This Sukkot, Campus Hillels Made Space for Hope, Grief, and Community
Last week, Hillel campus communities welcomed the festival of Sukkot, a holiday named for the structures (“sukkot” in Hebrew) that Jews have traditionally built to represent the temporary dwellings the Israelites lived in after their escape from Egypt. Today, Sukkot is often associated with community meals, hospitality, and starry sleepovers.
This year, the overlap between Sukkot, October 7, and the release of the last 20 living hostages, brought new considerations, solemnity, and hope to this holiday. Across campus communities everywhere, Hillels made space for celebration and reflection.
Check out some highlights from this year’s programming!
Hillel McMaster
At McMaster University in Ontario, Hillel McMaster celebrated Sukkot by building a sukkah in the heart of campus, and offering programming that connected over 100 students with nature, community, and Jewish tradition. They held festive meals, and partnered with Chabad for their annual Sukkah BBQ. To honor October 7, Hillel McMaster hosted tabling alongside partner organizations, ensuring that students felt seen, supported, and connected to the broader Jewish community.
“Having the sukkah in the center of campus was such a beautiful experience,” said student Vida Sussman. “It made me feel proud to be Jewish, to come together with the community and celebrate our culture. Surrounded by my friends in the sukkah, I knew I was with my family.”
“This programming is meaningful because it provides students with a hands-on, communal way to engage with Jewish tradition, fostering a sense of belonging, connection, and generosity,” added Senior Campus Director and Senior Jewish Educator Rabbi Ben Shefter, “Students experience the joy of Sukkot, learn about tikkun olam, and strengthen their ties to the Hillel community.”
Metro Chicago Hillel
Metro Chicago Hillel connects college campuses across Chicago — which makes their Sukkot programming particularly special.
“Sukkot at Metro Chicago Hillel is unique because it isn’t tied to just one space or campus; it’s woven throughout the entire city,” said Executive Director Charles Cohen. “Students can hop from one sukkah to another, each with its own energy and vibe.”
With five sukkot across multiple campuses, students had plenty of programming to choose from to create their own Sukkot experiences, including movie nights, pizza parties, friendship bracelet making, Shabbat dinner, and a community service project where students packed care kits for unhoused people. Metro Chicago Hillel also made sure there was space to commemorate October 7 through vigils and memorial services — allowing students to feel the joy and community of the holiday while also coming together to process and mourn.
Florida State University Hillel
At Hillel at FSU, Sukkot came with a competitive spirit. Students gathered at the FSU Innovation Hub to compete in the first-ever Sukkah Design Sprint: tasking three teams to design a sukkah that would welcome the broader campus community and encourage a sense of safety and unity for all. The winning “Sukkah of Light” design focused on creating a comfortable and relaxing space, incorporating elements of learning and reflection. Once constructed, the sukkah was open for Jewish and non-Jewish students alike to visit, eat, relax, and learn.
“This Sukkot has been particularly special for me,” said student Daniella Preston, a member of the winning team. “With October 7 occurring during the holiday, I’ve been able to channel my usual feeling of sadness and longing into productive energy to uplift my own community, both Jewish and not. This year, our sukkah will be a prominent, proud, and unapologetically Jewish symbol of peace, belonging, and hope on our campus.”
University of Colorado at Boulder Hillel
CU Boulder’s sukkah – lovingly named the “Shukkah” – offered students a view of the Flatiron Mountains, transporting visitors to a truly spiritual and connected Sukkot experience. The new sukkah, sponsored by The Saulson Family, served as a shelter to the community during their October 7 Open House, with space to process the grief and hardship of the past two years. In addition to the Open House, CU Boulder Hillel also hosted two Shabbat programs, multiple learning opportunities, and plenty of space for shared meals, conversation, and joy.
“As an out-of-state freshman who doesn’t have any family in Colorado, celebrating Sukkot and decorating the sukkah was amazing, and I especially enjoyed connecting with others,” said freshman Sophie Walker. “I loved participating in the candy sukkah competition! I had so much fun and can’t wait to participate again next year!”
“Community and connection is the overarching theme of our Sukkot week,” said Megan Burmeister, CU Boulder Hillel’s assistant director. “Between our leadership and learning micro-communities and our Hillel-wide community, we have something for everyone. It is our top priority that people not only feel the embrace of the sukkah but also the embrace of our beautiful, strong Boulder Jewish community.”
Hillel at Ithaca College
Each year, Hillel at Ithaca College hosts two signature Sukkot programs: Shukkah in the Sukkah and Sushi in the Sukkah. During Shukkah in the Sukkah, the campus sukkah transforms into an Israeli-style shuk, or “market,” offering Israeli foods, music, and festive lawn games. Their limited-edition commemorative sweatshirts have become collectors items that students proudly show off year after year. Sushi in the Sukkah also is a joyful Shabbat experience where students come together to roll their own sushi and enjoy a meal under the stars. The hands-on activity encourages creativity, conversation, and a relaxed sense of community.
“Sukkot is such a vibrant and joyful holiday, and these events capture that spirit perfectly. And, of course, the food at both events is always my personal highlight,” said student Ethan Beer.
Ithaca Hillel’s October 7 “Stones of Remembrance” program took place on October 6, in order to maintain the commandment to rejoice during Sukkot. Students painted rocks in memory of those lost — adding to a growing collection that began last year.
“We intentionally created a clear distinction between our memorial programming and our Sukkot celebrations,” said Executive Director Julie Boden Adams. “We want students to have the opportunity to engage in each meaningfully and respectfully.”
Wake Forest University Hillel
At WFU Hillel, this year’s Sukkot programming had two main themes: celebrating Jewish joy, and cementing Hillel as a Jewish home on campus. With their sukkah set up on a lower quad where most students pass by multiple times a day, Sukkot is a time for Hillel to engage and teach students of all backgrounds across campus, while also making it clear that Jewish students are a prominent and important part of the campus community.
In addition to festive programming like sukkah-decorating, meals, services, and the ever-popular “Sushi Under the Stars” program, WFU Hillel also hosted events to honor and commemorate October 7. The “Prayer and Reflection: Two Years Later” program, held before the holiday began, offered time to reflect and grieve. Additional programming honored the tradition of welcoming guests into the sukkah by encouraging students to bring the memory of those killed inside with them.
“My hope is that this teaches that even in hard times, there is joy,” said Stephanie Marshall, assistant chaplain for Jewish life and director of Rosenblatt Family Hillel at Wake Forest University.