College Guide

In 2019, the Anti-Defamation League recorded the highest number of antisemitic incidents nationwide since it began tracking them 40 years ago. Last year, Hillel International counted 178 antisemitic incidents across the 550 North American campuses it serves—an all-time high, even though some campuses were closed due to COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced institutions and leaders of all kinds to significantly change how they do their work in an era of social distancing. Jewish organizations, including Hillels, were not spared from this tumult. Still, in the face of these challenges, anecdotal evidence suggests that Hillels have been successful in engaging college students and responding to their needs.

Jewish life presents a unique opportunity for students to explore the complexities of their identities, and active Jewish engagement during college can play a pivotal role for many interfaith, Jewish college students. These students, many of whom are the leaders of their Hillels and other Jewish groups on campus, have embraced Judaism in college.

In a letter to his freshman self, Sam Kricsfeld, student at KU Hillel, encourages his younger self to get involved with Hillel and recounts what he has learned throughout his Jewish college experience.

Hillel International is proud to announce the hiring of six Jewish college students as TikTok Ambassadors. These students are part of a semester-long paid partnership that will bring original content to Hillel’s channels and elevate the voices of the Jewish future.

In 2016, 47% of college students reported experiencing food insecurity, meaning they didn’t know where their next meal would come from. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing problems — nearly three in five students reported experiencing food or housing insecurity in 2020.