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
Jewish Basketball Star Danny Wolf Eyes NBA Draft After Standout Season at Michigan
Danny Wolf, a 7-foot Jewish basketball star at the University of Michigan, is gaining attention as a potential NBA draft pick. Wolf embraces his Jewish identity on and off the court, representing Israel and winning a silver medal in the Under-20 European Championships in 2023.
Barnard College Expels Two Students Involved in Anti-Israel Class Disruption
Barnard College expelled multiple students who participated in an anti-Israel protest in January that disrupted a History of Modern Israel class at Columbia University. Brian Cohen, executive director of Columbia/Barnard Hillel, applauded Barnard for “taking decisive action.” The incident led the college to reaffirm its commitment to maintaining academic order and student safety.
Six Hostages Freed on Saturday, Marking Last of Living Hostages to be Released in Phase One of Agreement
After over 500 days in captivity, six hostages were released on Saturday. These hostages are the last group of living hostages to be released in the first phase of the hostage release and temporary ceasefire agreement. Tal Shoham (39), Omer Shem Tov (21), Omer Wenkert (22), Eliya Cohen (26), Avera Mengistu (37), and Hisham al-Sayed (35) were reunited with their families in Israel. Four more hostages, all believed to be deceased, are expected to be released on Thursday.
Murdered in Captivity, Shiri Bibas’s Body Finally Returned to Israel Despite Hamas Delays
Israeli officials have confirmed that the identity of Shiri Bibas, kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, has been confirmed after her body was returned to Israel on Saturday evening. This comes after Hamas previously sent the wrong remains, falsely claiming they were hers. Her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, were also murdered in captivity and their bodies were released and identified last week.
Identities of Deceased Hostages, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, Confirmed by Israel; Mother Shiri Bibas Not Among Bodies Returned
IDF confirms identities of Bibas children, Ariel and Kfir, whose bodies were returned by Hamas on Thursday. Killed in November 2023 after being kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Ariel was four years old and Kfir was ten months old when they were murdered. In a serious violation of the current hostage release and temporary ceasefire agreement, the body thought to be their mother, Shiri Bibas, was confirmed to be an anonymous individual, not connected to any of the known hostages. The identity of Oded Lifshitz, the other hostage whose body was released in this exchange, was confirmed on Thursday.
At the Super Bowl’s Black-Jewish Unity Summit, Connection is the Winner
During Super Bowl weekend, more than 100 Black and Jewish college student-athletes gathered at Xavier University in New Orleans for the second annual Black-Jewish Unity Summit. Held in partnership with Hillel International, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and Robert Kraft’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS), the event aimed to strengthen connections between the two communities. It featured a panel discussion with notable athletes, small-group conversations on their roles in combating hate, and the announcement of a microgrant initiative to support future collaborations.