Hillel International

Sixty years ago, college students played a KEY role in fighting for and strengthening our democracy during Freedom Summer. 💪 Election Day is right around the corner, and we're calling on all college students to continue the important and powerful act of voting! Visit Hillel.org/MitzVote (link in bio) for more voting resources and ways to get involved in Hillel's nonpartisan civic engagement program, MitzVote! ✅

Voting *IS* a mitzvah! 🇺🇸 Share this gorgeous artwork by Hannah Michelle, an alum of Penn State Hillel to remind your friends to head the polls! ✅

Alyssa Wallack, senior at Hillel at USC and Hillel International intern, shares how she connected her Jewish identity with her role as a voter! 🗳️ Guided by Jewish concepts like tikkun olam (repairing the world), Alyssa discovered that voting is more than a civic duty — it’s a sacred opportunity to pursue justice and create change! Alyssa encourages us all to approach voting as a mitzvah. Read her full letter here: https://ow.ly/R6zr50TVSpe

What could make Yallapallooza even better? BA DA BING, Noa Kirel will be performing in Boston and Philly! 🎤 Noa Kirel is a talented Israeli singer and actress known for her vibrant music and performances. She began her career nearly a decade ago, when she released her first single, and is recognized not only for her artistic talents but also for her influence on youth culture in Israel. ✨ Want to see Noa perform LIVE?! Get your FREE ticket 🎟️ at concerts.hillel.org in the link in our bio!

We have something better than blasting Matisyahu in the car or alone in your dorm - why not just jam out to him IN PERSON?! Matisyahu is going to be at Yallapalooza 2024 in NYC, Boston, and Philly. 🌟 For nearly two decades, Matisyahu has kept his creative spirit alive by evolving his sound, melding genres, and testing musical limits, and you can hear his amazing music live! Want to see Matisyahu perform?! Get your FREE ticket 🎟️ at concerts.hillel.org

During Leah Kressel’s second year at Muhlenberg College, she became the Israel leadership co-chair at Muhlenberg Hillel for Hillel International’s Israel Leadership Network (ILN). "Since October 7, 2023, my college experience has been colored by antisemitism, events in Israel, and my efforts to speak up for Israel and Jewish students on my campus. At times, this fight is empowering, but it can also be lonely and stressful," she said. "It means a tremendous amount to me to know that there are organizations, like Hillel International and the Israel Leadership Network, that believe in student leaders like me, and bring us together to amplify and connect the work we do.” Read about Leah’s recent experience at an ILN Shabbaton in Denver: https://ow.ly/zhpI50TRV3r

Almost every seat at Hillel 818’s annual Mega Shabbat was filled last Friday night! You might be thinking, “What is Mega Shabbat?” It’s a special time of the year when friends and families of Jewish college students, and community members in the San Fernando Valley are all invited to celebrate Shabbat together. At a time when Jewish community is so important, Mega Shabbat is just what this California community needed. Read all about it here: https://ow.ly/IQEB50TS0fF

Between two incredible events in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, hundreds of Black, Jewish, and Black and Jewish students came together to build relationships and community, and learn from one another. Hillel International, in partnership with UNCF (United Negro College Fund), and Foundation to Combat Antisemitism — are putting together a series of unity dinners to create a unique and critical opportunity for a new generation of Black, Jewish, and Black and Jewish college students to connect, communicate, and build future alliances to fight racism and antisemitism through activism and advocacy. We will continue to create a space for communities to keep having these important conversations. It’s safe to say students were really excited about microgrants being offered by Hillel International to continue their connections and keep building community!

We’re still seeing antisemitism and acts of vandalism on campus, but we're also seeing more college and university administrations taking action to making campuses safer, more welcoming, and more inclusive for Jewish students - and for all students. The TL;DR: 📌 This week, a new UCLA Task Force report underscored the rise in antisemitism against Jewish students on campus since October 7 📌 11 anti-Israel protesters were arrested on University of Minnesota after occupying and vandalizing an administrative building, and preventing university staff from leaving 📌 Berkeley Law dean called on university officials to condemn on-campus support for Hamas violence

Have you ever finished a book so good that you started reading it again right away? Or reread a beloved book, and it felt like spending time with a good friend? It’s that time of the year again, and from campus to campus, Jewish students are joining together to celebrate Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, a combined celebration that marks the end of the High Holidays. On Simchat Torah, we mark the completion of this year’s Torah reading, and then read it again from the beginning! For practices and ways you can observe Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah this year, check out our latest blog: https://ow.ly/GKAZ50TRUr6