UMass Amherst Student Brings Jewish Ritual Leadership Back to Campus
Hillel International and Repair the World’s Bridging Service Fellowship Returns for Second Year
New Hillel Director Looks to Build Community at Ithaca College
Hillel International Expands Shabbat Opportunities at 130+ Hillels
This fall, more than 130 Hillels will receive grants to expand Shabbat programming as part of Hillel International’s “Shabbat Surge,” a movement-wide effort to strengthen Shabbat experiences during the first six weeks of the semester. The initiative aims to bring more students together around the Shabbat table and create opportunities for connection and community. “There’s something really special about seeing students who might not otherwise cross paths sitting around the same table, laughing, talking, and creating community together,” said Ben Novorr, director of Jewish student engagement at University of Kansas Hillel.
Welcome Week Brings Jewish Students Together on Campus
Hillel International Welcomes Its 10th Student Cabinet Cohort at Annual Gathering
UC Berkeley Hillel to Celebrate 100 Years of Jewish Student Life
Syracuse Hillel Appoints New Campus Rabbi
Rabbi Natan Levy has been announced as Syracuse Hillel’s new campus rabbi and the Jewish chaplain at Hendricks Chapel on campus. Rabbi Levy is an internationally respected religious leader and bridge-builder with extensive campus experience, having served as university Jewish chaplain for Western England and Wales. Levy looks forward to learning from his new colleagues and creating “spaces for transformation now and into the future.”
National Education Association Board Rejects Proposal to Sever Ties with ADL
The board of directors for the National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers union in the U.S., rejected a proposal to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Made by delegates earlier this month, the proposal would have banned using, endorsing, or publicizing material from the ADL, including Holocaust education materials. More than 300 Jewish communal organizations, including JFNA, AJC, and Hillel International, had signed an open letter to the NEA board in support of the ADL.
Two Israelis Arrested in Belgium for “War Crimes” While Attending Music Festival
Two Israeli citizens, one soldier and one civilian, were arrested and briefly detained in Belgium after traveling to attend the annual Tomorrowland music festival after a complaint by the Hind Rajab Foundation. The foundation was launched in September to advocate for the arrest of Israeli soldiers when they travel abroad for “alleged war crimes.” The two Israelis have since been released, but one claims that he was beaten by the police while being held.
Jewish Student Files Lawsuit Against Harvard for Failing to Protect Jewish Students After October 7
Yoav Segev, a Jewish Harvard student, filed a lawsuit against the school for failing to protect him after he was attacked on campus during an anti-Israel “die-in”, and later rewarding the assailants with honors. Segev had previously tried to join lawsuits against Harvard anonymously, but his information ended up being leaked, including by the student paper, the Harvard Crimson.
University of Kentucky Professor Suspended After Calling “to make war on Israel”
University of Kentucky suspended Ramsi Woodcock, a professor at the J. David Rosenberg College of Law, for creating and sharing a petition that calls for “every country in the world to make war on Israel immediately,” while advocating for the country to “submit permanently and unconditionally to the government of Palestine.” The president of the university condemned the petition and said that it does not reflect the views of the University of Kentucky.
Hillel International Campus Antisemitism Report: Total Incidents Rise, but Assaults and Vandalism Decline
Hillel International’s just-released 2024-2025 antisemitic incident report saw an increase in the overall number of antisemitic incidents, but a sharp decline in antisemitic vandalism, assaults, and encampments on campus. While physical antisemitic incidents declined, Jewish students faced an increase in online bullying and harassment as hateful incidents multiplied on digital and social media.