News

Celebrating Bridge-Building: Growing Relationships and Connections Across Faith Communities

Author

Abby Goretsky

Date

December 4, 2025

As college students close out 2025 with a number of religious holidays, including Hanukkah, Christmas, and Diwali, 糖心vlogl鈥檚 Multifaith Relationship Building Grants are bringing together faith communities on campus for events focused on dialogue, tradition, and of course, good food. Nearly 70 campus Hillels received funding from 糖心vlogl this year to host 245 multifaith events that include storytelling projects, coffee chats, and internship programs. These programs are helping Jewish students build bridges with other faith-based campus communities, engage in respectful conversation, and contribute to a more positive campus climate. 

Check out some of the highlights from participating campuses this fall. 

University of Rhode Island Hillel 

University of Rhode Island (URI) Hillel held their Second Annual Interfaith Friendsgiving Potluck in November, bringing together Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant, atheist, and agnostic students. The annual dinner, which was first organized one year ago by then-undergrad and now grad student Leetal Young, was designed as a potluck where each person attending would, literally, bring something representative of their identities and culture to the table. Young worked in partnership with her roommate, a member of the Catholic Center. 鈥淭ogether we created something bigger than any individual person could: we created community,鈥� Young said.

This year, nearly 100 students, staff, and community members attended the event, including URI President Marc Parlange. Students said the dinner opened them up to a more diverse community than what they鈥檝e previously experienced, and they were inspired by the reminder of what they all had in common 鈥� including gratitude for their friends and communities, and an appreciation of tasty food! 

鈥淓vents like this are so important to the community鈥� They bring people from all different walks of life together in a spirit of generosity and understanding,鈥� said Parlange, adding that he hopes this Annual Friendsgiving Potluck becomes a URI tradition. 

When reflecting on this year鈥檚 dinner, Young mentioned that many students were previous attendees who brought their friends along this time to grow the university鈥檚 multifaith community. She said students shared that they felt welcomed, safe, and part of something bigger than themselves. 

鈥淸Starting a multifaith community only takes] one conversation, one shared idea, one moment of intentionally choosing openness,鈥� she added. 

Hillel at University of Delaware

Another multifaith grant recipient was Hillel at the University of Delaware (UD), which is hosting biweekly events entitled 鈥淐offee Conversations: Jews, Muslims, and a Cup of Joe.鈥� These gatherings provide an opportunity for students to engage in open and honest conversations about issues facing their communities and how to grow multifaith partnerships. 

鈥淐offee Conversations鈥� began during a time of heightened campus tensions immediately following the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and subsequent war in Gaza. Rabbi Jeremy Weisblatt, the campus director at Hillel at UD, and Dr. Ismat Shah, the faculty advisor for the Muslim programs, had a longstanding friendship  and with a widening gap between the Muslim and Jewish communities on campus post-October 7, they wanted students to see their relationship as a model for how to have difficult but productive conversations. 

Weisblatt emphasized that it鈥檚 important to have these hard conversations with people who you may not necessarily agree with as they provide 鈥渁 space for growth through challenge.鈥� 鈥淲hen it gets tough, that鈥檚 when the real conversations start,鈥� he said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid of those moments, instead, run toward them, embrace them, and welcome the opportunities those moments provide.鈥� 

Hillel at Davis and Sacramento

Hillel at Davis and Sacramento recently held their annual Interfaith Moveable Feast, hosting campus faith groups for a multi-course meal and engaging dialogue. Led by the Interfaith Campus Council, participants walked between different campus ministry buildings, literally moving, to share part of the meal and learn about the Jewish, Christian, and Baha鈥檌 communities, among others.

鈥淚 think that it’s important for the students to understand that we don’t exist in a vacuum. College is a like a melting pot,鈥� said Seth Browner, Development Manager for Hillel at Davis and Sacramento, who has attended the annual feast since 2019. 鈥淭here are people from all walks of life together in one place. For many of us, that’s the first time we’ve experienced that or been in a situation like that. We should take advantage of that to educate and inform as much as we can.鈥� 

Madeleine Canavese, a second-year student at UC Davis and the Interfaith Coordinator for the Newman Catholic Center, agreed. She shared that the event provides a forum for conversations that 鈥渨ould likely never take place anywhere else.鈥� Canavese said that participants all arrive eager to share their own traditions and learn about others. While differences of opinion naturally come up, she highlighted that this event provides a neutral space where students can agree to disagree and respect each other鈥檚 differences. 

Though organizing interfaith events can sometimes feel like an uphill battle, Canavese finds the effort to be incredibly rewarding, especially when she sees students better understand and respect their peers through the shared experience of a good meal and teaching traditions. 

New York University Hillel at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Life

This fall, New York University (NYU) Hillel at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Life participated in the 鈥淐onstructive Dialogue Summit Dinner: How We Can Shape Our Campus Culture.鈥� The event brought together about 40 student leaders representing diverse faith groups on campus, including The Veritas Forum, which works with Christian students, the Graduate Christian Fellowship, the NYU Islamic Center, and the Reformed University Fellowship. The  goal of the evening was fostering a campus environment rooted in respect and constructive dialogue. 

The dinner was organized in part by聽 Jewish students who returned energized from the Interfaith America Summit, a gathering of students and educators committed to religious pluralism. Inspired by the bridge-building they found at the summit, the students were eager to strengthen relationships and work collaboratively across faith communities at NYU.聽

The structured conversations at the dinner created a space for students from different backgrounds and beliefs to connect meaningfully. Student Rachel Lief said the event showed her it was possible to find common ground across differences,  adding that it gave her 鈥渉ope for the possibility of engaging in respectful, constructive dialogue on campus.鈥�

Springboard Ezra Fellow Brooke Leon echoed that sentiment, saying students left feeling empowered and motivated to continue interfaith work.

鈥淚 am incredibly proud and inspired by the student leaders. The experience strengthened my commitment to fostering spaces where students learn from one another despite their differences, where they can build a culture rooted in understanding, curiosity, and respect,鈥� she said. 

Emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives, Leon added, 鈥淭he goal isn鈥檛 to agree on everything 鈥� it鈥檚 to come from a place of understanding and the willingness to learn from one another.鈥�

Learn more about 糖心vlogl’s bridge building work.

The post Celebrating Bridge-Building: Growing Relationships and Connections Across Faith Communities appeared first on 糖心vlogl.

News

Commemorating 9/11: Turning Remembrance into Action

Author

Abby Goretsky

Date

September 12, 2025

In commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, 糖心vlogl partnered with the nonprofits 9/11 Day and AmeriCorps, which offers grants to colleges and educational organizations to organize volunteer projects on the largest day of service in the country. This collaboration empowered campus Hillels across North America to host their own unique service projects in memory of nearly three thousand people killed on 9/11.

In all, 糖心vlogl鈥檚 social impact team awarded funding to 15 Hillels to lead volunteer projects that included blood drives, memorial ceremonies, and interfaith celebrations, among other events 鈥� weaving together core Jewish values like tikkun olam (repairing the world) and gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness). 

And when we say Hillel showed up to make a difference, we mean it! Across 15 campuses, 901 total Hillel volunteers (827 students and 74 staff) turned up to participate in service projects such as campus and community cleanups, bake sales, food bank shifts, and more. The results were incredible: Hillel volunteers packed or delivered 350 care kits, donated or sorted 1,235 items, prepared or served 100 meals, collected 485 pounds of trash, produced 110 pounds of compost, wrote 234 letters and cards to first responders, and donated 314 pints of blood.

Check out some of the highlights from across the participating campuses 鈥� and thank you to all of our amazing volunteers!

Hillel at Baruch College

At Hillel at Baruch College, one of this year鈥檚 grant recipients, staff and students hosted three meaningful programs designed to educate Jewish students about this dark day in the city鈥檚 history: a 9/11 memorial vigil at Baruch College, a visit to a Coney Island memorial site, and a trip to Ground Zero. 

On Thursday, the vigil at Baruch provided space for students to discuss stories and lessons, including personal narratives underscoring how 9/11 changed the lives of some of the city鈥檚 Jewish residents. Later that afternoon, students visited the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance on Coney Island, paying tribute to Jewish victims of 9/11.  While there, they connected with family members of 9/11 victims, and assisted with preparing for and cleaning up following the event.  In a powerful third event to be held the following day, students will visit Ground Zero with parents and other family members of Baruch alumni who were victims of the attack. Family members will lead the students through the museum, sharing stories to honor their loved ones. 

For Baruch Hillel Executive Director Ilya Bratman, participating in this day of service is especially important, as most of his students were born after 9/11 and may not realize the true impact of the day on New Yorkers and America as a whole. 鈥淲e must make sure that our students remember, contribute actively and participate in deep and meaningful experiences and conversations connected with 9/11, [and] solidify those stories for many years to come,鈥� he said.

By engaging in acts of service and remembrance, Bratman emphasized the impact of Jewish values of memory, support, compassion, and mourning together that were central to these programs. 

Hillel at Virginia Commonwealth University

Another grant recipient, Hillel at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), created a multi-day program called 鈥�9/11 Commemoration and Days of Service.鈥� The events began on Monday, Sept. 8 with students filling out a Good Deed Pledge,  committing to acts of kindness that would continue throughout the week and beyond. Students wrote thank-you letters to local first responders later in the week, and on 9/11, students volunteered at a local food pantry, preparing food packages for those in need.

 “9/11 is a day of remembrance, but also a reminder of the power of community. Volunteering helped me feel connected to something bigger than myself. It鈥檚 inspiring to see so many people come together not just to reflect, but to make a real difference,鈥� said Bella V., a third-year student at VCU. 

Hillel at VCU鈥檚 goal was to transform the memory of a national tragedy into a force for good. 鈥淏y encouraging students to engage in acts of service and gratitude, we hope to foster a culture of empathy, civic responsibility, and community support,鈥� said Executive Director Sheri Rodman. 鈥淢ore than just learning about the events of that day, we want them to feel empowered to make a difference in their own way.鈥� She emphasized that every act, no matter how small, can create a ripple effect of kindness that empowers students to make a difference in their own way, leading to big changes. 

Hillel Ontario

The University of Toronto (U of T), part of Hillel Ontario, also participated in the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance with a multi-program series titled 鈥淗illel Gives Back: Honoring the First Responders of Past & Present.鈥� Most notably, they hosted a challah bake on September 11, selling their challah the next day and donating the proceeds to international nonprofit Challah for Hunger and local first responder initiatives. Their program concluded with a First Responders Shabbat. 

Eve Haras, Hillel U of T鈥檚 wellness support specialist, said the grant provided a unique opportunity to 鈥減ut [Tikkun Olam] into action, support our first responder community, and role model for our students what it means to live out our Jewish values through service, justice, and compassion for others.鈥�

Haras also emphasized the importance of using this program to teach students about the day鈥檚 lasting impacts. Given that Hillel U of T serves a large U.S. population, the commemoration was a unique chance for these students to feel seen and connected to their roots, while Canadian and international students deepened their understanding of 9/11. 鈥淭he exchange of these perspectives enriches our Hillel environment and strengthens our collective commitment to learning, empathy, and action,鈥� Haras said.

Stony Brook University

Hillel at Stony Brook University held a blood drive after the school鈥檚 9/11 memorial, inspired by blood supply shortage that occured after the attack in 2001. This was a way for them to give back to the community and those who are in need of blood today through the Jewish value of pikuach nefesh (saving a life). The action, according to Assistant Director Shachar Pinsky, helped to aid those in need and contribute to the betterment and healing of lives. 

Pinsky reiterated the feelings of other Hillel organizers with the importance of connecting students who were born after 9/11 to the tragic day. 鈥淭hey may not have experienced that day,鈥� Pinksy said. 鈥淏ut they can still connect with its significance.鈥� 

These programs are just a handful of those offered that demonstrate the power of transforming tragedy into purpose. By combining education, service, and acts of kindness, students did more than just remember the past 鈥� they worked together to honor it. Each program showed that Jewish values have powerful and enduring roles in national remembrance and ensured that a new generation of students understands the history of 9/11, and feels empowered to make a difference in its memory. 

If you want to learn more about 糖心vlogl’s 9/11 Day of Service grants, contact the social impact team at impact@hillel.org 

The post Commemorating 9/11: Turning Remembrance into Action appeared first on 糖心vlogl.