’m fucking AEPi. Because one and done and it’s a fun night and then you don’t make eye contact at the next Shabbat. Everyone’s been there. But marry and kill is hard because I do love them both… I think I have to marry Hillel because they literally publish this magazine.

Maya: So you kill Chabad? 

Lily: Ugh I can’t! But I can’t fuck Chabad because they’re orthodox! Maybe I do wanna marry Chabad… but then do I have to be orthodox? 

Maya: Probably yes. 

Lily: No comment.

What’s been your silliest antic in the Hillel building? 

Lily: No comment. 

Do you have a favorite article that’s been published in the past two years? 

Lily: Some of my favorites of mine were the mini-series I did with Geroge Rusznak, a Holocaust survivor. I learned so much from him. Even though they were very short and sweet, it felt good to put some of his wisdom out there. ‘Jewish or Journalist,’ the piece I wrote when the encampment was going on, I still personally love because of how much hate it got, haha. When I think of Fig & Vine classics, I always think of your duo articles with Allen. I was laughing so hard when I was editing those. This was also during the rise of your relationship so I felt what I imagine what a director might feel when two of their actors fall in love on set. And omg, Allen’s piece about the Cabo trip was one of my favorite things ever! That was so good. And Charlotte’s astrology pieces! Those were so good too! Also, I do have a soft spot for the recipe section. I know we don’t do that much anymore, but it was always fun to hear what peoples’ favorite family recipes were, but, those were some of my favorites. 

Maya: Awee! Yeah, those were all so fun. 

Were you involved with any other orgs in college? 

Lily: Lowkey, not really. I feel like my world here has been so defined by the Jewish community. I’ve been involved in Hillel, Chabad, Achayot, and then running Fig & Vine was my main thing. 

Maya: Yeah, I’ve never felt this much love from any other community. 

Lily: Yeah, not really! I look back and wonder if I should have done more. But no, I did what made me happy! I also spent so much time with my friends and so much time with my family! I feel like I had a very good school/work life balance, and that’s more important to me. Also… I don’t like a lot of people. 

Maya: That’s not true. 

Lily: You’re right, that’s not true at all! I just don’t like organized activity, I like my downtime. 

Maya: And what do you like to do with your downtime? 

Lily: I love to be with my cats. Those little gremlins take up a fair amount of time. I also read a lot. One of the reasons I wanted to live alone was because I wanted my own little space. I’m at my apartment a lot, but I love it. It’s so cozy, and I sit outside and I read. I’m content and happy. My brother and his wife live downtown and I spend a lot of time with them. They got married last November, so lots of time went into that. Also spending time with my friends! Yeah, most of my activities are pretty chill, but they make me happy. 

Maya: That’s so nice. Sitting down in the sun and reading with your cats sounds perfect. 

Lily: Oh it’s so lovely. 

Maya: Do you have a book rec for us? 

Lily: One of my favorite books is The Five People We Meet in Heaven. I’ve read it multiple times throughout college because I learn something new every time. It’s based on the author’s uncle’s philosophy about what happens after you die. I’ve always found that very interesting because in Judaism, there’s so many theories about what happens after you die. In this theory, heaven is getting to understand how and why your life played out the way it did. So the theory is that in heaven, you meet five people that somehow altered your life with or without you knowing. 

Maya: That sounds like an amazing book. I’ll let you know if I get a chance to read it!

Do you have any regrets from college? 

Lily: Yes but I don’t name names. Okay but really, I think regrets are a waste of time. You should think about what you should do with your life moving forward. We don’t have much control over everything but we do have some control over what we do next, and I think that’s most important. Someone should put that on a fortune cookie. 

Any closing remarks as you get ready to graduate and bequeath Fig & Vine?

Lily: On a personal note, through the ups and downs of personal stuff and community-wide antisemitism, Fig & Vine has given me something to feel proud of. Nothing feels better than when someone tells me that an article made an impact, or it’s so sweet to see something like that. I get to take pride in something I got to create and the community it has become. When I see two people in our meetings working on something together, just knowing that all of that is happening because of an idea I had one night to fill a hole that I was feeling… that’s such a good feeling. Fig & Vine was almost selfish in its nature of its creation. It was filling a hole that I felt. I didn’t know if anyone else was feeling what I was feeling, but it turned out that a lot of people were! I think that also brought a lot of community into my life, that a lot of people were feeling the emptiness that I was feeling, and the need to have more self-expression. So I think Fig & Vine kept me grounded in the past few years, in that I always had something that I cared about. So even if school was rough, or, social life or personal life was rough, I feel like I had something that was bigger than me that I cared about, and it kept me going. I love it and I’ll miss it. I’m really proud of you for taking it over, and I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do with it. It’s weird, it’s like a baby bird leaving the nest. I don’t know if I’m the bird or Fig & Vine is the bird in this metaphor. Maybe we’re both the bird? 

Maya: Hmm… maybe we need a better metaphor? 

Lily: It almost feels like Fig & Vine is the nest I built and I’m leaving the nest. Bye nest! 

Maya: So you had your children and you… left them in the nest? 

Lily: Maybe? We need a better metaphor. I don’t know who’s the bird and who’s the egg and who’s the nest. But either way, I love all of them. But you’re gonna kill it. I’m really excited to see where it goes, and to keep reading it! I’m really proud of what we’ve built together. 

Maya: Awee, thank you! Thank you for bringing me into this community at the start of my freshman year. I’ve had Fig & Vine for my entire college career and that’s meant a lot. 

Lily: Yeah that’s crazy. I’m so glad that you had that experience. And my experience was needing it and making it, and for others, it’s been there. That’s how important things get started. It’s a lesson that when you see an empty space, don’t be afraid to fill it. There’s a chance someone else sees it too. 

Thank you Lily for filling that space, and creating a magazine that will continue to live on with us. You will be so missed, as well as Simone Elliot, Junior Bases, and Jacob Rosen, our other graduating staff writers. Thank you for sharing your voices, and congrats on everything you’ve accomplished. 

With love, 

Maya and the rest of the Fig & Vine team