Israeli artist and Rutgers alum Peter Moshe Shamah recently exhibited his work at Rutgers Hillel’s Karmazin Gallery, exploring themes of Jewish identity and resilience. His exhibitions, including “Jewish Past/Jewish Future” and “From Darkness, the Embers of Hope,” used mixed-media collage to reflect on Jewish history, culture, and trauma. Shamah’s work aims to inspire hope and action, emphasizing the importance of preserving Jewish heritage and fostering community connections.

The White House proposed a deal known as the “Compact” to 10 top U.S. universities, offering preferential federal funding in exchange for policy changes — such as capping international student enrollment and banning consideration of race or gender in admissions. The plan has been rejected by eight of the 10 institutions offered this deal, including Brown University, MIT, and Dartmouth, all of whom cited concerns about academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and merit-based research funding.

A federal judge in Chicago allowed Northwestern University to block enrollment for students who declined to complete a required antisemitism training video. The training, produced by the Jewish United Fund of Chicago, did not require students to agree with its contents, but 16 students currently have a freeze on their enrollment  for refusing to watch it. The decision came in response to a lawsuit claiming the training discriminated against Palestinian and Arab students, which the judge rejected, finding no evidence of discriminatory intent by the university.

Masked protesters disrupted an October 7th memorial event at Pomona College, entering a closed lecture hall room through an emergency exit and shouting “Zionists not welcome.”. Pomona College President Gabrielle Starr and Vice President Avis Hinkson said the college is investigating the incident. Claremont Hillel added that it is working with the Pomona administration to prevent such incidents and ensure that Hillel events remain “a safe and welcoming space for Jewish life on campus.”

Two Israeli soldiers — Major Yaniv Kula, 26, and Staff Sergeant Itay Yavetz, 21 — were killed and three others wounded in an attack by a Hamas cell that emerged from a tunnel in the eastern Rafah area of the Gaza Strip, threatening the current ceasefire agreement. In retaliation, the IDF launched a wave of strikes across southern and central Gaza targeting a major tunnel network used by Hamas.

The University of Louisville has temporarily suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter for violating university policies during recent protests. The suspension follows a series of demonstrations, including a “Week of Rage” from October 8–11, as well as an attempt to erect a tent encampment in violation of the school’s time, place, and manner protest guidelines.  The university cited multiple disruptions and non-compliance with university rules as reasons for the suspension.