Latest News from Campus

Over 330 students and community members attended the University of Florida Hillel’s Passover Seder. A memorial at the entrance honored the 59 Israeli hostages held in Gaza, with a sign reading “Don’t Passover Them.” UF Hillel Executive Director Rabbi Jonah Zinn emphasized the connection between the ancient Exodus and the story Passover, and the contemporary struggle for freedom faced by the hostages.​

Over 75 Hillel student leaders joined more than 20 Jewish content creators and journalists in New York City for the third annual Hillel International Content Creators Forum. The event featured workshops and mentorship sessions aimed at equipping students with tools to advocate for and educate others about Israel and Jewish culture through digital and social media. Notable speakers included 2021’s Miss Israel Noa Cochva, Holocaust survivor (and TikTok educator) Tova Friedman, and digital creator Melinda Strauss.

The University of Maryland hosted the 13th annual National Hillel Basketball Tournament (NHBT), drawing over 1,000 attendees and 50 teams from 32 universities across the country. Teams competed for the coveted “Kiddush Cup” while participating in Shabbat meals and hearing from keynote speakers who focused on strengthening Jewish identity and building community. A team from the University of Pittsburgh claimed the men’s Tier 1 Championship, while a team from Yeshiva University claimed the title on the women’s side.

Dalia Ziada, an Egyptian human rights activist, is visiting 45 college and university campuses this year as part of Hillel International’s Teach-In Tour to engage U.S. students on Middle East issues. Ziada aims to challenge misconceptions and spark open dialogue about the region’s complexities.

In a recent update, Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, discussed the organization’s work to combat antisemitism and empower Jewish student leadership. He highlighted key initiatives, including the Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition and the Hillel International Israel Summit, as well as Hillel’s global growth. Lehman emphasized these efforts as essential to creating a strong Jewish campus community for students.

Faculty at Emerson College hosted a screening of the documentary October 8 following anti-Israel protests and increased antisemitic incidents on campus. The screening provided insight into the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and its aftermath, sparking a campus-wide discussion about the connections between politics, activism, and antisemitism.