Franklin & Marshall Hillel Celebrates 60 Years of Jewish Life and Community
Since 1966, Franklin & Marshall (F&M) College Hillel has been a place where Jewish students make friends, explore their identities, and find community. This past weekend, more than 100 students, alumni, families, and supporters marked 60 years of Jewish life at F&M Hillel and the 18th anniversary of the Klehr Center for Jewish Life.
They celebrated these milestones during True Blue Weekend, the largest annual gathering on campus, bringing attendees together for homecoming and other activities. For the Hillel community, the festivities offered an opportunity to reflect and look ahead. “When we celebrate 60 years of Hillel and 18 years of the Klehr Center, we are celebrating much more than institutional milestones,” said Rachel Singer, director of the Klehr Center. “We are celebrating generations of Jewish students who have found community, built lifelong relationships, and discovered what it means to bring their Jewish identities fully into their college experience.”
The weekend began with a roundtable discussion between Hillel student leaders and Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International. Students valued the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with Lehman, sharing their personal experiences, discussing the realities and challenges of Jewish life on campus today, and exploring their hopes and aspirations for the future of Jewish student life.
“Sixty years in, Franklin & Marshall Hillel is a perfect example of what a small but mighty campus Hillel can accomplish when students, alumni, and families all invest in creating awesome Jewish life,” said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International. “It was special to be able to personally experience the signature warmth and inclusivity of the F&M Hillel community as part of celebrating both this milestone and the 18th anniversary of the Klehr Center for Jewish life.”
That evening, students gathered at the Klehr Center to bake challah, attend Shabbat services, and have dinner. Among them was Sloane Siegel, a first-year student. “Hillel has been a home away from home for me ever since I first arrived at college,” she said. “I couldn’t be more grateful for the community and opportunities it has provided me.”
For second-year student Ava Leshem, Hillel has become an important part of her weekly routine, giving her a place to connect with others and share a love of Jewish traditions. “Hillel has become a very important part of my college experience because it represents my community of friends,” Leshem said. “It has become a place where I feel comfortable being myself and growing my Jewish identity. ”
While students like Siegel and Leshem are carrying forward the traditions that have shaped F&M Hillel for generations, alumni and supporters are making significant investments to ensure that Jewish life continues to thrive on campus.
During Shabbat dinner, Lehman shared remarks and recognized Ralph Taber, a beloved former dean at F&M and director of F&M Hillel. In Taber’s honor, a group of alumni established the Ralph W. Taber Endowed Directorship of Jewish Life, creating a permanent foundation for professional Jewish leadership at F&M Hillel. The investment will ensure that more students have access to the guidance, mentorship, and Jewish experiences that have defined F&M Hillel for six decades.
The community also recognized a second gift of $1 million, a portion of which was given to the Harwood and Krieger Campus Dialogue Fund, which will support open conversation, education, and engagement across differences.The fund will help Jewish students build relationships, explore different perspectives, and navigate challenging conversations.
Together, the two endowments represent a significant investment in the future of Jewish life on campus. They have also inspired other community members to consider how they can leave a legacy of their own. “At a time when Jewish students are navigating increasingly complex campus environments, these legacy investments send a powerful message: Jewish life at Franklin & Marshall is not only valued, but worth investing in for generations to come,” Singer said.
A commitment to the future was central to the final gathering of the weekend. On Sunday, the F&M community came together for a Harwood Tree Dedication, honoring the Harwood family’s legacy and the Jewish value of l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation. The tree will serve as a lasting reminder of the students, families, and supporters who have sustained Jewish life at F&M and the importance of carrying that legacy forward.
Over the past decades, F&M Hillel’s mission has remained rooted in the same experiences that have brought generations of Jewish students through its doors: sharing Shabbat meals, building friendships, exploring Jewish traditions, and finding a place where they belong. With new investments and a community spanning generations, F&M Hillel is looking ahead to the next 60 years, ensuring that future Jewish students have the same opportunities to find their people, build relationships that last, and make Hillel their home away from home.