Commemorating 9/11: Turning Remembrance into Action
In commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Hillel International 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, Hillel International’s social impact team awarded funding to 15 Hillels to lead volunteer projects that included blood drives, memorial ceremonies, and interfaith celebrations, among other events — 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 — and thank you to all of our amazing volunteers!
Hillel at Baruch College
At Hillel at Baruch College, one of this year’s grant recipients, staff and students hosted three meaningful programs designed to educate Jewish students about this dark day in the city’s 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’s 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. “We 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,” 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 “9/11 Commemoration and Days of Service.” 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’s inspiring to see so many people come together not just to reflect, but to make a real difference,” said Bella V., a third-year student at VCU.
Hillel at VCU’s goal was to transform the memory of a national tragedy into a force for good. “By encouraging students to engage in acts of service and gratitude, we hope to foster a culture of empathy, civic responsibility, and community support,” said Executive Director Sheri Rodman. “More than just learning about the events of that day, we want them to feel empowered to make a difference in their own way.” 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 “Hillel Gives Back: Honoring the First Responders of Past & Present.” 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’s wellness support specialist, said the grant provided a unique opportunity to “put [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.”
Haras also emphasized the importance of using this program to teach students about the day’s 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. “The exchange of these perspectives enriches our Hillel environment and strengthens our collective commitment to learning, empathy, and action,” Haras said.
Stony Brook University
Hillel at Stony Brook University held a blood drive after the school’s 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. “They may not have experienced that day,” Pinksy said. “But they can still connect with its significance.”
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 — 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 Hillel International’s 9/11 Day of Service grants, contact the social impact team at [email protected]