Latest News from Campus

Hillel International welcomed its 10th Student Cabinet cohort to Washington, D.C., bringing together 20 Jewish student leaders from campuses around the world. During the annual summit, students built relationships with one another, deepened their understanding of Hillel International as an organization, and strengthened their communications and leadership skills ahead of their role as cabinet members this academic year.

Hundreds of campus Hillels are welcoming thousands of Jewish students to college with events that make it easy to meet new people and become part of their Jewish communities from day one. Programs like early move-ins, Shabbat dinners, and campfires offer a way for students to make Hillel a meaningful part of their campus lives from the moment they arrive.

University of Pittsburgh student and Hillel at Pitt student president Ashley Mason will serve on Hillel International’s 2026–27 Student Cabinet, joining 19 other Jewish student leaders from across the Hillel movement. Mason, a senior studying early childhood and special education, plans to share Pitt’s model of an interconnected Jewish community with fellow student leaders while helping Hillel International develop strategies to engage students, strengthen programming, and expand Israel education.

Jewish Life at Duke established a $2.5 million endowment to permanently fund its full-time campus rabbi, ensuring Jewish students will have ongoing access to rabbinic leadership, pastoral care, and Jewish learning for generations to come. Rabbi Elana Friedman, who has served as Duke’s campus rabbi since 2015, said, “Every conversation, coffee chat, Shabbat meal, moment of celebration or challenge at Duke is an opportunity for students to discover meaning, purpose, awe, resilience, and hope.”

For many Jewish college students, Hillel and Jewish Greek life organizations like AEPi offer spaces to build friendships, celebrate Jewish life, and develop leadership skills. Students at Northeastern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Iowa describe how participating in both communities shapes their Jewish identities and strengthens their sense of belonging on campus. Said Northeastern student Noah Ben-Zion, “thanks to my community at Northeastern, both in Hillel and AEPi, which for me are very intertwined, I was lucky enough to feel safe and protected by those around me.”

Targeted gifts to Hillel International will award more than $350,000 in scholarships to 65 Jewish college students this fall, marking the largest cohort in the program’s history. The scholarships recognize academic achievement, community service, Jewish connection, first-generation college enrollment, and financial need, with most awards ranging from $3,000 to $18,000 per year and renewable through graduation. “All Jewish students deserve the opportunity to pursue their ambitions,” said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, adding that he is confident the recipients “will accomplish great things” with the support of these scholarships.