Latest News from Campus

Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh (JUC) and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh announced a new campus ambassadors program that will take 10 University of Pittsburgh students to Israel to learn skills to become campus peer educators. Organizers say the trip and pre-departure workshops will equip students with knowledge, skills, and confidence to speak about Israel and counter antisemitism on their campuses.

Throughout four years of war in Ukraine, Hillel continues to provide Jewish students with Shabbat gatherings, support programs, and safe community spaces. Alyona Kolpina, director of Dnipro Hillel, said, “Being together in community has helped many students process their grief and feel that they’re not carrying it alone.”

Ohio State University Hillel and Columbus Jewish Family Services partnered to host a luncheon connecting students with Holocaust survivors following a powerful trip students took to Poland with Hillel. Organizers brought students together with survivors to hear testimony and strengthen generational ties within the Jewish community. The program focused on memory, education, and ongoing student engagement with survivors in the Columbus area.

Hillel International co-hosted the second annual Black-Jewish Unity Summit during the Super Bowl LX weekend in partnership with the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate and the UNCF. The summit brought together student athletes and Black, Jewish, and Black and Jewish student leaders to build dialogue and discuss how to combat hate on campus. With featured speakers like New York Giants’ outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho, the summit aimed to revitalize the historical alliance between the communities.

Around 700 students, alumni, and Evanston community members gathered for an annual Mega Shabbat, a large-scale dinner hosted by Northwestern Hillel and local partners. Organizers used the event to strengthen campus and community ties, and create a visible Jewish space centered on shared ritual, food, and student leadership.

Jewish students from across the Bay Area gathered for a ceremony hosted by San Francisco Hillel that used artwork to help students process October 7th and its aftermath. Participants attached their yellow ribbons, pins, and dog tags to a paper-mache tree, marking a significant milestone as all the hostages, living and deceased, have been returned home.