There is a direct connection between American politics and Judaism.

“Judaism at its core is about social justice, Tikkun Olam, and helping each other. Helping your fellow Jews, but also helping your fellow humans. That’s what an American republic is about too: helping each other and contributing to society. Those ideals are both very Jewish and very American. In Florida, you have a lot of people who are not able to vote, specifically because they’ve been disenfranchised. This has really pushed me to look at voting through a Jewish context. In the civil rights era, you had people like Rabbi Heschel, Jewish leaders who were really standing up for the important civil rights issues of their time. Hillel is a really great outlet on campuses around the country to provide the opportunity for young Jews to carry that legacy forward. It’s a tough time of uncertainty; antisemitism is rising exponentially; who knows what the election is going to bring. But, the one thing that’s not going to change is that Hillels are going to be on campus. For me, it’s about getting young Jews out, involved, and understanding that there is a direct connection between American politics and Judaism. What our people and our religion have valued for so long is directly related to American civics.” – Jakob Levin, University of Florida