The Binghamton University Student Association Congress issued a statement condemning a recent proposal to divest from Israel. The student government emphasized that it was established to represent all student voices, including Jewish student voices, and expressed that the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement leads to the marginalization of Jewish students.
Hillels around the world commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a variety of programs and events. Hillel Guelph in Ontario, Canada focused on a week of educational programming, including museum visits, survivor testimonies, and a candle-lighting ceremony with an exhibit inspired by Yad VaShem.
Matt Vogel, Executive Director of Hillel at the University of Vermont (UVM), compares UVM’s 2023 resolution of Title VI complaints to Harvard University’s recent settlements. Vogel highlights how UVM’s policy updates and accountability improved the campus climate for Jewish students could serve as a model for Harvard, which plans to adopt similar steps, like the IHRA definition of antisemitism, to ensure a safer environment for students.
George Mason University (GMU) has officially opened “The Mason Mensch”, the only kosher restaurant in Northern Virginia. A partnership between George Mason Hillel and Chabad at GMU, the restaurant’s opening marks a significant step towards making kosher food available to students and the wider Northern Virginia Jewish community.
Jewish Life at Duke, the university’s Hillel, received the 2024-2025 Duke Presidential Award for significant contributions to the campus community. Hillel’s “Antisemitism 101” training for faculty and staff was a standout initiative, recognized for its impact in creating a more inclusive campus.
Harvard University settled Title VI lawsuits this week which alleged that Harvard failed to protect its Jewish students amid a rise of antisemitism on campus following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. With the settlement, Harvard agreed to take steps towards countering antisemitism on its campus, including integrating the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into university’s policies, establishing an official partnership with Israeli universities, and providing additional resources for the study of antisemitism.