In this reflection, Hillel Jewish Agency Israel Fellow Shirly A. shares her family’s history and how she uses her pride in her Jewish and Israeli identities to inspire her students. Drawing inspiration from her grandfather’s rescue from the Holocaust and her cousin Ron Afrimi’s death in Gaza, Shirly organized meaningful activities to help students connect personally with Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. These included dedicating a bench at the Hillel building, painting Ron’s favorite flowers, and reciting prayers for fallen soldiers and hostages.

Two Israeli embassy staff members, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. late Wednesday night. Lischinsky and Milgrim had been attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee for young Jewish diplomats.  Authorities report that the suspect shouted “Free Palestine” while in custody. The FBI is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime and act of terrorism.

Eliana Goldin, a Jewish student and Hillel leader at Columbia University, was removed from her columnist role at the Columbia Daily Spectator after critics circulated an old Instagram poll she said was taken out of context. The poll referenced a biblical passage and was misinterpreted as a call for violence. Goldin called her removal from the newspaper, “The worst antisemitic attack I faced personally on campus,” while the paper’s leadership claimed it acted to protect her from harassment.

The University of Delaware Hillel launched its “Building the Jewish Future” campaign to raise $12 million for a new Jewish student center designed to serve future generations of UD students. With $8 million already pledged, the initiative reflects an unwavering commitment to support Jewish Blue Hens. Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, praised the effort as a national model for strengthening Jewish campus life.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services canceled $60 million in federal grants to Harvard University, citing the institution’s failure to adequately address antisemitic harassment and racial discrimination on campus. Harvard denied the allegations and filed a lawsuit against the White House, arguing that the funding cuts threaten crucial research projects and violate federal law.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order directing state education leaders to develop resources to prevent, track, and report antisemitic incidents in Virginia public schools and universities. The order follows reports of 554 antisemitic incidents in Virginia over the past year, with most occurring in educational settings.