Thousands of Jewish Students Gather to Remember October 7th with Hillel
Three years ago, Jewish college students woke up on October 7th to news that would reshape their college experience.
Updates
News, stories, and updates from Hillel communities worldwide
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How Will We Remember October 7?
Yishai Goldflam is the vice president of development and partnerships of Hillel Israel Jews are remarkably good at remembering events that happened thousands of years ago. Every year on Passover, we sit around a table and tell the story of the Exodus as though we ourselves had left Egypt. We fast and read Eicha on […]
Honoring Human Stories: Hillels Bring 10/7 Exhibit to Campuses Nationwide
Editor’s Note: This article reviews the 10/7: Human Stories exhibit, which includes descriptions of the actions of Hamas on October 7th. Please read with care. This fall, nearly two dozen Hillels across North America are hosting the exhibit “10/7: Human Stories,” developed by Hillel International and based on Israeli journalist Lee Yaron’s acclaimed book “10/7: […]
Campus Hillels Mark the Second Anniversary of October 7 with Memory, Resilience, and Community
Two years after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 — the deadliest single day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust — Hillel communities across the world came together to remember the lives lost, honor the hostages who remain in captivity, and stand in solidarity with one another. For many Jewish students, the second […]
From the Desk of Adam Lehman: Marking Two Years Since October 7th
Friends, We find ourselves two weeks into the Jewish new year of 5786, as we make the transition from the reflective holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to the celebratory spirit of Sukkot, which begins tonight at sundown. At the same time, tomorrow marks two years since October 7, 2023 — one of the […]
Hope, Memory, and Healing After October 7
I grew up in Yad Natan in Southern Israel. Sports were always a huge part of my life. I have a degree in physical education from Wingate Institute, and worked as a volleyball coach for a long time. I’ve always believed in helping others, an aspiration I brought to life as a physical education teacher in elementary and high schools, and during a trip to volunteer in Uganda.
500 Days After October 7, the Hostages are Still in Our Hearts
For Lidar, advocacy for his friend Sasha Troufanov, taken captive by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and released this past weekend on February 15, 2025, has become an important part of his work with Jewish college students. Sasha’s story also has become an inspiration to Lidar’s students at a time of increased antisemitism and isolation in their classes and on campus.
Marking One Year Since October 7, Students Gather to Remember, Grieve, and Advocate for the Hostages’ Return
On college campuses in the United States, Canada, and around the world, students came together one year after the horrific October 7 attacks on Israel: to mourn, to pray, to hope, and to gain strength from one another in community. Hillels serving students at hundreds of colleges and universities took a leading role in organizing […]
Remembrance and Renewal: Honoring Our Memories on Yom Kippur
Memorializing tragic communal events is ingrained in our practice and our liturgy. Some historians believe that the Ashkenazi tradition of saying Yizkor originated to commemorate the victims of the Crusades. Each Jew is a monument to a great family tradition that has survived incredible odds. As Jews, we do not build monuments of stone; rather, we fill our sanctuaries with stories.
Remembrance and Renewal: Navigating Grief Through Prayer
On the one-year commemoration of October 7, we reflect on profound loss and take comfort in what we can learn from our Jewish tradition of mourning. The Kaddish, a foundational prayer recited in memory of loved ones, offers a framework for understanding how Jewish mourning rituals provide space not only for grief, but also for […]