Hillels around the world celebrated Sukkot, which overlapped with the two-year anniversary of October 7th, by turning the festival into an opportunity for celebration and reflections. Many campuses offered dual programming, ensuring students had festive Sukkot events like “Sushi in the Sukkah” as well as October 7th remembrance programs. This allowed students to enjoy the holiday while also giving them a space to reflect and grieve.

The Northwestern Jewish community gathered in front of the school’s Hillel building to celebrate the release of the remaining 20 Israeli hostages by Hamas. Northwestern Hillel Student President Claire Connor said, “We as a people are incomplete as long as there are Jews in captivity, so today, today is an amazing day.”

A memorial in honor of the Israeli hostages in Gaza on the two-year anniversary of October 7th was vandalized multiple times at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon. The display was ripped from the ground and defaced by unidentified individuals. Jewish students were also verbally harassed and threatened during the memorial. The Dean of Students released a statement condemning the incidents.

To mark the two-year anniversary of October 7th, Hillels at hundreds of schools organized events on campus focused on memory, resilience, and community. Programs ranged from visible public displays, survivor testimonies, and communal gatherings that often integrated the traditions of Sukkot, which coincided with the date. These events provided Jewish students with a safe space as well as a strengthened sense of community on a difficult day.

Houston Hillel launched a 10-week Shabbat Hosting Lab program that encourages students to host Shabbat in their own homes and dorm rooms. Led by Houston Hillel Executive Director Rabbi Kenny Weiss, the program offers study sessions on core rituals, as well as practical lessons on hospitality and creating a welcoming ambiance. Each student participant hosts two Shabbat meals over the course of the program. According to Rabbi Weiss, the Shabbat Hosting Lab teaches students to create Shabbat anywhere, transforming Jewish life into something “they carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

Oregon Hillel and Ducks for Israel hosted a candlelight vigil to mark the two-year anniversary of the October 7th attacks. The event featured prayers, poems, readings of hostage names, and powerful personal reflections from students who recently visited the October 7th sites in Israel. Students emphasized that despite the rising antisemitism on campus, communal events like this remain critically important for rebuilding the community and bringing hope.