Latest News from Campus

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.

Jewish students across North America marked Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, with their campus Hillels, leading programming that included Israeli food, trivia, block parties, music, and dance. At Texas Hillel, Rabbi Stephanie Max said Hillel “creates space for students to explore what.. [Israel] means for them,” describing it as an integral part of Jewish life and learning.

At Duke University, students organized Passover seders and communal meals across campus, with programming supported through Jewish organizations including Hillel and Chabad. These events brought together students from a range of backgrounds to participate in traditional Passover rituals and gatherings designed to encourage community engagement.

Hillel Jewish University Center (JUC) in Pittsburgh marked its 25th anniversary with a celebration recognizing its integral role in Jewish campus life across the city. Students, alumni, and staff reflected on the organization’s history of programming and community-building, describing it as a “home away from home” for Jewish students.

Hillel at Ohio University (OU Hillel) and Ohio State University Hillel (OSU Hillel) are helping students stay connected to their Jewish identity through Passover traditions that blend religious observance with campus life. Executive Director Juli Goodman of OU Hillel emphasized that these events reflect Hillel’s student-driven approach: “Hillel really is the welcome center for the Jewish community. We want to let students try out different aspects of their identity and be comfortable in it.”

WashU Hillel is bringing hundreds of students together for Passover seders featuring traditional symbolic foods and kosher meals. The events connect students to Jewish tradition, while fostering community and celebration on campus. Hillel is also running a “Do Your Own Seder” program, allowing students to host friends in their homes with Hillel providing food or subsidizing grocery costs