Latest News from Campus

Earlier this month, Hillel at Dartmouth brought together 85 student leaders from seven Ivy League institutions for the Ivy League Jewish Leadership Conference, held over four days. Programming included panels, facilitated conversations, and workshops focused on Jewish identity on campus, leadership development, and navigating campus life after October 7th. Students also participated in cohort-building activities designed to encourage collaboration and relationship-building across schools.

Touro University announced a new institute focused on combating antisemitism in higher education through research, trainings and other convenings, and policy initiatives. Their multi-pronged approach will include work with professors at universities nationwide, as well as leaders across academia, policy, law, media, and business to develop new strategies, study existing laws, and investigate the impact of antisemitism so discourse is grounded in evidence. “We believe that lasting change requires working on multiple fronts simultaneously, because antisemitism is not a single problem with a single solution,” said Touro University President Dr. Alan Kadish.

Noah Scholl, an engagement associate at Hillel at The George Washington University plays a central role in student outreach by building one-on-one relationships and helping students find meaning in Jewish life on campus. A recent college graduate, Scholl leads programs and gatherings designed to make Jewish spaces more accessible, including social events like challah making and trivia nights, and mentorship-style conversations with students. He focuses on creating community through consistent engagement and helping students deepen their Jewish identity and sense of belonging at Hillel.

In a new op-ed, Hillel International Senior Vice President for Campus Solutions Jon Falk argues that, two years after the explosion of encampments on university campuses, antisemitism has persisted – often migrating online even as some campuses are less visibly chaotic. “What has emerged over the past two years is more diffuse, more ideologically embedded, and in some ways harder to confront than a tent city on the quad,” he writes. Falk calls for universities to embrace a comprehensive institutional response that goes beyond enforcing rules and improving security to protect Jewish students and help them flourish with joy, confidence, and belonging.

A Black-Jewish unity dinner, hosted by UNCF, Hillel International, and the Blue Square Alliance, at the historic Atlanta synagogue, The Temple, brought together Black, Jewish, and Black and Jewish students, community members and leaders for a discussion on shared challenges and cooperation. The event featured a fireside chat between UNCF President Michael Lomax and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who spoke about antisemitism, racism, and the need for continued partnership. The dinners are part of a broader effort that has brought together more than 2,000 Black and Jewish college students nationwide for dialogue and relationship-building.

Over 700 students traveled to the University of Maryland Hillel to compete in the 15th Annual National Hillel Basketball Tournament, with over 60 teams from 31 Hillels from across the United States participating. A 30+ member student board organized the event, leading marketing, fundraising, recruitment, logistics, and building a custom app to manage registration and attendance.