Hillel at Brandeis and Brandeis University announced a major initiative to renovate Kutz Hall into a 28,000-square-foot Center for Jewish Life — the first-ever stand-alone building for Brandeis Hillel. This new facility will feature gathering spaces, a café, a beit midrash (dedicated space for Torah study), and areas for Shabbat and holiday celebrations. The project is part of a $25 million campaign to grow and strengthen Jewish life at Brandeis.

NYU withheld the diploma of a student commencement speaker after he allegedly lied to university leaders, and gave a speech in which he falsely accused Israel and the United States of committing genocide in Gaza. University officials said that the student submitted a different version of his speech and knowingly misled administrators. The university said the student violated speech approval rules and is considering further disciplinary action.

After 584 days in Hamas captivity, Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old U.S. and Israeli citizen from Tenafly, New Jersey, was released and has returned safely to Israel. Edan has been reunited with his family as part of a deal brokered between Hamas and the United States.

Hope Donovan, a senior at Western Michigan University (WMU), describes how she discovered belonging and purpose through her involvement with Hillel. After transferring from a small Jesuit college to WMU, she embraced her Jewish identity by leading events like a Halloween-themed Shabbat and creating art that honored her Jewish heritage. As president of WMU Hillel, Donovan advocated for Jewish students and found the confidence to express her identity on campus and in her artwork. Hope’s story is part of the ‘Dear Hillel’ series written by graduating Jewish college seniors.

Stony Brook University Hillel celebrated Jewish American Heritage Month with its third annual Big Jewish Block Party. The event featured a falafel food truck, inflatables, and a mini shuk (market), fostering community conversation and appreciation for Jewish culture and traditions among students and faculty.

Rutgers senior Abigail Cohen is leading efforts to expand broadband access for underserved communities. As a computer science and environmental studies major, she combines her technical skills with a strong connection to her Jewish identity, supported by Rutgers Hillel.