Jewish college students recently traveled to Wisconsin for a student advocacy summit where they met with state legislators, a state supreme court justice, and Jewish community leaders to sharpen leadership skills, practice strategic communication, and craft action plans for addressing issues on campus.
More than 130 Jewish college students from universities across Texas spent a weekend at Texas A&M building friendships, celebrating Shabbat, and diving into conversations about Jewish identity and campus life. The Summit featured student-led learning, a keynote by author and former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz, and community events like Havdalah and a Texas-style rodeo night. Students returned to campus with a stronger sense of belonging in their statewide Jewish community.
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.