Latest News from Campus

Hillel International’s Assistant General Counsel, Ariel Katz, writes about her experience empowering Jewish students who have faced harassment or discrimination. Through CALL, the Campus Antisemitism Legal Line, a resource created in partnership with Hillel International, ADL, and the Brandeis Center, Jewish students and faculty can report incidents and access free, confidential, and expert legal support. Over the last two years, Ariel and the CALL team have assisted with over 600 incidents, helping students pursue justice and accountability. In this time of heightened antisemitism, CALL is making sure students know they don’t have to face these challenges alone.

A multifaith dinner at the University of Houston brought together Jewish, Bahá’í, and Muslim students for shared food, honest conversation, and bridge-building. The program, supported by an Interfaith Outreach Grant from Hillel International, allowed students to have conversations in a relaxed setting to better understand each others’ identities and religious practice.

The 2025 Hillel International Global Assembly (HIGA) brought together over 1,100 professionals in Boston to celebrate Jewish joy, belonging, and resilience on campus. The opening plenary featured powerful “Leadership in Action” stories from Hillel professionals,  remarks from CNN’s Van Jones and former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz, music from Nefesh Mountain, and a set from comedian Alex Edelman.

Former hostage Noa Argamani, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023 and rescued by Israeli forces after 245 days in Hamas captivity, shared her story of survival and resilience with the University of Texas – Austin (UT Austin) Jewish community. Texas Hillel Executive Director Rabbi Stephanie Max facilitated the conversation with Argamani and shared, “The act of telling them [hostage stories] will remain critically important.”

Hillels across Canada are expanding counseling, peer-support circles, and wellness programming to help Jewish students manage heightened stress, anxiety, and safety concerns linked to increased antisemitism on campus. Staff are partnering with mental health professionals and offering more one-on-one support, group sessions, and resilience-building programs so students can access care while staying engaged in Jewish campus life.

Houston Hillel’s Shabbudies program at the University of Houston brings students together on Friday afternoons to “a warm, low-pressure space… where students can unwind, grab a snack, do something creative and ease into Shabbat in a way that feels accessible and genuinely restful.” The experience offers an alternative to commuter students  and others who have difficulty attending traditional Shabbat dinners on campus – and  provides a new way to deepen connections with Houston’s Jewish community.