Latest News from Campus

Each year, thousands of Jewish college students participate in Birthright Israel trips with their campus Hillels, connecting with peers and Jewish communities around the world. University of Kansas Hillel recently completed its Birthright Israel trip, where students traveled from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, visited historical and modern sites, and took part in hands-on volunteering while meeting and learning alongside other Jewish students.

Rabbi Sara Paasche-Orlow, executive director of Northeastern Hillel, describes how she accompanies Jewish college students through moments of challenge and joy using a chaplaincy-informed approach grounded in presence, listening, and sustained relational support. Northeastern Hillel has piloted an innovative Clinical Pastoral Education program focused on Jewish community chaplaincy, campus life, and mental health that they hope to grow nationally next year.

Jay Solomon, chief advancement officer of Hillel Ontario, describes a shift in Jewish campus engagement away from a primary focus on one-on-one “coffee date” relationships toward broader, community-based entry points. He highlights large-scale Shabbat dinners, social gatherings, and informal group experiences as ways college students first connect to Jewish life. Solomon points to these settings as starting points that often lead students into leadership roles and deeper relationships with Jewish campus communities.

This academic year, Hillel International, the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, and UNCF sponsored 14 Black and Jewish Unity Dinner events across U.S. campuses to spark connection and dialogue between Black, Jewish, and Black and Jewish students. These dinners are building trust and relationships through in-person peer interaction, while countering rising antisemitism and racism. Surveys conducted post-event indicated that over 70% of attendees reported an increased understanding of both communities, while 87% expressed interest in future joint programming.

Hillel of Northern Nevada brings Jewish students together through weekly Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, and social events ranging from mini golf to craft nights. The organization serves students at the University of Nevada, Reno and other northern Nevada campuses, helping them build community and stay connected to Jewish life while away from home.

Actress Jackie Tohn spoke at a Northwestern Hillel event organized by students, where she reflected on her path from child actor to television star and discussed the connection she found between her Jewish identity and her role as Esther Roklov in “Nobody Wants This,” Tohn also spoke about discovering she had the BRCA1 gene mutation, increasing her risk of breast cancer, and why she hopes to spread awareness about genetic testing.