Hillel’s Israel Leadership Network Focuses on Strengthening Israel Engagement on Campus
Columbus Israeli Folk Dance Group Begins New Chapter
More Than 150 People Gather for Shabbat in Support of Oregon Hillel
More than 150 students, university administrators, elected officials, faith leaders, and community members gathered at the University of Oregon Hillel for a Shabbat celebrating Jewish community and resilience. The gathering came after antisemitic flyers were posted around campus targeting Hillel’s Executive Director Lenny Steinberg and calling for Hillel’s removal from campus. Oregon leaders, including U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Val Hoyle, and University President John Karl Scholz, joined students to show their support for Jewish life on campus.
Hillels Across North America Mark Three Years Since October 7th
Flyers Posted on Campus Target Oregon Hillel Executive Director
University of Rochester Hillel Breaks Ground on New Jewish Student Center
UF Hillel Commemorates Three Years Since October 7th
Three years after October 7th, 2023, the University of Florida’s Diane and Howard Schilit Hillel, brought Jewish and non-Jewish students together for two days of remembrance, sharing stories about people who were killed and those whose lives the attacks changed. Student leaders helped organize a public remembrance at Turlington Hall, where students learned about October 7th, gathered in community, and sang Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, together.
Hillel Israel Student Leader Reflects on Life After October 7th
Three years after the October 7th attacks, Shalhevet Tzur Fisher, a student leader at Hillel Jerusalem and member of Hillel International’s Student Cabinet, reflects on how the massacre and the war that followed shaped her and her friends’ university experience. She describes studying while sirens sounded, navigating grief alongside the ordinary routines of student life, and trying to make plans for the future amid daily uncertainty. Through Hillel, she found community, friendship, hope, and opportunities to connect with Jewish students around the world.
Hillel Rio Brings Hundreds Together for Sukkot
Hillel Rio is welcoming hundreds of Jewish students and young adults to its sukkah throughout Sukkot for meals, learning, holiday rituals, and community gatherings. Students are integral to every part of the Sukkot experience: from helping to build and decorate the sukkah to shaping programming held inside it. “Having a sukkah is especially meaningful because it represents what Hillel is all about: a welcoming home where we celebrate our Jewish identity and feel a sense of belonging,” said student Gabriela Sznajderman. “It’s incredible to have different activities every day during the chag (holiday), bringing us together and strengthening our community.”
GW Hillel Launches Interfaith Service Fellowship
GW Hillel and the university’s Center for Interfaith & Spiritual Life are participating in Hillel International and Repair the World’s Bridging Service Fellowship, a yearlong program bringing 10 Jewish and non-Jewish students on their campus together for community service, interfaith dialogue and leadership development. Fellows will volunteer with local organizations, participate in learning and text study, and build relationships through shared service projects, including the InterFaith Council of Metropolitan Washington’s Unity Walk. The program has expanded from more than 100 students across 10 campuses during its pilot year to more than 200 students across 16 campuses this year.
Students Find New Perspectives on Israel Through Birthright
As more students return to Israel through Hillel’s Birthright Israel trips, Hillel at the University of Rochester Assistant Director Michael Pollak explores how first-time and returning participants experience the country differently. After staffing multiple trips, Pollak reflects on how students can encounter familiar places, build relationships with Israeli peers, and engage with Israel through new experiences and conversations, including visits to the Nova Festival memorial.
Hillel of San Diego Sees Record Student Engagement Across Four Campuses
Hillel of San Diego reports record start-of-year engagement across its four campuses, with more than 800 students participating and nearly 25% reaching the organization’s “deeply engaged” threshold of attending Hillel more than six times. Students are also seeking consistent weekly programs, meals, and community support while taking on leadership roles: from organizing a Shabbat service program at San Diego State University to managing recruitment and events at the University of San Diego and Cal State San Marcos.