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

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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

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.

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News

Uplifting Hillel Heroes: Adam Lehman Reflects on 黑料传送门鈥檚 Tenth Global Assembly

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 19, 2024

As the calendar year comes to a close, 黑料传送门 President and CEO Adam Lehman sat down with us to reflect on his favorite moments from the tenth 黑料传送门 Global Assembly (HIGA), which brought together more than 1,200 Hillel professionals, supporters, sponsors, and students for a three-day annual conference centered on growth and leadership.聽

Question: What do you look forward to most about HIGA every year and why?

Lehman: For me, HIGA is an amazing opportunity to catch up with hundreds of colleagues and friends from across the Hillel world, and a unique moment to feel the incredible power and potential of our movement. HIGA operates according to its own laws of 鈥淗illel physics鈥� 鈥� somehow, 96 hours of virtually nonstop gathering, learning, brainstorming, debating, and schmoozing serve as the most energizing days of the year, elevating the reasons we all are so committed to our work 黑料传送门 and the awesomeness of our Hillel crew.

Question: What were your top two or three moments from HIGA this year?

Lehman: It鈥檚 difficult to narrow down literally hundreds of special HIGA moments to just a few. With that caveat, I鈥檒l highlight three moments that stand out. 

First, I loved being able to celebrate our incredible 鈥淗illel Heroes鈥� during the opening plenary. It was fun to switch up our approach to the plenary, meaningful to honor the many 鈥渟uperpowers鈥� of our professionals, and memorable to see some of our heroes in action (who can forget Jared Isaacson [from Cleveland Hillel] doing his best Superman impression?) 

Next, our co-hosts at the awards plenary, Charles Cohen and Rachael Cohen, created several unforgettable moments 鈥� from their 鈥淲icked鈥� opening, to their hysterical Hillel yoga class, to their stroll through 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 history of groundbreaking inventions. We can only hope that Rachael and Charles don鈥檛 get recruited away to Broadway or Hollywood before the next HIGA! 

Third, it was great to be able to spend dedicated time with many of our professional cohorts. I learn so much through those discussions and also appreciate the chance to share gratitude for the unique contributions of each of these cohorts.

Question: How do those moments translate into 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 work throughout the rest of the year? What do you hope will be the greatest impact that HIGA has on the movement this year?

Lehman: HIGA serves to recharge all of us for another year of sometimes hard, yet always meaningful Hillel work. HIGA also allows all of us attending to form and deepen our Hillel relationships in ways that, in turn, promote collaboration across the Hillel movement. This year鈥檚 HIGA provided me the further opportunity to speak about specific 黑料传送门 priorities that will inform our next phase of work together, and which are captured in these excerpts from my remarks at the Opening Plenary.

Question: Finishing up with the topic that everyone really wants to hear about: How does the Hillel House Band pick its set? And what was your favorite song from this year?

Lehman: Like our Hillel movement overall, the Hillel House Band is a highly collaborative, inclusive group! As such, members of the band all have a chance to weigh in on song selections and our fearless band leader, Seth Reder, facilitates decisions from there. While I love that we have House Band classics that we perform every year (including 鈥淲agon Wheel鈥�!), I really enjoyed our new additions this year, which included Casey Kelly鈥檚 鈥淗illel Shalom,鈥� a rewriting of Sabrina Carpenter鈥檚 鈥淓spresso.鈥� If forced to choose, I would say my favorite addition was 鈥淗ot To Go!鈥� both because of the group energy performing it and the fact that one of my daughters taught me the 鈥淗TG鈥� dance 馃檪.

Hear from other professionals about their experiences at HIGA and read about the incredible Hillel Heroes who won awards this year.聽

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News

Inspiring Connections: A Springboard Fellow’s Memories from HIGA 2024

Author

Shayna Kling

Date

December 17, 2024

Shayna Kling is the social justice Springboard Fellow at the University of Miami (UM). Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Shayna is an alum of The Ohio State University. At UM Hillel, Shayna works on developing social justice programs with students, engaging first-year Jewish college students, and social media marketing for UM Hillel. 

Shayna recently attended the 黑料传送门 Global Assembly (HIGA), the annual conference for Hillel professionals from all over the world 鈥� a high energy, information packed week of connection and inspiration. Shayna kept a journal of her experiences and reflections that we are excited to share with you. 

Monday, Day One:

From the second I arrived at the hotel, I felt the HIGA energy starting and prepared myself to get into conference mode, aka extrovert mode. One of my favorite parts of HIGA is seeing Jewish professionals I know from different parts of my life: friends from my Jewish youth group in high school; my counselors from Camp Wise, a Jewish summer camp in Ohio; State Buckeyes alumni from my alma mater; and of course, my cohort of Springboard Fellows and the UM Hillel staff! I absolutely LOVE the intersection of people from so many areas of my life and the Jewish geography that ensues.

I began the conference with other members of my Springboard Fellowship cohort, and we reflected on what we hoped to gain from HIGA, who we would want to engage with before the end of the conference, and some of the potential challenges we could encounter. I loved the intentionality of these sessions, and how it grounded and connected us before programming took off. I also appreciated that I had the Springboard cohort and so many familiar faces at my side.

Next up was dinner and the opening plenary! This year, I decided to join the Hillel House Band, an annual HIGA tradition featuring 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 instrumentalists and singers, and we opened up the conference in a huge ballroom with songs that brought me back to my camp days. It was indescribable to bring my love for singing into the Hillel community! 

The opening plenary was high energy and inspiring. Adam Lehman, the president and CEO of 黑料传送门, the HIGA co-chairs, and other Hillel leaders and students talked about how each of us is a Hillel superhero – and how impactful our work is to this generation of Jewish college students, and those who will attend college in the future. I felt empowered as I sat next to my fellow University of Miami Hillel staff members, in our UM themed flannels, and reflected on all the hard work we鈥檝e done this year. We also got to hear from our very own Abi Schcolnik, who is the co-chair of the 黑料传送门 Student Cabinet and a senior at UM! We all felt so proud watching her from the audience, and witnessing how much Hillel has shaped her and allowed her to grow as a leader. 

We ended the night with a Florida Hillels reunion, and let me say, the Florida Hillel vibes are top notch. Everyone is so welcoming, which means chatting never feels like networking, but like getting to know a new friend.

Tuesday, Day Two:

On my second day at HIGA, I led my own session! I decided to take on more responsibility this year, since it鈥檚 my second year in the Springboard Fellowship, and my coworkers encouraged me to teach others about social media marketing and the processes I鈥檝e created at UM Hillel. I co-led the session, which was called 鈥淒igital Glow-up,鈥� with the amazing Abby Stoetzer, manager of Jewish life and digital marketing at Queens College Hillel. We gave step-by-step suggestions for improving a campus 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 social media from the ground up, starting with brand kits and content calendars, and then moving into more creative ideas to amp things up. I left feeling grateful th黑料传送门 offers opportunities to grow and develop professionally through collaboration and sharing ideas.

With that in mind, I went to another session that focused on the way crafting and creating can heal differences and connect people. I鈥檝e always loved hosting crafting events with my students, but hadn鈥檛 thought about it as intentionally as this session encouraged me to do. As a group, we created a beautiful Hamsa using paper quilling, with the plan to give it to Hillel Israel to thank them for all they鈥檝e endured this past year. 

For lunch that day, I went to a marketing and communications cohort meetup, because I often work on social media projects for my Hillel. It was great to connect with many other like minded professionals who have so much knowledge to share. I also learned how many 黑料传送门 staffers work behind the scenes making creative content, running marketing campaigns, and working on digital fundraising.

We had a Springboard social justice cohort meeting in the afternoon, where we reflected on the successes and challenges of the past year and a half. As a Social Justice Springboard Fellow, I have planned and collaborated on over a dozen volunteer events where students have the opportunity to give back to our local community. I love that I鈥檓 able to expand the perspectives of my students and take them out of their college bubbles to help local Miamians. We鈥檝e worked with organizations like , , the local Ronald McDonald House, and so much more. 

After reflecting on these experiences, we brought the conversation back to our roots, and everyone shared where their passions from social action started and why they鈥檙e here now. It was a great reminder of why we do this work.

To finish the day, I hung out at a local Boston bar with many of my friends from Springboard, and we celebrated our achievements together.

Wednesday, Day Three:

My two favorite sessions from the final day at HIGA were 鈥淗ow to Make Meetings as Fun and Productive as You Are鈥� and 鈥淢oving from Springboard to Assistant Director.鈥� 

As I sometimes plan meetings for our Hillel, I enjoyed hearing about the organization and logistics that go into planning meetings, and the session gave me insight into the work of our leadership team, as well as ideas for how we might adjust in the future.

During the 鈥淪pringboard to Assistant Director鈥� session, we talked about how to set yourself up for success and growth within your Hillel. This session solidified the importance of professional development, and gave me more confidence in the skills I鈥檝e built up to this point. We thought a lot about what could be next for us as second year Springboard Fellows, and I felt empowered to ask for more responsibilities and learning opportunities at my own Hillel to continue this journey.

Following that session, I had a Springboard focus group, where I listened to feedback from the cohort. It also pushed me to reflect on the team relationships I鈥檝e built at UM, and realize how grateful I am for those relationships and the work we do there.  

The last part of the day was the closing awards dinner, where outstanding Hillels and Hillel professionals are recognized for their incredible work. UM and the Florida Hillels won an Innovation Award for the Hillels of Florida Poland trip that the UM executive director helped bring to life. The hosts of the awards celebration were hilarious, and I loved the humor they brought to their roles. It also was great to hear about the amazing initiatives that other Hillels are working on, and how they are creatively bringing students together. And it was so uplifting to hear how dedicated 黑料传送门 is to building bridges and pluralism, and how much hope there is for the Jewish future.聽

HIGA was a delight this year: full of new connections, laughter, advice and opportunities to ask questions, and I discovered roles in the Hillel world that I didn鈥檛 know existed. Best of all, I felt connected to people from all over the world. HIGA 2024 did not disappoint, and I can鈥檛 wait for next year!

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黑料传送门 Honors Exceptional Campus Hillels and Professional Staff at 2024 Global Assembly聽

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 12, 2024

World鈥檚 largest Jewish college organization convened campus leaders in Boston from Dec. 9-12 for 2024 Global Assembly; recognized extraordinary leadership efforts

BOSTON, MA- 黑料传送门, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, honored campus Hillels and professionals for their leadership, innovation and commitment to Jewish student life in Boston this week. The awards were presented during the 2024 黑料传送门 Global Assembly (HIGA), which brings together more than 1,200 professionals, supporters, sponsors, and students from across the world for a three-day annual conference centered on growth and leadership.

鈥淲e are so inspired by the campus Hillels and professionals who are dedicated to building vibrant, welcoming communities for Jewish students at a time when they need it most,鈥� said 黑料传送门 President and CEO Adam Lehman. 鈥淚 could not be more proud to recognize how these award-winning Hillel professionals have come together to share ideas and learn from each other, to ensure that every Jewish student can celebrate and participate in Jewish life.鈥�

Honored in front of their colleagues and supporters in the global Hillel movement, the awardees were selected for their leadership and impact in advancing 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 mission to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.

The awards and honorees included: 

Individual Awards

The Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award recognizes Hillel colleagues whose remarkable passion and outstanding devotion to the Jewish campus community sets a standard for all to emulate. 

• Rabbi Nicole Berne – Associate Director,
• Lauren Bloom – Associate Director, Tufts University Hillel Foundation
• Susanna (Susu) Cohen – Chief Development Officer, Grinspoon Hillel at Cornell
• Uri Cohen – Executive Director, Yale Hillel (Slifka Center)
• Rabbi Elana Friedman – Campus Rabbi & Jewish Chaplain, Jewish Life at Duke
• Matt Lorch – Executive Director, Bradley University Hillel
• Rabbi Jessica Lott – Campus Rabbi, Northwestern Hillel
• Amee Sherer – Executive Director, University of Washington Hillel

The Rising Star Award recognizes early-career professionals who have worked 黑料传送门 for at least one full year and have significantly impacted Jewish campus life in just a short amount of time.

• Julian Albright – Student Engagement Director, Indiana University Hillel
• Brian Burke – IACT Director of Israel and Jewish Experiences,
• Khiya Connolly-Sisk – Jewish Student Life Coordinator, Ithaca College Hillel
• Jenna Hasher – Assistant Director of Development, University of Florida Hillel
• Casey Kelly – Springboard Innovation Fellow, Queens College Hillel
• Lielle Ziv – NYU Hillel Bronfman Center

Campus Awards

Innovation

• Florida Hillels, “Florida Hillels鈥� Poland Experience”
  • Central Florida Hillel
  • Hillel at Florida International University
  • Hillel at Florida State University
  • University of Florida Hillel
  • University of Miami Hillel
• Northeastern University Hillel, 鈥淟ondon Shabbaton鈥�
• Dynamic Jewish Education: Yale Hillel (Slifka Center), 鈥淭radition and Change: Exploring, Confronting, and Celebrating Gender in Judaism鈥�
• Eleanor Meyerhoff Katz Innovation: NYU Hillel Bronfman Center, “Jewish Athlete Alliance (JAA)”

Excellence

• , 鈥淚nterviewing and Onboarding Systems鈥�
• Northwestern Hillel, 鈥淪enior Series鈥�
• Syracuse University Hillel, 鈥淔reshFest鈥澛�
• Great Place to Work:
• Philip H. and Susan Rudd聽Cohen聽Outstanding Campus聽Award
  • Small Campus – Franklin and Marshall Hillel
  • Large Campus – Hillel of San Diego

The 2024 Award

The 2024 Award recognizes an initiative, program, or effort on campus that has responded to a timely need for the community. The awardee is selected through a popular vote. 

• Ohio State University Hillel, 鈥淩estorative Justice Sessions鈥�

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黑料传送门 Global Assembly 2024 Celebrates Jewish Belonging on Campus

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 12, 2024

On Monday night, the annual 黑料传送门 Global Assembly (HIGA) kicked off with a message of belonging and community. 

鈥淭his is a time for kehilla, for community,鈥� said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of 黑料传送门 to the largest ever gathering of Hillel professionals, sponsors, and stakeholders. 鈥淸It is] a time for us to enrich and expand the inclusive Jewish communities on campus that only we can foster, enabling our students to make the leap from coffee dates to community, and from becoming to belonging.鈥�

Drawing together the themes of tikkun (repair), kehillah (community), and chizuk (strength), Lehman spoke about the holistic work th黑料传送门 does in supporting Jewish students. 

Over the course of the night, Lehman was joined by HIGA Co-Chair Jonah Zinn, executive director of University of Florida Hillel, and an incredible lineup of speakers, performers, and panelists, all united in a single goal: Kicking off the tenth annual HIGA with high energy, passionate commitment to Jewish college students, and the vast potential of their Jewish futures, and a dedication to 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 mission. 

In addition to the Hillel House Band, which performed rousing renditions of songs like 鈥淥d Yavo Shalom Aleinu,鈥� 鈥淥seh Shalom,鈥� 鈥淭ake Me Home, Country Roads,鈥� and an original song to the theme of belonging, participants were also treated to a special performance by DJ Yonatan Cohen, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival massacre. And Israeli actress Gal Gadot addressed the crowd, delivering a video message thanking attendees for their critical work.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e not just supporting a community,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e transforming lives.鈥�

Integral to the way Hillel improves students鈥� lives are the 鈥渟uperpowers鈥� of its staff, an idea that came up throughout the evening. The energy in the room was good-humored and playful, and included a special guest appearance of a Superman action figure and a singalong to 鈥淪weet Caroline鈥� in honor of Boston, HIGA鈥檚 hosting city. The program also highlighted the roles th黑料传送门 staff take on as Super Educators, Super Mentors, Super Advocates, Super Experience Creators, and more, which can鈥檛 be underestimated 鈥� and neither can their impact on the students they serve.

鈥淓ach of you has built that enduring connection for our students that binds them to each other, and to the global Jewish community,鈥� said Matthew Bronfman, chair of 黑料传送门鈥檚 board of governors. 鈥淵ou have created spaces for them to not only feel sorrow, but to express their joy 鈥� and you have inspired them to be resilient and courageous in the face of many challenges, ensuring every student fulfills 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 vision of making an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel.鈥�

Lee Dranikoff, chair of the Hillel board of directors expanded on this theme and said, 鈥淗illel has a crucial role to play. We are the glue that鈥檚 going to hold our community together. It鈥檚 a lot to ask. And no one else can do it. It has to be us.鈥�

With nearly 80% of Jewish college students saying th黑料传送门 is more important than ever, it鈥檚 clear the organization鈥檚 work continues to make a profound difference in the lives of Jewish college students. Abi Schcolnik (University of Miami 鈥�25) and Zachary Patterson (Duke University 鈥�26), co-chairs of the 黑料传送门 Student Cabinet, shared the impact Hillel has had on them, especially in the past year.

鈥淪ince October 7, Hillel means more to me than ever,鈥� Schcolnik said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a space where I can truly be myself and know that I am supported in every way 鈥� something that no other place on campus can provide.鈥�

Patterson agreed. 鈥淭here are thousands upon thousands of students just like us, who because of you all, feel a little bit braver walking onto campus every morning, and know that their Judaism doesn鈥檛 have to be an insecurity but what makes us who we are,鈥� he said.

In addition to 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 student, professional, and lay leadership, the evening also included a special panel discussion, entitled 鈥淏uilding Hope and Belonging through Spiritual Leadership.鈥� Moderated by Rabbi Marc Baker, CEO of , and featuring Rabbi Gil Steinlauf, executive director of Princeton University Hillel, Rabbi Jessica Lott, campus rabbi at Northwestern University Hillel, and Rabbi Rebecca Blady, executive director of Hillel Deutschland, the panel explored the importance of rooting ourselves in Jewish learning and values to achieve the goals of Jewish belonging, joyful Jewish community, and Jewish leadership.

Read more about HIGA 2024 and some of the Hillel superheroes who won awards for their exemplary work!

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贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 Virtual College Prep Series Returns: Considering Antisemitism on Campus

Author

黑料传送门

Date

December 10, 2024

黑料传送门鈥檚 Virtual College Prep Series is back, and this time speakers tackled the state of antisemitism on college campuses, what Jewish life is really like at colleges and universities, and how Hillels are showing up to help every Jewish student feel safe, supported, and included.

Here are a few top takeaways from 鈥淐areful Considerations: Antisemitism on Campus,鈥� featuring on-the-ground perspectives from Hillel staff and current Jewish college students.

On a hopeful note, schools are improving their responses to antisemitism, in part thanks to 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 initiatives, and that鈥檚 making a big difference.

鈥淗illel recorded [over] 2,600 incidents of antisemitism on college campuses since October 7,鈥� said Lisa Armony, executive director of 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 Campus Climate Initiative. 鈥淸And] those incidents took place on 385 campuses.鈥� Since the beginning of this academic year, Hillels have seen a decrease in the number of antisemitic incidents on campuses, but an increase in the extreme nature of the incidents. 

Part of that change has come from 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 Campus Climate Initiative, a program for college and university administrators to counter antisemitism and build a campus community in which Jewish students feel comfortable expressing their identity. Nearly 100 schools have participated in the initiative to date.

鈥淲e’ve seen universities improve in how they communicate with their students, and with the broader community in terms of what their policies are,鈥� said Armony, who is a parent to two college students. 鈥淲e’re seeing some campuses really step up and do a terrific job鈥� creating short and long term change, where inclusion of Jewish students is just part of what they do.鈥� 

If you want to learn more about what Jewish life is like at a school you鈥檙e considering, reach out to the campus Hillel.

鈥淗illel professionals and Jewish students are the ones that really understand what鈥檚 going on,鈥� Armony said. 鈥淪o ask them: What is it like to be a Jewish student on your campus? What are you excited about? What do you love about your campus, and what are some of the challenges? You can have a really frank conversation about that.鈥�

Armony also recommends asking  broader university questions about antisemitism, anti-Israel discrimination, and the campus climate as a whole 鈥� such as how administrators respond to antisemitic incidents, how the university administration proactively supports Jewish students, and how polarizing issues are dealt with in and out of the classroom.

鈥淥ne of my biggest points of advice to parents when looking at this picture is to think about fit, just like you would for any aspect of choosing the right school,鈥� said Adam Lehman, 黑料传送门 president and CEO. 鈥淵ou know how your student is going to be successful.鈥�

At the end of the day, Jewish students are still thriving and living joyously on college campuses, and Hillel plays a role in making that happen.聽

[Hillel is] very much living out the critical role of creating incredible spaces for Jewish students to express their Jewish identities,鈥� said Lehman.

Vivian Cohen 鈥�26, a student at Virginia Tech, agreed with Lehman. 鈥淭he Jewish community has only grown stronger, and Jewish students want to engage more. Jewish students want to be with other Jewish students. They want to have that connection,鈥� she said.聽

Adena Kirstein, executive director of George Washington University Hillel, said that making those joyous spaces for students to grow and connect with their Jewish identities remains the best part of her job.

鈥淭hat’s the dream of the work that we’re doing,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I feel grateful and privileged to do it time and time again.鈥�

to hear all the tips and resources we couldn鈥檛 fit into just one blog post, including scholarships and opportunities to get involved.

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贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 Virtual College Prep Series Returns: Finding the Best Fit for You

Author

黑料传送门

Date

September 27, 2024

It鈥檚 that time of year again 鈥� 黑料传送门鈥檚 Virtual College Prep Series is back! 

Designed for high school students and their families, these free virtual events are designed to help Jewish students prepare for college and the changing campus environment. The first session kicked off on September 19 with a topic we know is on every student鈥檚 mind: How do I find the right school for me?

Finding the right school can be a little (or a lot!) overwhelming, especially with so many factors to consider, but 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 tools and resources can help students navigate those questions. Here are a few top takeaways from our first webinar, featuring top college counselors, current Jewish college students, and Hillel professional staff and experts.

First thing鈥檚 first: Everything is going to be okay.

If Sam Joustra, college counselor at Collegewise and the event鈥檚 first speaker, could tell prospective students and their families just one thing, it would be this: You will find the school that鈥檚 right for you.

鈥淲e know this process feels really stressful and you might be questioning how things will end up,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we who have been through this process before know that students are going to be just fine. They’re going to find a school, probably more than one, where they can thrive.鈥�

Joustra addressed some common concerns, such as the belief that colleges are getting more selective. They鈥檙e not 鈥� the vast majority of colleges and universities accept more than 50% of applicants. And she advised that a school鈥檚 sticker price should not be a dealbreaker for applicants 鈥� even if you don鈥檛 qualify for financial aid from an institution, there are tons of outside scholarships available, and Hillel can help you find them. 

The most important thing a student can do to stand out, she said, is to be authentic. 鈥淐olleges want to create diverse and inclusive communities,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f something feels authentic to you and you can show how it contributes to your story, how you move about the world and how you’re going to contribute to their campus community, that’s what they want to hear about.鈥� 

The best ways to help your student? Put them in the driver鈥檚 seat, have honest conversations, and let them build skills for independence.

鈥淲hen students are the ones making the decisions about what they want their future to look like, that’s when everyone’s going to be the happiest and the most fulfilled,鈥� Joustra said. Parents and guardians should let their students take the lead, and provide guidance and support 鈥� even if that means having some tough or uncomfortable conversations about things like money, antisemitism, and being Jewish on campus today.

鈥淚f your expectation is that you’re sending your student to a place where they’ll never have to wrestle with their Jewish identity and what it means to be a Zionist in today’s world, I think that you’re not preparing them,鈥� said Jared Levy (University of Texas, Austin, class of 2027), who joined the discussion as part of a student panel. 鈥淢ake sure that your student feels informed and feels able to have those hard conversations.鈥�

One resource for building that confidence is , 贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 new toolkit for combating antisemitism and standing up for Jewish students鈥� rights on campus. 鈥淐ampus for All isn鈥檛 just there for them if they’re navigating antisemitism, but also to [help them] feel empowered on how they can get involved with their local Jewish community and take action,鈥� said Sarah Fried, chief external affairs officer at 黑料传送门.

To find the right fit, look past the numbers and headlines 鈥� focus on getting a real picture of campus life.

There are more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States alone, and it鈥檚 a fair bet that your student hasn鈥檛 heard of most of them! 鈥淪ometimes that means you have to look beyond the 10, 20, 30 schools or so that you’re most familiar with,鈥� said Joustra. 鈥淲hat you do in college is so much more important and predictive of your success than just the name alone or perceived prestige of a school.鈥�

The best way to get a real picture of campus life? Talk to current students, staff, professors, or other campus leaders. That鈥檚 not just true for the academic experience 鈥� it鈥檚 the most authentic way to get a look at Jewish life on campus too.

There鈥檚 no one 鈥渞ight鈥� way to have a Jewish college experience.

Every student is looking for something different when it comes to religious life on campus. 

鈥淚t all comes down to what you need,鈥� said Joustra. 鈥淚s it weekly services? Is it volunteer service organizations that you want to be a part of? Is it a Birthright trip to Israel that you want for yourself? Look at all these different pieces and what’s available to you by doing your research on the school and looking 黑料传送门’s resources.鈥�

Adam Lehman, president and CEO of 黑料传送门, agreed 鈥� and highlighted th黑料传送门 is a resource for potential students to get a sense of what Jewish life and community can be like on campus. 鈥淲e 黑料传送门 hold a unique position with more reach on campus than any other Jewish organization in the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e work hard to ensure that every environment can be a supportive and successful one for a Jewish student.鈥�

贬颈濒濒别濒鈥檚 College Decision Hub is a great way to explore Jewish communities on campus. 

鈥淭he Jewish community at your school can make or break your college experience,鈥� said Abi Schcolnik, co-chair of 黑料传送门鈥檚 Student Cabinet (University of Miami, class of 2025). Shcolnik advises students to speak with current students who are willing to answer questions honestly, and to Hillel staff or other Jewish organizations on campus who can share their perspectives. 

Jewish communities are more about the 鈥渏oy鈥� than the 鈥渙y.鈥�

After October 7, colleges and universities experienced an unprecedented rise in antisemitic incidents, from protests and encampments to vandalism and violence. Understandably, many prospective students and their families are concerned about how schools are showing up, not just to respond to antisemitism on campus, but to proactively keep Jewish students safe and ensure that they鈥檙e welcome and included. 

鈥淭he truth is there are challenges that Jewish students are facing on campus right now, but there’s also so much good,鈥� said Naomi Lamb, CEO of Ohio State University (OSU) Hillel. 鈥淭here are so many wonderful experiences that we are still able to provide for Jewish students on campus.鈥�

Dave Cohn, executive director of Hillel at University of Southern California (USC), agreed. 鈥淢ost of our students came back this fall enthusiastic, excited, and looking for community and looking to be immersed in the college experience.鈥�

鈥淚 really feel safe, and I feel like I have a thriving Jewish community that I can lean on,鈥� Levy said as part of the student panel. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really trying to do good work.鈥� 

And Hillel is here to help each student find the Jewish community that is right for them to bring them joy and support throughout their college experience.聽

To hear all the tips and resources we couldn鈥檛 fit into just one blog post, , and join us on December 5 for our next event, 鈥淐areful Considerations: Antisemitism on Campus,鈥� which will focus on ensuring that Jewish parents and families have the information they need about what antisemitism and Jewish life on campus are truly like right now. Learn more and register today.

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Learnings from the 2024 College and University Presidents Summit on Campus Antisemitism

Author

黑料传送门

Date

September 26, 2024

After a year of , presidents and chancellors from across the United States gathered at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. for a historic Summit to confront the rise of antisemitism that Jewish college students are facing. 

Hosted by 黑料传送门, the American Jewish Committee (AJC), and the American Council on Education (ACE), the College and University Presidents Summit on Campus Antisemitism brought together more than 75 leaders from large public universities, small private colleges, Ivy League schools, community colleges, and liberal arts colleges of all sizes. Subject-matter experts led discussions that explored the deep roots of contemporary antisemitism, the relationship between free speech imperatives and creating a safe campus for all students, and applications of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. 

鈥淲e are confronting a wave of anti-Jewish hatred like none of us have experienced in our lifetimes,鈥� said Matthew Bronfman, chair of the 黑料传送门 Board of Governors. 鈥淚 am immensely proud of Hillel professionals who are building strong, resilient communities on campus in response. And now it is time for university administrators to take determined action to secure our campuses for all students.鈥�

黑料传送门 President and CEO Adam Lehman underscored the magnitude of the Summit, saying to the assembled university presidents and chancellors, 鈥淵our presence here sends an important message about your commitment to tackling the significant and systemic current challenge of campus antisemitism.鈥�

Keep reading for a snapshot of the top five topics discussed at the Summit:

1. Many students are feeling unsafe

When we say that antisemitism is damaging to Jewish students and all students, we mean it. In an opening panel on the current spike in campus antisemitism, experts in political violence shared findings from a large study of colleges and universities that was conducted after October 7. 

The Chicago Project on Security and Threats study . And in addition to Jewish students, 16% of all college students reported the same. That means between two and three  million college students have experienced moments of personal danger over the last year with the rise of unrest, disruptive protests, and antisemitism. 

Students are anxious and disturbed by the environment on their campuses, and it鈥檚 disrupting their education. 

2. Universities are learning and adapting to protect Jewish students

Many universities were caught off guard following October 7 by the sudden, extreme spike in antisemitic rhetoric and activities. Without the preparedness and capacity needed to manage disruptions to campus life, colleges and universities were often slow to react and uncertain of the best course of action. 

One goal of the Summit was to equip university leaders with the tools to develop and execute a clear plan to protect Jewish students, and ensure that every student鈥檚 education could flourish. Ted Deutch, CEO of AJC, stressed the vital role university presidents play in supporting Jewish students on campus.  鈥淯ltimately, university leaders must be the ones to take the helm of confronting antisemitism,鈥� he said. 鈥漌e know you can do that in ways that respect your institution鈥檚 core principles and ideals.鈥� 

While there is much more work to be done, it is reassuring to see so many university leaders taking action to combat antisemitism. 

3. Clarifying and enforcing codes of conduct is essential for keeping all students safe on campus 

The Summit also focused on the tools colleges and universities may already have in place to foster safe and inclusive learning spaces for Jewish students, including their existing student codes of conduct and regulations governing the time, place, and manner of protests and demonstrations. These rules typically provide guidelines on appropriate protest procedures, rules for when and how public spaces can be used on campus, and consequences for violations that block other students鈥� ability to learn, study, and access their campus spaces. 

When students or faculty cross the boundaries of those codes, university leaders are committing to acting quickly and decisively to uphold campus expectations of civil dialogue and behavior. 鈥淓ach campus will have to forge its own strategy rooted in its unique culture, dynamics, and resources,鈥� said Lisa Armony, executive director of 黑料传送门鈥檚 Campus Climate Initiative. 鈥淏ut there are steps that you can all take right now that will have an immediate impact for your students and in the long run, will help to avoid an existential crisis for higher education.鈥�

4. Difficult and respectful conversations are central to a college and university education

The Summit was an avenue for university leaders to discuss how to recommit their institutions to the values of pluralism, where students with a wide diversity of identities and viewpoints are welcome to share their ideas and beliefs in a respectful educational environment.

鈥淥pen discourse around ideas, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the sustenance of a pluralistic society that protects individuals鈥� rights undergird our democracy, and as universities, we have an indispensable role to play by reflecting and embodying these values to shape our nation for the better,鈥� said Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels. 

Goucher College President Kent Devereaux agreed. 鈥淏y modeling for our students how to engage in difficult, sometimes contentious conversations about critical issues, as we discussed at this conference, we hope to prepare them to play an important role in fostering understanding in our society,鈥� he said. 

5. Title VI enforcement is evolving to become a critical tool for protecting Jewish students

What is Title VI and why is it in the news so often? which聽 prohibits discrimination in educational institutions on the basis of 鈥渞ace, color, and national origin.鈥� One of the key sessions at the Summit took a deep dive into the ways that Title VI investigations and decisions can help protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination in the short and long term. University leaders also had the opportunity to ask detailed questions to a legal expert in Title VI cases.

As university presidents return to campus, they are recommitting to the work of protecting and uplifting Jewish students. In reflecting on the Summit, New York University President Linda G. Mills said, 鈥淚 was glad to be part of this Summit, which provided university leaders with important opportunities to exchange ideas; to stand united in pushing back against antisemitism; to commit to fostering safe and inclusive campuses where students may flourish free from harassment, discrimination, and threats; and to uphold our traditions of reasoned discourse.鈥�

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