Latest News from Campus

Since October 7th, Syracuse University has prioritized bridge-building and supporting interfaith dialogue. Guided by a friendship between the Hillel campus Rabbi and campus Imam, a Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship began to provide students with a way to share culture and religion. The personal connections and empathy created a safe space for understanding differing opinions and dialogue rather than heated debate. While not immune to escalated conflict, this fellowship gave students a different way to approach challenging subjects.

Over 150 people gathered at Penn Hillel to hear Hagit and Ruby Chen, the parents of Itay Chen whose body remains in Hamas captivity, speak about their son’s capture during the October 7th attacks and their ongoing work on behalf of the remaining hostages. Penn Hillel, Chabad at Penn, and the Penn Israel Public Affairs Committee sponsored the event, and attendees received purple bracelets with Itay’s name as a symbol of solidarity.

Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach and Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Catholic Owls group held a collaborative dinner to encourage meaningful conversations between Jewish and Catholic students at FAU about faith, culture, and community. The organizations paired games like trivia about Catholic and Jewish traditions with guided discussion, and provided a kosher taco bar for dinner.

Hillel International President and CEO Adam Lehman shared four key takeaways from Hillel’s New Professionals Institute in St. Louis, which was attended by more than 200 new Hillel staff members. He highlighted the continued impact of the Springboard Fellowship, expanded mental health and wellness support embedded in campus Hillels, the launch of Campus Impact Advisors to boost advocacy and coalition-building, and the urgent need for sustainable funding to meet rising student engagement.

Harvard University announced a new presidential interfaith initiative that will be led by longtime campus and Harvard Hillel rabbi Getzel Davis. The program was crafted through recommendations from two task forces on bias against Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian people. Harvard’s official announcement stated that this initiative will aim to “foster respect for diverse identities.”

Binghamton University’s Jewish a cappella group Kaskeset, supported by Hillel International, gives students a safe place to express their Jewish identity and lean into tradition through music. For students like Jordi and Mya, Kaskeset is a “time capsule of Jewish joy, pride, and togetherness.” Kaskeset is releasing its first EP in five years, featuring songs in both Hebrew and English and contemporary hits.