As National College Decision Day approaches on May 1, Hillel International President and CEO Adam Lehman encourages Jewish high school students and their families to assess campus climates carefully and holistically. Despite increased antisemitism at some universities, Lehman notes that many universities, even those with publicized incidents, maintain vibrant Jewish communities supported by robust Hillel programs. He emphasizes the importance of evaluating the full scope of Jewish life offerings to ensure students find a campus environment where they can confidently express their Jewish identity.

Activist, actress, and best-selling author Noa Tishby recently spoke at Ohio State University (OSU) Hillel, where over 300 students and community members gathered to hear two survivors of the October 7 Hamas attacks share their personal stories. OSU Hillel CEO Naomi Lamb reflected on the powerful evening, saying, “Hearing both of the survivors talk about their stories of what happened to them on Oct. 7, I felt was the most heartbreaking and at the same time, the most heartfelt stories anyone could hear.”

Jewston, a program of Houston Hillel, facilitates meaningful connections for Jewish graduate students and young alumni across Houston-area universities and medical institutions, including Rice University, the University of Houston, and the Texas Medical Center. The initiative hosts social programs like bagel brunches and leadership development opportunities, while also supporting students in responding to antisemitism on campus.

More than 75 students and community members attended “A Dialogue on Peace in the Middle East” at California Polytechnic University, featuring former U.S. envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross, and former Palestinian Authority negotiator Ghaith Al-Omari. Hosted by Hillel San Luis Obispo (SLO), and Cal Poly’s Student Affairs and Communication Studies Departments, the event offered a model for productive discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as part of Hillel’s 2025 Teach-in Tour.

The U.S. government announced that it would pause $2.2 billion in federal research grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University. The funding freeze follows Harvard President Alan Garber’s announcement that the university was refusing to comply with a set of government demands that he said in a statement “infringe on academic independence or constitutional rights.” In recent weeks, the administration has also paused funding at the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Princeton, Cornell, and Northwestern citing concerns about antisemitism on campus.

Cydney Goldberg, Director of Advancement at Ohio State University Hillel, was honored by Birthright Israel at OSU HIllel’s recent “Shabbat at the Shoe” event. The program brought together students and alumni for a Shabbat celebration at Ohio Stadium (nicknamed “The Horseshoe”), one of the  largest on-campus stadiums in the world. Goldberg, a dedicated leader in Jewish student engagement, has organized over 20 Birthright trips to Israel, strengthening ties between students and the Jewish community.