Latest News from Campus

University of Kansas Hillel will celebrate the 21st annual Rock Chalk Shabbat this fall, honoring the thousands of  Jewish students, alumni, and community members who have made its signature campus Shabbat dinner possible over the years. “Rock Chalk Shabbat is so much more than inviting our local community to an on-campus Shabbat experience. It’s a chance to embrace the entire KU Hillel ecosystem, gathering students, alumni, parents and Jewish Jayhawks everywhere and reflect on what makes this community unique,” said KU Hillel Executive Director Ethan Helfand.

Hillel International introduced its 2026-27 Student Cabinet, made up of 20 student leaders from across the United States, Canada, Israel, South America, and Poland to help guide critical conversations about Jewish life on campus. “We depend on the valuable insights and reflections from our Student Cabinet leaders, and we’re very excited to work with this new cohort of Student Cabinet members in the year ahead,” said Hillel International President and CEO Adam Lehman. This year’s incoming co-chairs are Rachel Lennard of the University of Oregon and Ben Small of the University of Pennsylvania.

Director of Oberlin Hillel Yaffa Mulhbaum is a 2026 Cleveland Jewish News “12 Under 36: Members of the Tribe” award winner. This honor recognizes  young Jewish professionals and community leaders in the Cleveland area who excel in their careers, provide meaningful service to others, and show a deep commitment to Jewish life. The selected individuals represent diverse fields such as education, healthcare, and nonprofit leadership.

Arizona State University Hillel received a $10 million gift from the Levine Family Foundation to support construction of a new Jewish student center. The donation marks the largest gift in the organization’s history and advances an ongoing effort to expand space for Jewish student life, programming, and community at Arizona State University.

Through Hillel International’s Leadership Passport program, more than 200 student leaders have connected with national Jewish organizations, explored careers in Jewish communal life, and built leadership skills beyond their campuses. For recent graduates like Jacob Rathkopf, Lilly Chavez, and Kylie Miller, those experiences inspired them to continue creating Jewish community as new Hillel professionals, particularly through programs like the Springboard Fellowship and IACT. Their work this fall will focus on supporting Jewish students by offering opportunities for them to participate in meaningful Jewish experiences on campus.

Air Force Officer Olivia Raykhman found a strong Jewish community while attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. Hillel at West Point helped her embrace her identities as a Jew and as an American soldier. After recognizing that many Jewish cadets and ROTC students lacked similar support, she built Nesharim, an organization dedicated to creating community for Jewish service members through in-person and virtual gatherings. Raykhman hopes every Jewish cadet can find the same sense of community she found through Hillel.