News

From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Building on Record Engagement and Increasing Jewish Belonging on Campus

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

February 4, 2025

Friends,

With the new semester underway, our Hillel teams are building on momentum from the fall term to advance our core work in creating thriving Jewish life on campus, while continuing to forcefully address the issues of antisemitism and hostile campus environments that can undermine the ability of Jewish students to fully express their identities.

On the 鈥渏oy before oy鈥� side of the equation, we are on pace for yet another new record in overall student engagement and participation through Hillel this school year.聽Here are just a few examples of the incredibly diverse array of programs, experiences, and relationships fueling this growth:

• Students from different faith and religious groups, including Hillel Davis & Sacramento, came together for the聽. In addition to sharing meals together at the home of each religious group on campus, students learned more about the different cultures and faiths of fellow students.
• Hillels in Ontario, Florida, and Texas have organized and supported regional student leadership convenings to connect and empower hundreds of Jewish student leaders seeking ways to strengthen their leadership on campus.
• As the Jewish community marked one year since the October 7 attack on Israel,聽聽with programs and vigils, called for the return of the hostages, and provided opportunities to engage the full campus community in remembrance.
• In November, 黑料传送门 organized聽at premier venues in NYC, Boston, and Philadelphia. More than 3,500 students from 300 different Hillel communities enjoyed live performances from Israeli and Jewish artists headlined by Grammy-nominated musician Matisyahu, 2018 Eurovision winner Netta, 2023 Eurovision finalist Noa Kirel, and artists who performed at the Nova Music Festival on October 7.
• Two student leaders at聽鈥� to help the university鈥檚 Jewish community learn about how Hillel is providing support to Jewish Buckeyes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a way for us as Hillel board members to tell the rest of the Jewish community what鈥檚 going on and add a little bit of good news to people鈥檚 days,鈥� said OSU Hillel Co-President Abby Mehr.
• Over winter break, students from Hillels in the state of Florida traveled to Poland on a life-changing Hillel-led trip to learn about the history of the Holocaust and how it continues to impact antisemitism today. The group also visited local Jewish communities and Hillel Warsaw to learn about contemporary Jewish life in Poland.
• And this coming March, 黑料传送门 will host the nation鈥檚 largest annual gathering of pro-Israel student leaders at聽.

Even as we continue to invest in the talented professionals, unique Jewish experiences, and leadership development opportunities that engage, inspire, and empower Jewish students through Hillel, we also remain focused on improving the underlying conditions required for Jewish students to safely and fully engage in Jewish life and learning.

As a broader Jewish community, we can be proud of the progress we鈥檝e made during the past year in catalyzing meaningful change in the ways universities address antisemitism. Many university partners are responding more quickly, aggressively, and effectively to address issues as they arise, including through more active enforcement of university policies and codes of conduct.

These changes have translated into a significant drop in the number of mass campus disruptions that sparked many issues of harassment and intimidation during the prior academic year. Even so, we continue to see a historically high level of problematic incidents targeting Jewish students, Jewish student organizations like Hillel, and Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff. In our聽, more than 83% of Jewish students said they have witnessed or experienced antisemitism on campus since Oct. 7, 2023. In this challenged campus environment, more than 40% feel the need to hide their Jewish identity, an enormously problematic indicator of the breadth of issues Jewish students are reporting.

These numbers are more than statistics. They reflect the lived experiences of a large number of Jewish students who are being marginalized, excluded, and subjected to other forms of bias and discrimination. You can read more about the study and how we’re responding in聽.

In the face of these issues, we are continuing to invest in a multitude of resources and strategies to better equip Jewish students to confront these challenges, to promote their resilience, and to change the underlying campus conditions.聽In the fall, we launched聽, a resource to educate and empower students to respond when faced with harassment or discrimination. More than 160,000 people have already taken advantage of Campus for All, and we鈥檒l be continuing to add to the content and resources it offers students. Our Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL), operated in partnership with ADL, The Brandeis Center, and law firm Gibson Dunn, provides free legal support from some of the nation鈥檚 top law firms to ensure that every Jewish student facing unlawful discrimination has legal recourse.

We鈥檝e grown our聽to 100 participating universities, educating and training their administrators on the nature of contemporary antisemitism, facilitating policy-level changes to improve the way they respond to Jewish student issues, and ensuring their accountability in delivering on these improvements. We鈥檙e also adding new 鈥淐ommunity Impact鈥� professionals to Hillel teams at select campuses to serve as dedicated advocates for Jewish students and channel the efforts of aligned partners, faculty, alumni, and administrators in driving positive change. Finally, we continue to invest in the core Jewish education, engagement, and community building experiences that motivate and equip students to express their Jewish identities with joy, pride and confidence.

This past week鈥檚 Torah portion,聽Parshat Bo, bridges from the tragedy of our people鈥檚 enslavement in Egypt to the triumph of the Exodus. We too are living through times of tragedy and triumph, including the miracle of the growing group of hostages finally being released from their captivity over the past two weeks. Through it all, 黑料传送门 we remain resolute in our mission, and confident in our capacity to inspire the next generation of Jewish leaders who will bring light to the Jewish people and broader world. Thanks for everything each of you does in support of our work and mission.

叠鈥檚丑补濒辞尘,
Adam

The post From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Building on Record Engagement and Increasing Jewish Belonging on Campus appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

eJewish Philanthropy: Antisemitism on Campus is a Crisis We Must Address Together

Author

Adam Lehman and Jonathan Greenblatt

Date

January 31, 2025

Editor鈥檚 Note: President and CEO of 黑料传送门 Adam Lehman and CEO and National Director of ADL Jonathan Greenblatt shared their thoughts with eJewish Philanthropy on what Jewish students need from their universities in order to combat antisemitism.

“Antisemitism on Campus is a Crisis We Must Address Together” was originally published in  on January 30, 2025. To read the complete article, please visit .

“Although we each lead a major Jewish organization, today we address you not just as CEOs but also as fathers of current and recently graduated Jewish college students. Our children鈥檚 experiences, and the experiences of so many Jewish students today, are so different from when we were in college. And we鈥檙e not talking about TikTok, digital textbooks and AI chatbots; we鈥檙e talking about the rise of antisemitism on college campuses. 

Across the United States, Jewish students are facing a crisis. According to a survey we conducted together with College Pulse, more than 83% of Jewish students have witnessed or experienced antisemitism on campus since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists attacked the Jewish state. In this campus environment, more than 40% feel the need to hide their Jewish identity, and 1 in 4 have taken extra security measures to protect themselves. These numbers are more than statistics. They reflect the lived experiences of a large number of Jewish students who are being marginalized, excluded and subjected to other forms of bias and discrimination.聽聽聽聽聽

One student surveyed poignantly shared that in the months since Oct. 7, ‘there was no respect for the safety of all students. Antisemitism was rampant and the campus became extremely polarized. Attacks both verbal and physical were common and Jewish friends had to hide their faith to be socially accepted.’

This survey provides a sobering snapshot of life for Jewish students today. Antisemitism manifests on campuses in various ways, including offensive and demonizing comments about Jews or Israel and vandalism targeting Jewish spaces and even individual student dorm rooms and apartments. We found it particularly stunning and alarming that more than 1 in 4 Jewish students reported observing antisemitic activity or statements by faculty members. 

Nearly half of non-Jewish students surveyed expressed agreement with statements rooted in antisemitic tropes, such as ‘Jews weaponize anti-Jewish prejudice to silence criticism of Israel.’ We also found that non-Jewish students who hold extreme anti-Israel attitudes were more likely to minimize the issue of antisemitic prejudice on campus. Antisemitism has become pervasive and normalized, deeply affecting campus culture.

This normalized hostility and discrimination has profound consequences. Jewish students report withdrawing from social activities, hiding their identities and views and feeling unwelcome in their classrooms. In numerous cases, Jewish students have even chosen to transfer out of schools altogether in order to get away from pervasively hostile conditions. These are red flags that demand immediate attention from university leaders.”

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News

Notes from Springboard Fellows: Thinking Outside the Box

Author

黑料传送门

Date

January 30, 2025

Notes from Springboard Fellows is a series of deep dives into the work of first and second year Springboard Fellows who play transformative roles in their Hillel communities. Read on to learn more about Craig Carroll, the Springboard Fellow at American University. 

Interested in becoming a Springboard Fellow? Apply today.

Craig Carroll, a first-year Springboard Fellow at American University, started thinking about working for Hillel early in his college career. 鈥淚 was what you might call a pipeline kid,鈥� he joked. 鈥淗illel was like my second major 鈥� I spent all my time at the Hillel building.鈥�

By the time he was a senior, Craig knew he wanted to pursue a career where building relationships was key. 鈥淚 really wanted something that was people-focused,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd where the main work is in connecting with people. Because that is what I love doing, and I’m very good at it.鈥�

The Springboard Fellowship brings recent college graduates with raw talent, passion, and skills needed to reimagine and redesign Jewish student life to college campuses across North America. This was the perfect opportunity for Craig to combine his love for the Jewish world with his desire to work in an environment where every day would be different, where he鈥檇 get to focus on connection and community-building, and where he鈥檇 find great mentoring and professional development.

For Craig, having the support and structure of the Springboard environment has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the fellowship. 鈥淪pringboard really puts such an emphasis on the growth process,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 made clear what you need to work on and where you need to do better, but it鈥檚 not expected that you鈥檒l have all the answers immediately.鈥�

One area where Craig invested a lot of professional development work has been building creative problem-solving skills and learning to facilitate brainstorming sessions with students. He recalled a moment earlier in his fellowship when he and his supervisor were working with students to plan a Wellness Shabbat, and had to go back to the drawing board several times to make sure their programming ideas aligned with what the community was looking for, and Hillel鈥檚 values regarding a Shabbat experience. 

鈥淚t can be hard to encourage students to turn their ideas into reality,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes they hold themselves back if they think an idea is too weird, or if they don鈥檛 think they鈥檙e the right thing…鈥�

To work through this problem, Craig called on the insights he鈥檇 gained from a workshop at 黑料传送门鈥檚 New Professionals Institute (NPI). 鈥淲e were given a problem to solve, and our instructions were to come up with the worst possible idea to solve the issue. Then we passed it along the table, and the next person had to make it even worse, and so on. What it encouraged us to do was come up with ridiculous ideas and then say, 鈥榃hat could make this into a good idea?鈥� And then model it into something better.鈥� With this strategy in mind, Craig, his supervisor, and the student leaders were able to put together a successful and engaging Wellness Shabbat, and many other programs since.

Asked what advice he鈥檇 give a prospective Springboard Fellow, Craig suggested that the most important thing an applicant can do is self-advocate. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l want to make sure you ask for what you need,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd sometimes that means coming in with your own needs and advocating for them. That’s what I did, and I ended up very happy and fulfilled in my work.鈥�

Join a network of changemakers like Craig and transform Jewish student life鈥� visit and apply today!

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News

83% of Jewish College Students Have Experienced or Witnessed Antisemitism Firsthand Since Oct. 7 Attack, Survey Finds

Author

黑料传送门

Date

January 30, 2025

• 41 percent of Jewish students felt the need to hide their Jewish identity;
• One-in-four Jewish students felt compelled to take security precautions;
• Two-thirds of Jewish students lack confidence in their university鈥檚 ability to prevent antisemitic incidents

Eighty-three percent of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, according to a new survey by ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), 黑料传送门, and College Pulse.      

Moreover, more than a quarter (27 percent) of Jewish students surveyed said they had observed antisemitic activity by faculty, compared to only 6 percent of non-Jewish students. The survey also found that two-thirds (66 percent) of Jewish students (and 60 percent of non-Jewish students) were not confident in their university鈥檚 ability to prevent antisemitic incidents.

鈥淪ince the October 7 attack in Israel, Jewish students have felt increasingly threatened, unwelcome and unsupported on campus, both by students and faculty,鈥� said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. 鈥淚t is unacceptable that Jewish students cannot be confident in their university鈥檚 ability to address and prevent antisemitic incidents, and that they now live in a world in which they feel compelled to conceal their identity and beliefs. These findings underscore the urgent need for university leaders to step up and protect Jewish students.鈥�

鈥淭hese findings paint a deeply concerning picture of what Jewish students are facing on campuses today,鈥� said Adam Lehman, President and CEO of 黑料传送门. 鈥淎s we work to ensure that campuses are free from antisemitism, we are committed to creating spaces where Jewish students can build vibrant communities and express their identities with pride. No student should ever feel the need to hide who they are or take extra precautions to protect themselves while they鈥檙e living and learning at school.鈥�

Other key findings include:

• 22.9 percent of Jewish students have felt compelled to take additional security precautions.
• Only about half (49.6 percent) of Jewish students reported feeling 鈥渧ery鈥� or 鈥渆xtremely鈥� comfortable with others on campus knowing their Jewish identity; 41 percent actively felt the need to hide their Jewish identity, and only 27 percent felt comfortable with others on campus knowing their views of Israel.
• More than one-in-ten Jewish students (13 percent) have withdrawn fromcampus or social activities, compared to only 2 percent of non-Jewish students.
• An overwhelming majority of students (92.5 percent) who had reported witnessing or experiencing an incident of antisemitism on campus did not report the incident to campus authorities.
  • Low awareness about what to do and a lack of confidence that they would get the help they needed drove many students to not report incidents of campus antisemitism.
  • A clear reporting policy was among the most frequently cited policies of importance to Jewish students (51 percent).
• Extreme anti-Israel attitudes were strongly related to minimization of the issue of anti-Jewish prejudice on campus among non-Jewish students.

Along with other leading Jewish communal and anti-hate organizations, ADL and 黑料传送门 have been at the forefront in countering antisemitism on campus through ADL鈥檚 Ronald Birnbaum Center to Combat Antisemitism in Education () and campaign, and 黑料传送门鈥檚 Campus Climate Initiative (CCI), Campus4All.org website, and on-the-ground presence on hundreds of college and university campuses nationwide.聽

In November 2023, ADL and 黑料传送门 also launched the , a free legal protection helpline for students who have experienced antisemitism, along with the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

By heeding and joint 鈥� developed in collaboration with leading Jewish communal partners 鈥� and adopting tailored data-driven solutions, educational institutions can work to ensure that all students, including Jewish students, can thrive in a safe and welcoming campus environment.

Methodology

In partnership with 黑料传送门 and College Pulse, ADL fielded a survey of college students at 135 universities across the United States in the fall semester of 2024. This survey was conducted by College Pulse, an online survey and analytics platform focused on American college students. College Pulse鈥檚 includes more than 950,000 college students from more than 1,500 institutions of higher education across all 50 states. This survey employed an oversample of Jewish students, with 1,030 Jewish students and 1,140 non-Jewish students responding. Responses from non-Jewish students were gathered from 135 colleges and universities, while responses from Jewish students were gathered from 128 of these colleges and universities.

黑料传送门 ADL

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is 鈥渢o stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.鈥� Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at .

黑料传送门 黑料传送门

Founded in 1923, Hillel has been impacting the lives of Jewish college students and countering antisemitism on campus for more than 100 years. 黑料传送门 is a global organization that welcomes students of all backgrounds and fosters an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel. As the largest Jewish student organization in the world, Hillel builds connections with emerging adults at more than 850 colleges and universities. During their formative college years, students are inspired to explore, experience, and create vibrant Jewish lives.

黑料传送门 College Pulse

College Pulse is a survey research and analytics company dedicated to understanding the attitudes, preferences, and behaviors of today鈥檚 college students. College Pulse offers custom data-driven marketing and research solutions, utilizing its unique American College Student Panel鈩� that includes over 950,000 college students and recent graduates from more than 1,500 two- and four-year colleges and universities across all 50 states.

The post 83% of Jewish College Students Have Experienced or Witnessed Antisemitism Firsthand Since Oct. 7 Attack, Survey Finds appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

We Are Still Here: Traveling to Poland with Hillel

Author

Jordan Kekst

Date

January 24, 2025

University of Miami student Jordan Kekst recently traveled to Poland with other Jewish students as part of a trip organized by the Hillels of Florida, including University of Miami Hillel, Hillel at Florida International University, University of Florida Hillel, , Hillel at Florida State University, Central Florida Hillel, and . This powerful reflection from his trip was originally published on the University of Miami Hillel Instagram page, and we are honored to share it ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.聽

I am an architecture student at the University of Miami, originally from Los Angeles. While I do not have a personal family connection to the Holocaust, I have always felt a deep responsibility to remember and honor those who were lost. This trip was an opportunity to witness history firsthand and better understand the impact of the Shoah, the Holocaust, beyond textbooks and museums.

Standing in Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II: Birkenau, Majdanek, and Treblinka, we walked the same paths where millions were forced to endure unspeakable cruelty. We saw the barracks designed as stables where Jews lived in inhumane conditions for years, the gas chambers where they were murdered, and the crematoriums where their remains were discarded without dignity. 

The scale of the Holocaust was incomprehensible, but it was the details, the bales of hair, the piles of glasses worn by Jews just like me, the faint echoes of lives once lived, that was truly shattering. 

One moment that has stayed with me is walking into the Yad Vashem exhibit at Auschwitz I, where videos and photos of Holocaust victims were played, showing them laughing, spending time with loved ones, and simply living their lives. Seeing their faces and joy in a place where they were murdered made the loss feel deeply personal. It was there that I truly grasped the sheer scale of the Holocaust, not just as statistics or numbers, but as unfathomable human tragedies. The weight of that realization has stayed with me every day, serving as a reminder that behind every number were stories, families, and entire worlds violently cut short, never to be fully known.

Bearing witness to their pain felt like both a responsibility and an obligation. I imagined myself in their positions. How would I have felt? What would I have done?

Yet along with this intense mourning, there was also light. As we traveled through Krakow, Lublin, Warsaw, and Kazimierz, our kehilah (community) found moments of connection, joy, and even laughter. We sang together, shared stories, and leaned on each other for support on long bus rides and in group discussions. 

This balance of grief and levity felt profoundly Jewish; tapping into a tradition that intertwines joy and sorrow, honoring the past while finding reasons to celebrate life and our combined strength.

This trip reminded me of the resilience of the Jewish people. For every life taken, there are communities that refuse to let their memory fade. For every moment of despair, there is a spark of hope. Our group left Poland bonded, not only by the weight of history, but by the shared strength of our identity.  

We are still here. We remember. We carry their stories forward. Never again. 

The post We Are Still Here: Traveling to Poland with Hillel appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

Through Their Stories, We Remember Them: Holocaust Education Week 黑料传送门 Guelph

Author

黑料传送门

Date

January 24, 2025

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which takes place annually on January 27, serves as a global commemoration of the six million Jews and five million others who were killed during the Holocaust. The date January 27 has particular significance, as it marks when the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in 1945.

At Hillel Guelph this year, International Holocaust Remembrance Day won鈥檛 just be a day-long observance, but part of a weeklong Holocaust education effort featuring a slate of eight different programs.

The week will begin with 鈥淪tories from Our Families,鈥� a screening of the telling the stories of two students鈥� families, followed by an open discussion for students to reflect on Holocaust remembrance in their lives, helping to establish 鈥渇amily stories鈥� as the theme for this year鈥檚 Holocaust Education Week. Students will then have the opportunity to visit the Royal Ontario Museum鈥檚 new exhibit on the Holocaust, 鈥淎uschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away鈥� – a trip open to both Jewish and non-Jewish students – allowing them to engage with Holocaust education more intimately. The week will conclude with testimony from Canadian survivor Sol Nayman, giving current students, who are the last generation that will be able to learn directly from survivors, the opportunity to hear and bear witness to their stories.

On the memorial day itself, Hillel Guelph will hold a public candle-lighting and ceremony, including poems, songs, and impactful speeches from Hillel student leaders. The Hillel will also host an exhibit in the style of Yad VaShem, Israel鈥檚 Holocaust memorial museum, educating the wider student body on how the Holocaust happened and its effects on modern Canadian Jews.

鈥淗olocaust Education Week has always been a cornerstone of our programming,鈥� said Chaya Mamer, Ezra Jewish Education Fellow 黑料传送门 Guelph. 鈥淪omething unique about the Canadian Jewish community is there are a lot of third-generation survivors. Storytelling helps get the history of the Holocaust across to an unrelated student by making it personal. It makes it feel real.鈥� 

Hillel Guelph鈥檚 Holocaust Education Week was organized by a committee of 13 student leaders who developed the comprehensive slate of programs based on their family experiences and what they hope their classmates will take from participating. Six of the 13 students will share their families鈥� stories throughout the week. 

鈥淚 was drawn to lead Holocaust Education Week because the Holocaust is something that has been important to me since I found out that all my great-grandparents were victims,鈥� said Leora Strigberger, student co-lead on the committee. 鈥淚 have spent the past 10 years learning about it, both through historical sources and personal stories, and so I jumped at the opportunity to share my knowledge with others.鈥�

Amy Feigelsohn, student co-president of Hillel Guelph鈥檚 student leadership board, said this programming feels particularly relevant today. 

鈥淗olocaust education at Guelph is especially important [to me] given the rise of antisemitism around the world. It鈥檚 crucial that we educate our campus community about the atrocities of the Holocaust to ensure that such horrors are never repeated.鈥� she said. . 

Most of Hillel Guelph鈥檚 Holocaust remembrance events this year will be open to the wider campus community, including the trip to the Royal Ontario Museum and the survivor testimonials. These events are intended to give all students the ability to connect and engage firsthand with the history of the Holocaust, using storytelling to keep this history alive and help students connect with it in a way that feels real.

鈥淲hat we hope for anyone who comes across any of our events is that they walk away learning something new about the Holocaust,鈥� said Mamer. 鈥淎t the end of the day, knowledge is power, and is critical to creating a safer, more inclusive environment for Jewish students.鈥�

The post Through Their Stories, We Remember Them: Holocaust Education Week 黑料传送门 Guelph appeared first on 黑料传送门.

News

Notes from Springboard Fellows: Inspiring the Next Generation of Jewish Leaders

Author

黑料传送门

Date

January 23, 2025

Notes from Springboard Fellows is a series of deep dives into the work of first and second year Springboard Fellows who play transformative roles in their Hillel communities. Read on to learn more about Lindsay Rosenzweig, the Innovation and Intrapreneurship Springboard Fellow at University of Central Florida.聽

Interested in becoming a Springboard Fellow? Apply today.

For Lindsay Rosenzweig, Innovation and Intrapreneurship Springboard Fellow at , Hillel was a passion that unexpectedly became a career.

Lindsay grew up in North Carolina, and attended Elon University as an undergraduate, where she majored in human services studies 鈥� a unique course of study that encompasses concepts and skills related to social work, nonprofit management, social justice, and other human service fields. She was active in Hillel, serving as an engagement intern, the religious and education chair on the student board, and then as co-president her junior and senior year. Throughout her undergraduate career, she formed meaningful and impactful relationships with the Hillel staff that influenced her decisions post-graduation.

鈥淭hey were really my mentors,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 stayed close with them even after graduation.鈥� As Lindsay began her career working at a domestic violence nonprofit, those relationships proved key to her finding the right fit. 

鈥淚 told [my Hillel mentors] where I was working and how I was feeling conflicted about it, and they told me to apply for Springboard,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey really stressed that they thought I would be a good fit, and a great addition to the movement.鈥�

At first, Lindsay wasn鈥檛 sure 鈥� she saw Hillel as a passion, but not necessarily a career path. Yet her mentors were persuasive, and Lindsay decided to apply for the fellowship. 

Now, in her second year as a Springboard Fellow at UCF, Lindsay can鈥檛 imagine doing anything else. 鈥淚nnovation and intrapreneurship really stood out to me as an opportunity to try something different than what I had been doing for so long,鈥� she said. Also, as someone interested in social justice, she finds this track of work particularly rewarding, because it鈥檚 all about solving problems in a way that starts with what each student needs and why. 

鈥淚t’s about taking an emphasis on creating innovative solutions, and bringing them to our campuses,鈥� she explained. 鈥淗ow do we shape our programs and our structure around student needs and wants? That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e trying to figure out.鈥�

One of Lindsay鈥檚 proudest moments as a Springboard Fellow was helping one of her students go through the Springboard application process herself. 鈥淜nowing that I had such an impact on her that she wanted to go through the Springboard experience was so rewarding to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e had many conversations, just talking about her future and the schools she matched with, and I got to serve as a mentor for her.鈥�

Professional development is a key part of the Springboard experience, and Lindsay has taken full advantage of the opportunities 黑料传送门 has to offer. 

Last March, she participated in a Sipurim trip to Israel, a special program for Hillel professionals designed to help shift Israel education in a post-October 7 world. 鈥淢y team was so excited for me when I got accepted,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey were my biggest cheerleaders.鈥�

Lindsay also worked one-on-one with her Springboard-assigned mentor who works in talent management at 黑料传送门.

鈥淚鈥檓 so appreciative of everything he鈥檚 done, because my goal is to stay with Hillel after my fellowship ends,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been so helpful to hear what happens at the organization behind the scenes, and to have his support in planning conversations I need for my next steps.鈥�

As she heads into the second semester of her final year as a Springboard Fellow, Lindsay has found the cohort experience to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of the program. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e joining a group of people who are in similar positions and can really lean on each other,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur friendships developed quickly, and that has blossomed into many other connections within the Fellowship and within the Hillel movement.鈥�

Every Springboard Fellow鈥檚 experience is different, but they all have one thing in common: They鈥檙e helping to make Jewish campus life more engaging and inclusive for college students.

鈥淚 wanted to inspire the next generation of Jewish leaders,鈥� Lindsay said. 鈥淛ust like my mentors did for me.鈥�

To learn more about the Springboard Fellowship and see if it鈥檚 right for you, visit today.

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Notes from Springboard Fellows: Jewish Learning on Campus is 黑料传送门 More Than Just Knowledge

Author

黑料传送门

Date

January 14, 2025

Notes from Springboard Fellows is a series of deep dives into the work of first and second year Springboard Fellows who play transformative roles in their Hillel communities. Read on to learn more about Chaya Mamer, the Ezra Jewish Education Fellow at Guelph Hillel with Hillels of Ontario.

Interested in becoming a Springboard Fellow? Apply today.

Jewish educators have a unique role in their communities, and college communities are no exception. Chaya Mamer, an Ezra Jewish Education Springboard Fellow at the University of Guelph, has made teaching and studying Torah the core of her work with students, encouraging them to use knowledge and exploration to find new ways of forming relationships, deepening their Jewish identities, and developing a sense of curiosity in all aspects of their lives. 

Chaya grew up in Calgary, Canada, and attended the University of Waterloo as an undergraduate, where she studied political science and business with a minor in economics. She was deeply involved in , where she served as a student staff member, ran a campus food bank, and ultimately became student president. Inspired by the Springboard Fellow at her Hillel, Chaya knew she wanted to dedicate her life to Jewish nonprofit work. 

After she witnessed the upheaval on college campuses following October 7, Chaya realized she wanted to help build bridges between communities. 

She knew this work would require compassionate, sensitive, and innovative approaches to learning and teaching, and with that in mind, she identified the Springboard Fellowship as a strong pathway to that goal 鈥� specifically, the Ezra Jewish Education track of the program.

Ezra Jewish Education Fellows follow in the footsteps of the biblical Ezra, who reengaged and reinvigorated the Jewish community by reading the Torah aloud in the town square on Shabbat and market days, and translating it for people to understand. Ezra鈥檚 commitment to teaching, engagement, and innovation is a model for fellows to bring Judaism off the page and into life on campus. 

鈥淲ith the Ezra track, you can come in with whatever your knowledge base is and you鈥檒l have the opportunity to learn and grow,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd then you have the opportunity to learn how to share your knowledge with others.鈥�

Over the past six months of her fellowship, Chaya has been able to put her learning into action. And while she鈥檚 been an educator for her students, it鈥檚 not a one-way relationship 鈥� they鈥檝e been teaching her, too. 鈥淭hey walked onto campus this year with joy and courage,鈥� she said. 鈥淪eeing them flourish has kept me inspired all semester.鈥�

Another powerful aspect of Chaya鈥檚 experience as a Springboard Fellow is the ability to connect with a large group of other young professionals with whom she shares goals and interests. She鈥檚 found the support of her cohort to be deeply meaningful. 鈥淭he early months and years of your career can be really lonely,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to be able to reach out to people who are at the same stage and in similar roles.鈥�

Recently, Chaya joined the Fellow Advisory Committee, a group of fellows who act as liaisons between their cohorts and the 黑料传送门 Team Springboard, after being inspired by how much Team Springboard cared about hearing feedback and perspectives from her peers. Working with Springboard Fellowship Manager Ava Gurman, Chaya聽became part of the cohort communications committee, representing the unique Canadian Jewish community. She鈥檚 enjoyed being a bridge between Team Springboard and the fellows, as well as getting to know fellows from both active cohorts.

Chaya sees the Springboard Fellowship as an opportunity to work within the Hillel movement and learn what the organization does, and to be part of its next stage of growth in a meaningful way. She also has some advice for prospective Springboard Fellows. 

鈥淎pproach your application and your interview process with a desire to improve and support your community. Trust yourself 鈥� your experience and perspective is invaluable,鈥� she said.

To learn more about the Springboard Fellowship and see if it鈥檚 right for you, visit today.

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News

Happy Hanukkah Happenings 黑料传送门

Author

Hannah Smuckler

Date

January 6, 2025

Jewish college students around the world celebrated Hanukkah in fun and innovative ways this year, with campus Hillels leading holiday parties and other events to rejoice in the festival of lights. Between latke-making, ugly sweater decorating, and connecting with other faith-based groups on campus, each campus had its own Hanukkah tradition to wrap up the fall semester.

At universities like Boston University and American University, Hillels held Hanukkah parties to celebrate the holiday in inviting and inclusive ways before students headed home for winter break.聽

American University Hillel (AU Hillel) also hosted a creative 鈥淕elt-Together,鈥� full of crafts like make-your-own Hanukkah candles and dreidel scratch art. The event also featuredThey held a customizable sufganiyot bar, sponsored and run by AU Dining. Students had the choice to include delicious jam, caramel, or pastry cream inside their sufganiyot, along with a number of toppings. 鈥淎 lot of people here [at AU Hillel] are very academically driven and passionate about doing well, and so I feel like this is a good mandatory break,鈥� second-year student Lea Wayne said. 鈥淭aking time to hang out with my friends and chill before I have to get into a lot of studying has been great.鈥澛�

BU Hillel held its 20th annual Latkepalooza, hosting 122 students to eat mountains of latkes and decorate their own menorahs. 鈥淚 was grateful that BU Hillel provided a place for us to have a pre-Hanukkah experience,鈥� student Noah Lenkin said.

At Kent State University Hillel, over 100 students attended its traditional Winterfest. Hillel at KSU partnered with four different organizations to host the event and to donate raffle baskets. Winterfest included a snow machine, a photo booth, and a DJ, and was organized by student leaders who were required to budget, recruit, and pitch a business idea to make the event possible. 鈥淲interfest has been an annual celebration since 2022. It鈥檚 a big and fun celebration,鈥� said Dina Levin, a Hillel student board member. 鈥淚 absolutely love Winterfest because it鈥檚 a great way to bond with friends and whenever we put up the decorations, it鈥檚 like a winter wonderland.鈥�

Columbia/Barnard Hillel hosted about 200 students for their (Almost) Hanukkah Party. Students enjoyed winter and holiday-related activities like a hot chocolate bar, 鈥渦gly sweater鈥� decorating, candle painting, a photo booth, and more. Four student party chairs from three different schools within the university and varying religious backgrounds were in charge of organizing the party, working together to plan an event that all kinds of Jewish students would find fun and uplifting. 

The University of Connecticut Hillel welcomed 75 students to their holiday party, inviting other faith-based organizations to join them in gathering students of different faiths and backgrounds in a welcoming, joyful space. The event included activities such as decorating cookies and making snow globes. Students also enjoyed appetizers and a sundae bar. 鈥淚 had a great time connecting with my friends and peers 黑料传送门 that I don鈥檛 see on a day-to-day basis,鈥� student Cooper Matik said.

These were just a few of the campus Hanukkah celebrations held throughout December, and each celebration was special in its own way. Jewish students were able to spend time with friends and their Hillel communities, enjoy lots and lots of latkes, and commemorate the miracle of the holiday in meaningful and special ways.

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News

What Even IS Hanukkah?

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 23, 2024

The Hanukkah Story 101:

In 168鈥�167 BCE, the Greek Empire ruled Jerusalem. In a bid to solidify Greek religion (called Hellenism), culture, and politics, Greek leadership waged a series of violent and humiliating attacks on Jewish citizens. Jewish ritual practice and Jewish land ownership became illegal, Jewish citizens were slaughtered in city streets, and the Temple, the center of Jewish religious life at this time, was desecrated partly destroyed. In response, in 166 BCE a Jewish resistance group called the Maccabees rose up and drove the Greeks from the land.

A note on oil and light: Oil was a critical element of worship and ritual in the Temple. In an effort to desecrate everything that was important and holy to the Jews, Greek soldiers devastatingly poured out all the oil they looted from The Great Temple.

The story goes that after the Maccabees miraculously overthrew the Greeks, they found one jar of remaining oil, which was enough to provide light for only one day. The Maccabees lit it anyway, and a miracle happened: The oil lasted for eight days! This defining moment restored the Maccabees鈥� faith in God, and strengthened them enough to re-dedicate the Temple.

During Hanukkah, our homes become microcosms of the Temple. For each of the 8 nights, we gather together, light candles, and eat foods fried in oil to remember this miracle. These acts of community and ritual strengthen our resolve to bring light into the world, and to celebrate our collective resilience and unity.

Pro tip: Hanukkah is considered a “minor” Jewish holiday, not a “major” one. Unlike the holidays of Yom Kippur or Passover, for example, the source for the celebration of Hanukkah is not found in Jewish scripture. Rather, it’s a holiday observed out of tradition. Many people mistakenly believe Hanukkah is a major Jewish holiday, mostly because of its proximity to Christmas.

The core message of Hanukkah: Even when things look bad, miracles can still occur. If you fight for what you believe in, you can find strength and light in miraculous, unexpected places.

The Blessings:

Night 1: Say the blessing over the Hanukkah candles, the blessing for Hanukkah, and the Shehecheyanu

Nights 2鈥�8: Say only the blessing over the Hanukkah candles and the blessing for Hanukkah

Blessing over Hanukkah candles:

讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛, 讛鈥� 讗直诇止拽讬谞讜旨, 诪侄纸诇侄讱职 讛指注讜止诇指诐 讗植砖侄讈专 拽执讚职旨砖指纸讈谞讜旨 讘职旨诪执爪职讜转指讬讜 讜职爪执讜指旨纸谞讜旨 诇职讛址讚职诇执讬拽 谞值专 砖侄讈诇 讞植谞只讻指旨讛

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha鈥檕lam, asher kid鈥檚hanu b鈥檓itzvotav v鈥檛sivanu l鈥檋adlik ner shel Hanukkah.

Praised are You, Ruler of the world, Who made us holy through Your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.

Blessing for Hanukkah:

.讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛, 讛鈥� 讗直诇止拽讬谞讜旨, 诪侄纸诇侄讱职 讛指注讜止诇指诐, 砖侄讈注指砖指讉讛 谞执住执旨讬诐 诇址讗植讘讜止转值纸讬谞讜旨 讘址旨讬指旨诪执讬诐 讛指讛值诐 讘址旨讝职旨诪址谉 讛址讝侄旨讛

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha鈥檕lam, she-asah nisim la鈥檃voteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.

Praised are You, Ruler of the world, Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.

Shehecheyanu:

讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛鈥� 讛鈥� 讗直诇止拽讬谞讜旨 诪侄纸诇侄讱职 讛指注讜止诇指诐鈥� 砖侄讈讛侄讞直讬指纸谞讜旨 讜职拽执讬职旨诪指纸谞讜旨 讜职讛执讙执旨讬注指纸谞讜旨 诇址讝职旨诪址谉 讛址讝侄旨讛.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, shehecheyanu v鈥檏iy鈥檓anu v鈥檋igianu laz鈥檓an hazeh.

Praised are You, Ruler of the World, for giving us life, upholding the life within us, and bringing us to this time.

Created in partnership with 黑料传送门’s Meyerhoff Center for Jewish and Israel Education.

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