Latest News from Campus
Opinion: Banning TikTok Strikes Blow Against Online Antisemitism
Times of Israel — Jan. 15, 2025
Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, reframes the debate over the TikTok ban to focus on a critical issue at stake: the platform's role in spreading antisemitism. Fingerhut supports the bill’s passage and warns that TikTok's algorithm amplifies harmful content, fueling discrimination and hate speech against Jewish people.
Federal Government Says University of California Schools Must Take Steps Against Antisemitism
DeseretNews — Jan. 15, 2025
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is directing University of California (UC) schools to take stronger action against antisemitic behavior and harassment targeting Jewish students. Complaints of such incidents have been reported across the UC campuses, including UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego. The Office of Civil Rights is requiring that the UC schools investigate reports of antisemitism and take action through policy revisions and staff training to comply with Title VI regulations.
Israel and Hamas Agree to Hostage Release Deal and Ceasefire
Times of Israel — Jan. 17, 2025
After over 15 months since the October 7 attack, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a hostage and ceasefire deal, which includes the release of hostages held by Hamas, a phased withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from the Gaza strip, and the return of displaced Gazan civilians. The deal is set to take effect on Sunday, and will include the release of 33 Israeli hostages in several stages over the coming weeks.
Op/Ed: Student Engagement at Hillel Ontario Since Oct. 7 has Skyrocketed — How Do We Sustain It?
eJewishPhilanthropy — Jan. 16, 2025
Hillel Ontario witnessed a 40% surge in student participation in programs and activities in the aftermath of October 7 and is expecting further growth in the new academic year. An upcoming challenge for Jewish organizations who have experienced similar growth will be how to sustain it in a post-10/7 world, writes Hillel Ontario Chief Advancement Officer Jay Solomon.
Amid Rising Antisemitism, Hamilton College Adds Jewish Studies Minor on Campus
JNS — Jan. 14, 2025
Hamilton College, a highly regarded private arts college in New York where Jewish students comprise 8% of the student body, recently announced the addition of a new minor for students in Jewish Studies. The addition of the Jewish studies minor comes during a time of rising antisemitism on college campuses, and with studies showing a decline in the knowledge of Jewish history and the Holocaust among younger Americans.
Lehigh University Takes Steps to Confront Campus Antisemitism Following Federal Investigation
Cleveland Jewish News — Jan. 14, 2025
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced that Lehigh University, a private school in Pennsylvania, has agreed to take action on allegations of antisemitic harassment. The university will implement new measures to ensure a safer environment for Jewish students, marking a step toward tackling hate and bias on campus.
More News to Know
Hillel International — Dec. 23, 2024
Connecting with Judaism for the First Time During Hanukkah
Growing up, Skylar Strudwick had never lit Shabbat candles or celebrated Hanukkah. But that all changed when she discovered her Jewish identity after finding her grandmother’s diary two years ago. Through Minnesota Hillel, Skylar learned about the beauty of Jewish traditions, community, and resilience – especially during her first Hanukkah! Now as a junior in college, as she lights the menorah this year with the friends she made on her Jewish journey, she reflects on the strength of her grandmother and the proud Jewish legacy she continues to carry forward.
The Jewish News of Northern California — Dec. 20, 2024
University of California Reaches Agreement with U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education announced that it has resolved nine civil rights complaints made against campuses inside the University of California system, including UCLA, UC Davis, and three other UC schools. Six complaints involved harassment of Jewish and Israeli students. As part of the resolution agreement, the UC system agreed to implement annual training for staff and campus police, to report more information about how its campuses will respond to harassment complaints, and to conduct annual audits and regular campus climate assessments.
Jewish Herald-Voice — Dec. 19, 2024
Hillel Students at Rice University Defeat Three Anti-Israel Referendums
Undergrad students at Rice University in Houston have voted against three anti-Israel student government referendums. The defeated referendums included a call to divest from all educational partnerships with Israeli colleges, companies, and institutions. Jewish student leaders were instrumental in rallying support against the referendums: “It was amazing to see our students at work while dealing with midterms and finals,” said Katia S., Houston Hillel's Jewish Agency Israel Fellow. “They put in the time and effort to make sure their voices were heard.”
The Harvard Gazette — Dec. 18, 2024
Jewish Studies Faculty Leaders From Eight Universities Meet on Campus Antisemitism
Jewish Studies faculty from eight North American universities convened at Harvard to discuss the rise in antisemitism on campus. The half-day conference kicked off with a panel discussion covering a range of topics, from media coverage of anti-Israel campus protests and experiences of hostility towards Jewish and Israeli faculty and students, to defining antisemitism, distinguishing it from criticism of Israel, and ensuring a safe campus environment.
JTA — Dec. 16, 2024
Israeli Player Yaniv Bazini Leads University of Vermont to First-Ever NCAA Soccer Championship
Israeli soccer player Yaniv Bazini led the University of Vermont to its first-ever national title in men’s soccer. Now Bazini, who recites the Shema before each game, hopes to be drafted to the MLS, America's professional soccer league, where he would become just the third Israeli player in the league.
Columbus Jewish News — Dec. 12, 2024
Couple Makes Transformative Gift to Ohio University Hillel
Sixty years ago, Sam and Terry Roth were both students at Ohio University who met at their campus Hillel and dedicated their collegiate lives to building a thriving Jewish community. Fast forward to today: The Roths are passing on their legacy with a generous donation of $500,000 to transform the Hillel building at OU, which serves over 350 undergraduate students and more than 100 Jewish families throughout southeast Ohio.