News

From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Hineni, Cultivating Student Leaders

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

March 24, 2026

Friends,

As we journey through the Torah on our path to Passover, we just concluded the Torah portion “Vayikra,” meaning “And He Called” and have moved into the portion of “Tsav,” meaning “Command”, detailing the rights and responsibilities for Aaron, his sons, and their descendants as kohanim, or priests. Both in this biblical context and our modern world, it’s hard not to think about the critical importance of leadership – the leadership to which we feel called, and that for which we feel responsible and accountable.Ěý

Fortunately, through our unique role on campuses across North America and around the world, we’re in a position at Hillel to meaningfully impact the future of Jewish leadership. In fact, we’ve made it a top priority in our currentĚýĚýto catalyze the largest ever generation of Jewish leaders in history, developing and empowering students who have the know-how, motivation, and Jewish grounding to lead us all into a stronger, safer, and more vibrant Jewish future.

One way we’re fostering this next generation of Jewish leaders is through our new HillelĚýLeadership PassportĚýprogram. This Passport program brings high potential Hillel student leaders to the major convenings of partner organizations, so they can learn from the wisdom of leaders across the Jewish community, build bonds with one another, and return to campus with greater knowledge and networks they can apply in their Hillel leadership roles and broader campus work.

Last week, we hosted 65 outstanding student delegates in New York for ADL’s “Never is Now,” the world’s largest summit on antisemitism and hate, connecting them to high-impact content, professionals, and lay leaders. Highlights of the program included an exclusive breakfast with key Jewish influencers, a panel conversation featuring two exceptional student leaders, and breakout sessions and plenaries, where students learned from and built connections with community leaders. They’re returning to campus with new tools, inspiration, and a stronger sense of belonging – ready to strengthen Jewish life at their universities and beyond. Mateen Markzar, a Brown University student, reflected on this experience, saying, “The ĚÇĐÄvlogl Leadership Passport has made it possible for students like me to be front and center at these conferences and events that are shaping the future of Jewish life.”

ĚÇĐÄvlogl’s Ruach Fellowship is another program preparing Jewish students to lead on their campus communities. This new fellowship is designed for students who arrive on campus with meaningful Jewish knowledge and a passion for Jewish life, empowering them to lead Shabbat and other core Jewish experiences in ways that add energy and spirit to these foundational Hillel programs. Earlier this month, 60 campus mentors and student leaders from across North America gathered at Capital Camps and Retreat Center in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, for a Shabbaton teeming with ruach, or spirit: in soulful services, an inspiring fireside chat, and in reflections on risk-taking and authenticity in leadership. The fellows stepped into their roles as hosts and builders of sacred community, imagining vibrant future Shabbats on their campusesĚý

This past week, we hosted our eighth annual Israel Summit, bringing together more than 150 student leaders from ĚÇĐÄvlogl’s Israel Leadership Network. Representing over 150 campuses across North America, these students are dedicated to Israel-related education, engagement, and advocacy. The Shabbaton-style summit, held at Penn Hillel, offered skill-building and learning opportunities, enhancing each participant’s ability to lead thoughtful, informed conversations about Israel at their Hillels and campuses. Among the many highlights, ILN leaders heard an incredible account from Matan Sivek about how he and his team at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum helped to secure the release of hostages brutally taken during the horrific attacks of October 7th. The students were not only moved by the incredible emotion of Matan’s stories, but also inspired by the difference he was able to make by saying hineni, here I am, when he was called upon to help. They also learned from other scholars and advocates including Ambassador Dennis Ross, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter, Iranian diaspora activist Elica Le Bon, and interfaith leader Pastor Carl Day.

Time and again, we’ve seen how strong leaders have played critical roles in protecting and sustaining Jewish life, including in Purim and Passover, the holidays which bookend this message. Now too, we desperately need leaders, and at Hillel, we are answering that call through our unique role in developing, empowering and supporting this next generation of great Jewish leaders.

With gratitude,

Adam Lehman
President and CEO of ĚÇĐÄvlogl

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News

The Jerusalem Post: Activating Jewish Service Through Partnerships, Collaboration

Author

Eric Fingerhut, Cindy Greenberg and Adam Lehman

Date

January 28, 2026

Originally published on January 28, 2026 in The Jerusalem Post, written by President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America Eric Fingerhut, CEO of Repair the World Cindy Greenberg, and President and CEO of ĚÇĐÄvlogl Adam Lehman,Ěýdiscusses the importance of Jewish volunteer service as a pathway to belonging and community building. Here are excerpts from their piece.

“Volunteer service has long been one of the Jewish community’s most powerful tools for embodying our values, creating connection, and building resilience. Today, as we navigate a world shaped by rising antisemitism, polarization, and profound communal challenges, Jewish service is both an antidote to isolation and an opportunity to make a measurable difference for both the Jewish community and the broader world.

Over the past several months, we have seen firsthand how service can be a transformative entry point into Jewish identity and community – especially when it’s integrated across the ecosystem of Jewish institutions. What if Jewish service becomes a core element of how Hillels, JCCs, Federations, synagogues, and camps engage their people and build Jewish life?

That vision is already coming to life thanks to strategic collaborations between more than 60 organizations, including Repair the World, , and ĚÇĐÄvlogl – the organizations we are privileged to lead. Our partnership is powered by the Jewish Service Alliance, which was founded in 2020 to meet urgent needs during the COVID-19 crisis.

Since that time, the JSA has grown into a dynamic coalition of Jewish communal partners uniting through volunteer service to inspire Jewish life, deepen Jewish education, and strengthen communities. Together, the JSA has engaged nearly 400,000 participants in nearly 700,000 acts of service and learning across 35+ states and 10 countries. This movement is meeting urgent needs and sparking Jewish learning and identity development, where Jews find purpose, connection, and a renewed sense of belonging.”

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From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Six Predictions for Jewish Life on Campus in 2026

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

January 14, 2026

Friends,

Students are in the process of returning to campus for the spring semester or winter quarter. Given the volatility and unpredictability of campus life during the past several years, many people in the Jewish community and beyond are understandably wondering: what will the next 12 months look like for Jewish students on campus?

Based on everything we’re seeing and doing through the Hillel movement, here are my predictions for what Jewish life on campus will look like in 2026:Ěý

1. Fewer Antisemitic Incidents on Campus
Campuses witnessed less hostility this fall compared to any time since October 7, 2023. There were fewer overall incidents of antisemitism, including a significantly lower number of assaults and physical harassments impacting Jewish students. Universities are more consistently enforcing time, place, and manner restrictions on protest activities, preventing out-of-control disruptions that spawned hostility and vitriol directed at Jewish and Zionist students. And my recent discussions with university leaders from across the country have underscored their commitments to maintain safer, more inclusive environments for Jewish students and all students.

Even so, we continue to see and address a high volume of instances of more targeted harassment, vandalism, and discrimination — especially online, in dorm rooms and classrooms. As such, we’ll be continuing to deepen our work with universities to establish and enforce stronger policies to govern the conduct of students, staff and faculty, and expand our support for Jewish students to advocate for themselves through resources likeĚý. We’ll also be fostering new initiatives to grow understanding and support from other communities on campus, through initiatives like ourĚý(pursued in partnership with UNCF and the Blue Square Alliance), and new bridge-building service cohorts we’re pursuing in partnership with Repair the World. Based on all of these further investments, I expect that we’ll see more significant reductions in targeted acts of antisemitism and further improvements in the overall campus climate for Jewish students.

2. Sustained Growth in Deep Jewish Life Engagement and Leadership
At Hillel, we’ve sustained record levels of overall student engagement, with nearly 200,000 students participating in our Jewish life programs and experiences during the 2025 calendar year. While we’ll continue to invest in growing those overall levels of engagement, I expect 2026 to be defined more by growth in the depth of how Jewish students engage.

The challenges of the past two years have awoken a heightened level of identity and commitment for many of the Jewish students we serve. This deeper commitment was personified by the more than 80 student leaders who I met with as part of our Hillel Leadership Passport program at the 2025 JFNA General Assembly. In my discussions with students from small campuses like Clark and York, to large campuses like Michigan and UCLA, and global Hillels including those in Montreal, Rio, Poland, and Israel, I was blown away by the inspiring ways these students are embracing their opportunities to lead their peers and strengthen their campus Jewish communities. (You can see myĚý.)

In addition, for students who initially sought out Jewish spaces to just be in social environments where they wouldn’t need to explain or defend their Jewish and Zionist identities and beliefs, I expect we’ll see many of them pursuing new opportunities to deepen their Jewish understanding and identities through involvement in Jewish learning, Shabbat, and other immersive Jewish experiences. I saw this deepening level of engagement in action during fall Shabbat programs and other Hillel events at campuses ranging from Brown to GWU to University of Oklahoma. And we’ll be supporting these enhanced Jewish experiences through our new Ruach Fellowship, training and empowering 60 student ritual and song leaders to add vitality and spirit to Shabbat and other core Jewish experiences at the 24 campus Hillels piloting this new fellowship program.

3. Resurgent Israel Travel
I predict we’ll see a major bounce-back in student travel to Israel. When we opened registration for summer Birthright Israel trips in December, we saw a strong response; and provided that there’s not a resumption of active wars in the region, I expect we’ll generate and see high interest for all of the immersive Israel experiences we offer. On campus, it’s inevitable that there will be continued campaigns to delegitimize and demonize Israel, due to the dedicated core of students and outside organizations who have made this their mission. However, we’ve already seen a major decrease this academic year in BDS initiatives at student government levels, and I expect we’ll continue to see these tactics falter and fail, including based onĚý.Ěý

4. Discernible Shift in Jewish Student Enrollment
We will see even more demonstrable growth in Jewish student enrollment at institutions in the Southeast and Southwest, due to both perceptions around where Jewish students will find more welcoming campus environments, and cost considerations. We’re leaning into this growth through enhanced Hillel presence both at campuses with large and growing Jewish student populations, such as University of Florida, Florida State, University of Central Florida, Arizona State University, University of Texas at Austin and University of Colorado at Boulder and University of Alabama, and campuses that are emerging as newer destinations for Jewish students, such as High Point, Clemson, and Southern Methodist University.Ěý

5. The Organizational Landscape Will Return to Normalcy
As the media and public focus continues to shift away from the quad, many of the organizations that ramped up campus-focused initiatives following October 7 will quietly retrench from those initiatives, simplifying the landscape for students, administrators, and the few Jewish organizations, like Hillel, that were dedicated to Jewish life on campus before October 7 and will remain focused on campus moving forward. At the same time, we’ll be expanding our Hillel Leadership Passport program to make it easier for other Jewish community organizations to incorporate student participation in their signature convenings and programs.

6. The Dominant Vibe Will Be Joy, Not Oy
While we’ll still be contending with both heightened issues of antisemitism unique to this period and longer term structural issues in how higher education perceives and addresses these dynamics, I’m confident that the dominant campus experience for the vast majority of Jewish students will be positive, as they derive joy, meaning, and a deeper sense of belonging from their involvement in Jewish life on campus. This fall, we saw this expression of joy and belonging take beautiful shape both on a wide variety of campuses and at the many new regional Jewish student convenings we supported this fall, such as theĚý,Ěý, and theĚý.

Bottom line, I see 2026 providing clear opportunities to grow stronger and more vibrant Jewish life on campus – and at Hillel, we’ll be doing everything within our power to cultivate and nurture those opportunities for Jewish students on campuses across the country and around the world.Ěý

With gratitude,

Adam Lehman
President and CEO of ĚÇĐÄvlogl

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From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Marking Two Years Since October 7th

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

October 6, 2025

Friends,

We find ourselves two weeks into the Jewish new year of 5786, as we make the transition from the reflective holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to the celebratory spirit of Sukkot, which begins tonight at sundown. At the same time, tomorrow marks two years since October 7, 2023 — one of the most tragic days in Jewish history. And this moment is further intensified by the hope and uncertainty of a potential ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war that would bring home all remaining hostages after more than 700 days in captivity. 

The holiday of Sukkot is referred to as z’man simchateinu, the season of our rejoicing. In fact, we are literally commanded to be joyful during Sukkot. In the Torah portion which introduces Sukkot, the Torah states, “You shall rejoice in your festival…and you shall have nothing but joy.”  While many have questioned the idea of being “happy on command,” those questions are even more relevant this Sukkot, as we remember the lives lost during the atrocities of October 7th and process our grief, anger, and fear from the most recent antisemitic murders committed at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester, England last week on Yom Kippur. How can we both honor the memory of the victims of these horrific attacks and maintain the joyful spirit of Sukkot? 

Jewish college students have been finding ways to strike a balance between seriousness and joy for much of the past two years — navigating sometimes unwelcoming or even hostile campus environments, while making the most of their opportunities to learn, make and deepen friendships, build community, and strengthen their Jewish identities. 

And they will again have the chance to strike that balance at their Hillels in the coming days, with campus Hillels providing opportunities to both commemorate 10/7 and to observe Sukkot in joyful and creative ways. As one example of the former, many Hillels are hosting exhibitions based on Lee Yaron’s award-winning book,  The exhibit showcases diverse stories of extraordinary resilience and heroism, while honoring the humanity of the tragic victims of 10/7. And as an example of the latter, students from campuses served by Metro Chicago Hillel will gather in the sukkah to celebrate with meals, crafts, and service, where they will pack care kits for people in need over the course of the holiday.

As my rabbi pointed out during his Kol Nidre sermon, the Hebrew word for wisdom, chochma ×—ָכְמָה, is comprised of the roots for both strength, koach ×›ÖąÖĽ×—Ö·, and questioning, mah ×žÖ¸×”. Considering these roots of wisdom can help all of us bridge from the deep sorrow and remembrance of tragedy to the meaningful joy and gratitude of Sukkot. 

As we honor the lives lost, we demonstrate the strength of our commitment to the principle “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh” — as Jews, we are all responsible for one another — while also continuing to interrogate the sources of hate and evil that led to these horrific acts of violence. And as we celebrate Sukkot, we publicly demonstrate the strength of our pride and convictions, and engage in the continued learning and observance that produce even deeper and more durable sources of joy. 

May 5786 provide us all with pathways to greater wisdom that can in turn translate into a year of greater peace, security, joy, and well-being.

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From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Finding Hope in the Jewish New Year

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

September 19, 2025

Friends,

Our Jewish world desperately needs hope right now. Open virtually any Jewish publication, newspaper, or social media account, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the seeming hopelessness of the news in this moment.Ěý

Jews around the world are encountering heightened levels of antisemitism, discrimination, and even violence. The war in Gaza rages on, 48 hostages remain in captivity, and internecine conflicts within Jewish communities spark extreme disagreements over how to move forward, both within the diaspora and Israel.

So how in this exceedingly difficult context can we possibly find hope? Thankfully as Jews, we are blessed with thousands of years of wisdom and evolved practices that have guided and sustained Jewish communities through the ages. Among the most central is the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown on Monday.Ěý

Rosh Hashanah not only serves as a celebration of a new Jewish year: Rosh Hashanah is the embodiment of hope for each of us individually, and as a collective Jewish people. Why even bother celebrating a new year absent the hope that the new year can bring us closer to a perfected world?

Even the three major sections within theĚý form a recipe for hope:ĚýMalchuyotĚý– “Kingship” – conveys an essential and immanent divine goodness that stands behind our existence and that of the world;ĚýZichronotĚý– “Remembrance” – Ěýhelps us appreciate the robust arc of Jewish history, as we have persisted through seemingly insurmountable challenges time and again; andĚýShofarotĚý– “Shofar” – serves as a clarion call to awaken our souls to pursue what’s good and right in the world.

At ĚÇĐÄvlogl, this is also a time of great hope and optimism, as we embark on our new strategic plan,Ěý. This new plan is designed to meet the defining moment that our community faces: Jewish students need meaningful spaces of belonging — spaces where they are not only safe, but also able to express their Jewish identities with pride, joy, and confidence.

The Future of Jewish Belonging on Campus focuses on three key change strategies to achieve this hopeful future:

1. Growing Jewish joy and connection on campus through expanded opportunities for Jewish communal engagement
2. Ensuring Jewish inclusion and resilience by addressing antisemitism and promoting Jewish pride
3. Inspiring a transformative new generation of Jewish leaders by empowering more students than ever to create, build, and lead on campus and beyond

Much like we combine the expression of our hearts with commitment to our deeds throughout the Rosh Hashanah liturgy, at Hillel we are already taking focused action in support of our new strategic objectives.

Just last week, we supported the kickoff convening for Hillels of Georgia’s new Leven-Silberman Leadership Institute, the first of more than a dozen regional student leadership summits we’ll be supporting this academic year to inspire, train and empower thousands of participating Jewish students. We’ve also launched a new “Leadership Passport” program, to help Jewish students attend and benefit from leadership convenings hosted by other Jewish organizations. And we’re on pace for another record-setting level of community engagement through Hillel campus programs. 

Through events like  and  to  and  Hillels across our movement are delivering on creative and innovative ways to help Jewish students find their welcoming community on campus — a place where they know they belong.

Simply put, at a time when many in our community feel challenged to find sources of hope and optimism, our work with young Jews on nearly 1,000 campuses offers a powerful prescription for exactly that kind of hope. And as we prepare to begin 5786, we are so grateful for your support that makes it all possible.

Wishing each of you a shana tova u’metukah â€” may this be a year that brings peace, joy, pride, and a deep sense of Jewish belonging for us all.

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Jerusalem Journal: Letter to Jewish College Students: You Are Not Alone

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

September 3, 2025

Originally published on August 28, 2025 in the Jerusalem Journal, “,” written by ĚÇĐÄvlogl President and CEO Adam Lehman, offers encouragement and wisdom to new and returning Jewish college students as they begin the academic year.

Hillel CEO Adam Lehman encourages Jewish students to embrace Jewish wisdom, values, and community, enriching themselves and those around them

Editor’s note: As the new academic year gets underway, we invited ĚÇĐÄvlogl President and CEO Adam Lehman to write a letter to Jewish college students returning to campus and those starting their academic journeys. Please feel free to share this letter with the college students in your lives. We wish them all a safe, fun, intellectually stimulating, and personally enriching year ahead. Shabbat Shalom. — A.M.

Dear Jewish college students,

Mazel tov!

Whether you’re stepping onto campus for the very first time, or returning after summer break, you’re entering one of the most exciting and transformative chapters of your life.

Arriving on campus ahead of my first day at Dartmouth College in the mid-1980s, I felt the wide-open possibilities of discovering who I was, what I believed, and how I wanted to contribute to the world. My experiences at Hillel during those four years played a critical role in that journey of self-discovery.

I recognize that being a Jewish college student today feels very different from when I was in college — and even different than when my daughters graduated just a few years ago.

Since October 7, 2023, Jewish college students have experienced an unprecedented rise in antisemitism on campuses. During the last academic year, ĚÇĐÄvlogl documented more than 2,300 incidents of antisemitic discrimination and bias directed at Jewish students on college campuses — the highest level on record and a tenfold increase from pre-October 7 levels.

Behind each of those numbers is a real student like you, who was harassed in a dining hall, excluded from a student group, denied access to a building, physically threatened, or made to feel unwelcome simply for being Jewish or expressing a connection to Israel.

And yet, amidst these challenges, I have been inspired time and again by the incredible opportunities for Jewish students to nonetheless thrive, grow, lead, and experience Jewish joy — opportunities that will be there for each of you as well — and by Jewish students’ eagerness to embrace them.

Every day, I see Jewish students enthusiastically participating in Jewish life on campus. Last year, nearly 190,000 students across 850 campuses worldwide participated in Hillel programs, events, and services. Last week, I met with our ĚÇĐÄvlogl Student Cabinet, twenty student leaders from around the world, and was inspired to hear how Hillel has transformed their college experience — and how they are going to bring their passion and ideas back to their campuses to shape great Jewish life experiences for others.

Already this fall, students are diving into Jewish life on campus with over 250 Welcome Week events at Hillel â€” from barbecues and block parties to opening Shabbat dinners and FreshFests — on campuses from coast to coast. Jewish students need and deserve opportunities to feel a meaningful sense of belonging within their Jewish community and more broadly across campus, and we are working to ensure that environment for every Jewish student.

Most of all, I want you to remember this: You are not alone. We have your back.

There are more than 1,000 campus Hillel professionals who are excited to meet you and support you along your Jewish and life journeys. They and Hillel student leaders are there to create community with you, serve as mentors and supporters, and unlock pathways for life-changing experiences and lifelong friendships.

Our Hillel teams are also dedicated to making sure that if you encounter any issues — whether in classrooms, in dorm rooms, or on the quad — you have the resources and support to ensure your full inclusion on campus. Our  website and  are full of resources to help you understand and identify antisemitism on campus, and empower you with strategies to address it when necessary. Our  tool provides you with a secure place to report incidents when they occur 24/7, and anonymously if desired. And our  provides free legal support if you need help to pursue a discrimination claim.

Know that every day, we are working with thousands of university leaders and administrators, through our Campus Climate Initiative and deep local relationships, to ensure fully welcoming and inclusive campus environments for Jewish students.

Remember, too, that being Jewish is about so much more than what you’re seeing in the news. Judaism offers incredible wisdom on building community and finding meaning and purpose that you can rely on when you’re adjusting to college and all the new life experiences it will bring. As you embark on new classes, activities, and interests, you can find ways to connect your Jewish identity with whatever you’re passionate about — in domains as diverse as the arts, community service, music, bridge building, leadership development, sports, Israel and global Jewish peoplehood, civic engagement, your academic interests, and preparing for your career.

By tapping into the power of Jewish wisdom, values, and community during your college years, you can unlock your own unique superpowers and passions to become the kind of thinker, doer, and leader that our world desperately needs.

By being proudly Jewish in whichever ways you choose, you are helping your campus, your community, and your fellow students. By bringing your identity and perspectives to a conversation in class or in the dorm or by forming friendships with others (some of whom may have never met a Jewish person), you are fighting ignorance and breaking down barriers.

So, as you unpack in your dorm or reunite with friends after the summer, enjoy and take advantage of every moment of college. This is your time to grow, learn, and start figuring out what kind of person you want to be. It’s also a time to find the Jewish journey that works for you, and we are excited at Hillel to support you on every step of that journey. I know this year holds endless new possibilities for you, and I can’t wait to see what you make of it.

Best of luck!

Adam Lehman

Adam Lehman is President and CEO of ĚÇĐÄvlogl, the world’s largest Jewish student organization with a presence on more than 850 college and university campuses in the U.S., Canada, and 16 countries around the world.

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From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Key Learnings from Hillel Professionals

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

August 1, 2025

Friends,

Last week, we gathered at WashU in St. Louis forĚý, welcoming 208 new Hillel staff members. As I shared at the NPI opening, this convening is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s energizing and inspiring to see and feel the enthusiasm and vitality of so many new professionals as they prepare to carry forward our Hillel mission.

New Professionals Institute is also a learning opportunity for me, as I connect with the many diverse professionals who have chosen to invest their careers at Hillel. This year was no exception, and I’m sharing here four of my key learnings from the convening:

The Power of Investing in Our Talent Pipeline:

We onboarded our 10th class ofĚý, with 53 new Fellows in this year’s class. Our Springboard Fellows are high-potential early career professionals who develop and apply innovative approaches to engaging students in Jewish life on campus during a two-year fellowship — fellows likeĚýAriel Hekier, our first-year Innovation Fellow at Tufts Hillel in Boston. Ariel is an honors graduate from Duke, who chose the Springboard Fellowship over a prestigious overseas fellowship.Ěý

While I was very impressed by the new class of Springboards, it was also gratifying to see the many former Springboard Fellows who have been promoted into new, more senior roles as campus Hillel Executive Directors, Assistant Directors, and Directors of Jewish Student Life.ĚýSofie Ramirez Soto, the former Innovation Fellow at NYU Hillel, is a wonderful example of this progression as she takes on a new role leading Hillel’s work at Washington & Lee in Virginia as their new Jewish Life Program Director.Ěý

When we started the Springboard Fellowship, our goal was to not only infuse new energy and innovation at our campus Hillels, but also to enrich the overall pipeline of professional talent for Hillel and the broader Jewish world. This year’s New Professionals Institute was validation of the ways in which we’re advancing this critical talent pipeline objective.

Supporting the Whole Student:

We’ve also invested in growing the presence of licensed Mental Health and Wellness professionals within campus Hillels. This year, we’ll have nearly 40 social workers, therapists, and other certified and highly trained wellness professionals embedded at campus Hillels, including the nine new wellness professionals we onboarded last week.Ěý

In meeting with this cohort, I was struck by the way in which they saw their opportunity to work at Hillel as a way to apply their expertise in service of a community about which they care deeply. And we know from earlier cohorts that our mental health and wellness professionals not only provide critical support to Jewish students, but also to our other Hillel professionals as they help students navigate the unique stressors of being a Jewish student and young person on campus today.Ěý

Healing Campus Culture Through Relationship Building:

We also hosted our first-ever cohort of Campus Impact Advisors. These 13 professionals focus on both advocating for Jewish students facing bias and discrimination on campus, and strengthening relationships between Jewish student communities and other communities on campus.Ěý

While most of the professionals in this cohort have only been on campus for six months, they shared with me numerous examples of how they’ve already deepened relationships with allies on campus — through partnership with interfaith councils, inviting other faith and identity communities into Shabbats, Passover Seders, and other Jewish communal experiences — and joining those other communities for their events and celebrations.Ěý

Ensuring Sustainability for Every Hillel:

We have worked hard at ĚÇĐÄvlogl to raise the financial resources necessary to meet the growing needs of Jewish students during this unique period. In addition to supporting the increasing talent, programming, security, and advocacy needs of our current campus Hillels, we also need to invest greater resources in a new wave of schools that are attracting larger numbers of Jewish students — schools like Clemson University (South Carolina), Southern Methodist University (Texas) and James Madison University (Virginia). We’re grateful to all of you who have recognized the critical needs of supporting Jewish student life through the challenges of this period and have stretched your investments to meet these needs. Ěý

Just as our new professionals turned the page to a new chapter in their careers, we began a new book in the Torah cycle, turning the page to Devarim. In the firstĚýparsha, or chapter (also Devarim), Moses recounts to the Israelites key aspects of history and learnings from their 40-year journey from Egypt to Sinai to the banks of the Jordan, to prepare them for their entry into the Promised Land. In the same spirit, our New Professionals Institute infused key aspects of our Hillel history, values, and mission so all of our new professionals can in turn inspire all of the students we’re privileged to support and serve, along their sacred Jewish and life journeys.Ěý

Shabbat Shalom,

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From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Reflecting on Student Accomplishments this Academic Year

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

May 20, 2025

Friends,

May marks a season of both beginnings and endings. As we celebrate the graduating class of 2025, we also prepare to welcome the class of 2029, who, on May 1st, committed to schools on National College Decision Day.

We also recently wrapped up Hillel Global Giving Week (HGGW), our annual grassroots fundraising campaign. Now in its sixth year, our Hillel movement raised more than $5 million dollars from nearly 10,000 gifts. To all those of you who donated to either a campus Hillel or ĚÇĐÄvlogl, thank you. It is these investments that make so many moments of Jewish joy, pride, connection, learning and community possible. And to those who haven’t yet made a donation, it’s not too late to contribute to a Hillel that’s been meaningful for you or a member of your family!

When I reflect on this past school year, I’m particularly inspired by the incredible Jewish students who are at the heart of our movement. I’m sharing the below stories about just a few of these awesome young Jewish leaders.

Robust student leadership that transforms Hillels

At Texas Hillel, Ethan Martinez set about to make an impact that stretched beyond the campus community. Ethan became involved with Why Not Me?, a program that empowers children from low socioeconomic backgrounds to envision a future that includes college, and took the lead on organizing one of the program’s “grocery nights,” where 15 families gathered with volunteers to cook and eat a meal together and receive food donations.

Ethan announced the project at an AEPhi Shabbat at Hillel and received an outpouring of support with enough donations to run a second grocery night the next month, ultimately supporting 30 families with over 90 people attending each gathering. “These weren’t just distribution events — they were designed with dignity and community at their core. There was no clear line between those giving and those receiving; everyone participated equally, cooking, eating and supporting one another in a shared experience,” said Rabbi Andy Weissfeld, senior Jewish educator at Texas Hillel. “The experience was a powerful reminder of the impact that’s possible when students come together around dignity, community, and service.”

Another incredible student leader who just so happens to have the same first name, Ethan Elkin-Handelman, a graduating senior from Rider University in New Jersey, also made a notable impact. Ethan helped triple the number of students participating in Rider Hillel programs, effectively reestablishing the Hillel on campus.

An elementary education major and member of ĚÇĐÄvlogl’s Israel Leadership Network, he shared his love for Jewish life, saying, “I’ve always been really passionate about being Jewish…I wanted Jewish people on campus to feel safe.” As he prepares for graduation, he leaves behind a legacy of a reinvigorated and recommitted hub for Jewish life at Rider.

Programs that strengthen and grow our communities

Vibrant Jewish life also includes building bridges with other campus communities. Earlier this spring, our Black-Jewish Unity Dinner series, hosted in partnership with the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) made stops in Baltimore and at John Jay College in New York City. The dinners provided opportunities to “break bread and build bridges” by bringing together Black, Jewish, and Black and Jewish students from multiple schools to deepen understanding and empathy between communities.

Reflecting on the experiences, Johns Hopkins Hillel student Abby shared, “The Black and Jewish communities have had a connection for a really long time, especially in the Civil Rights movement. The connection has broken down in the last few years, and we can really see the divide at Hopkins, so it’s important to me to try and bridge that divide. Both the Jewish students and the HBCU (Historically Black College and University) students I met tonight joined our respective institutions looking for a sense of belonging, and we’ve found that through our communities.”

Jewish student advocacy that leads to a brighter future

At the intersection of young Jewish leadership and a mission to build community belonging and understanding are the five Hillel students from University of California (UC) schools who recently met with Rich Leib, chair of the University of California Board of Regents, to discuss addressing campus antisemitism across the UC system and explore ways to better support Jewish students. “At the end of the day, we’re all here to be students. Yet for many Jewish students, that experience both in and out of the classroom is being disrupted,” said Shir Diner, a Hillel student leader at UC Irvine. “It was incredibly validating to finally speak with someone who is listening.”

When it comes to speaking up and speaking out, I can’t help but think of Leah Davenport, a College of Charleston Hillel student leader, who inspired us with her commitment to honoring the legacy of Malie, Chaim, Ida, and Peppi Landsmann — a family that was murdered in the Holocaust. After years of research, navigating archives, and hosting bake sales on campus, Leah raised nearly $1,000 to help place stolpersteine — “stumbling stones” — in Berlin to honor the Landsmann family on the streets where they once walked. On March 9, 2025, the stones were placed in Berlin, cementing the Landsmann family’s memories in the city where they once lived.

This year has been one of tremendous growth for the Hillel movement, including at Hillels outside of North America. In Poland, Michalina’s journey with Hillel began when she was a student, attending major Jewish holidays and Shabbatons with the Hillel Warsaw community. Despite living nearly an hour away in the city of Lodz, her commitment to Jewish life kept her traveling regularly to be a part of the community. When we were presented with the opportunity to open a Hillel location in Lodz, Michalina was the easy choice to lead it.

She stepped into her role with passion and vision, and under her leadership, Lodz has grown into one of the most dynamic and fast-growing chapters in the country. She has created a welcoming space for Jewish life, learning, and connection — all things that keep her students coming back for more, just like she did when she was in their shoes. Later this month, Michalina will represent Polish Jewish youth at an international conference in France — telling her story of the power of one student’s dedication to building Jewish life.

As we approach the official end of the academic year, on the Jewish calendar we also begin to wind down the days of the counting of the Omer, marking the sacred journey from freedom to responsibility — from the Exodus to Sinai, from liberation to revelation. It’s a time that reminds us that true transformation happens not in a moment, but in the steady commitment to growth, day by day. In that spirit, we celebrate how our students continue to demonstrate and inspire that commitment —building community, deepening identity, and shaping the Jewish future.

µţ’słó˛ą±ô´Çłľ,
Adam

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Selecting the Right School for You: Advice for Jewish High School Students and Families

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

April 22, 2025

It’s that time of year again. And I don’t mean tax season, Passover, or the NFL draft. I’m referring to college decision time. Millions of prospective college students and their families will be making a final decision on where to attend school ahead of College Decision Day on May 1st, as part of the “regular decision” admissions process. 

While students and their families always need to consider a multitude of factors in making their decisions, for prospective Jewish students, this period has required the additional and often sensitive consideration of where they will feel welcomed and free to express their Jewish identities.  

As the world’s largest Jewish college organization, we have more than 100 years of unmatched expertise when it comes to understanding, supporting, and growing Jewish life on campus. With that expertise, I want to offer the following framework for prospective Jewish students and their families as they make their college decisions.

Find the Fit – Beware of any resource advocating a “one-size-fits-all” assessment of what Jewish life and experience will be like at a given campus. As with the many other factors you’ll consider in choosing a college or university, you’ll want to find a school that fits your Jewish life needs, interests, and personality. Finding this fit has always been a priority for traditionally observant Jewish students looking for schools offering kosher food and regular prayer services.  Applying this “fit filter” is equally important when evaluating the campus climate for Jewish students, even in (and especially in) this sometimes fraught period.

Fortunately, even the campuses with the highest volume and intensity of antisemitic incidents and issues impacting Jewish students often offer robust Jewish life opportunities. Even at schools like Columbia and Barnard with very public and well-documented instances of antisemitism, many Jewish students speak to the incredibly strong, well-resourced Hillel serving more than 1,200 Jewish undergraduates students there, complemented by extensive Jewish and Israel clubs and academic offerings. This very prominent example underscores that you need to look at the complete Jewish life offerings and experiences on a campus and honestly assess how you’ll both draw on the positives and navigate any negatives.

Factor in the Full Story – At Hillel, we have addressed thousands of issues of discrimination, bias, harassment and worse directed toward Jewish students across hundreds of campuses during the past 18 months. We are working tirelessly to both support individual students impacted by these issues and to improve the underlying campus climate for Jewish students at the schools involved. 

While it’s of course relevant to consider specific incidents that have occurred at a school you’re considering, it’s unwise to just factor in the “headline” (especially as headlines grow in relation to government actions being pursued in the name of addressing campus antisemitism). Instead, critical questions should be considered: Was the issue in question an isolated incident involving one or a small group of students violating campus policies, or is there a pervasive culture of intimidation translating into repeated incidents? How has the university responded to issues — with clear enforcement of their policies in a way that ensures a safe environment for Jewish students and all students, or with equivocation and inaction? And, what has the actual student experience been in relation to incidents on the campus? 

Often the best, and only, way to really evaluate that experience is by talking to Jewish students at the campus, or with Hillel or other Jewish life professionals who are interacting with a broad cross-section of Jewish students there. As a case in point, I recently attended a beautiful . Hundreds of Jewish students were joined by senior members of the OSU administration, including President Ted Carter, Administrators Chris Kabourek, Dr. Melissa Shrivers and Dr. Rabi Bellamkonda, Jewish faculty, and supportive community members. Our Hillel at OSU is excellent, and Jewish students who regularly participate in Hillel programs shared with me the great experiences they’ve had on campus, even during the past 18 months.Ěý

Has OSU been free from issues impacting Jewish students? Absolutely not. At the same time, the university has been fast, firm, and fair in addressing those issues, ranging from to addressing cases of individual student misconduct, and in fostering an overall healthy campus climate for Jewish students, and all students.

Forecast the Future – Four years ago, none of us could have imagined what the state of Jewish life on campus would be today. And there’s no reason to believe Jewish life on campus will look the same four years from now. If you’re a big college football fan, you could look at the commitment of the school to their football program and their success in recruiting to assess the likely trajectory of the football team over the following four years. And you can apply a similar approach to predicting the trajectory for Jewish life. Is the school investing resources to address issues impacting Jewish students (like Title VI compliance officers)? Does the school value having faith-based organizations, such as Hillel, serving students? Does the leadership of the school articulate and act on these values? 

Arizona State University was not always considered a leading destination for Jewish students. Flash forward to 2025 and ASU features a large and growing Jewish student population; a university administration that ; and a great Hillel known for its success in student engagement and programmatic innovation.Ěý

By applying the guidance above, we’re confident that all prospective Jewish students can find schools that will fit their needs and interests, including when it comes to engaging in joyful, meaningful, and positive Jewish life experiences and communities. At the same time, Hillel remains deeply committed to ensuring that all colleges and universities return to and remain places where Jewish students and all students can thrive, learn, and express their identities free of fear or discrimination. 

Adam Lehman is the President and CEO of ĚÇĐÄvlogl

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From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Building Stronger Campuses for Jewish Students and All Students

Author

Adam Lehman

Date

April 2, 2025

Friends,

As we turn to the spring, the Final Four, Passover, and commencement season; antisemitism on campus remains a focal point, both in terms of aggressive federal government action, and in the news. While we are not experts on immigration law or the many other legal and tactical maneuvers being pursued and debated, what we do have at Hillel is unmatched expertise regarding Jewish life on campus, thanks to our 100-plus years of serving Jewish college students and 1,200 Hillel professionals who work on campus every single day. From that vantage point, I want to share the following observations about the current developments and debates:

First, for those who may be discounting and dismissing campus antisemitism as a real issue, we unfortunately know otherwise. During the past 18 months, Jewish students have been assaulted, harassed, intimidated, and demonized — testing the broader Jewish community’s trust in many colleges and universities. These incidents grew by more than 500% last academic year following the October 7 attack on Israel, reaching their highest levels on record. And, in our most recentĚýĚýof Jewish college students conducted in partnership with the ADL, a staggering 83% indicated that they had personally experienced or witnessed an antisemitic incident.Ěý

While many universities improved their policies and enforcement of those policies this academic year, we have continued to observe and address a historically high rate of issues. We’ve catalogued more than 1,300 discreteĚýĚýof campus antisemitism already this academic year. And to address another common misconception about the nature of discrimination and harassment targeting Jewish and Israeli students, the majority of these are issues of conduct — not speech.Ěý

Among those conduct-based incidents, more than 350 involve threats or violence, and more than 200 involve vandalism targeting individual students, Hillel buildings, and other Jewish campus organizations. And, for those who contend that universities are fully capable of addressing campus antisemitism on their own, recent and longer term history indicate otherwise. There are numerous cases from the last 18 months when universities only chose to pursue basic remedial actions such as enforcing their existing codes of conduct after Title VI investigations, lawsuits, or other government action spurred them to do so.Ěý

At the same time, for those expressing concerns over how current actions — such as deportations and withholding of grants for university research — are being implemented, we understand those concerns. For the benefit of Jewish students and all students, we believe it is essential that students, faculty, and staff violating laws and campus codes of conduct be held accountable for those destructive actions. At the same time, we also believe that due process for those accused of wrongdoing is essential — whether through mandated protections in legal settings or consistent, fair, and responsive disciplinary procedures at the university level.

We also over ways in which actions to combat campus antisemitism can inadvertently , by feeding into longstanding tropes about outsized Jewish influence, and leading some people to unfairly hold Jewish students and faculty responsible for actions such as the withholding of significant research grants.

Addressing discriminatory beliefs, practices, and actions on campus requires a sustained and multi-faceted approach; and while legal actions have a role to play, they are by no means a cure-all. In order to fundamentally change campus cultures, we must improve the way administrators, staff, and students understand contemporary antisemitism; strengthen university policies and practices that protect the safety and basic rights of students to express their identities without fear; and promote the capacities of students, staff, and faculty to engage in constructive dialogue across difference. Leveraging our unique position and relationships on campus, we are aggressively working to execute on all of these strategies.

Finally, we know from our 101-year history that investing in vibrant Jewish student communities that educate, inspire, and grow the resilience of Jewish students is one of the most critical drivers for ensuring their overall well-being and positive campus experiences. Our work fostering Jewish joy, pride, learning, and leadership has elevated Jewish student experience in good times and bad, and on campuses that remain welcoming and supportive of Jewish students as well as those presenting ongoing challenges.Ěý

As we approach the start of Passover, a season often described asĚýZ’man Heruteinu, the season of freedom, we are reminded of both the unparalleled resilience of the Jewish people over the course of millennia and the values that have sustained us. Those values will continue to fuel our work at Hillel inspiring resilience, connection, and leadership for the next generation.Ěý

Happy Passover – Chag Pesach Sameach,

Adam Lehman
President and CEO of ĚÇĐÄvlogl

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