Hillel Ontario, the largest of 850 global chapters, is the heartbeat for Jewish life at nine universities across the province. Through special programs and celebrations, it has for the past 10 years been a hub for Jewish students to find community, connection and purpose.
“When Jewish students are at home, they have the warm embrace of their family members and their community,” says Jay Solomon, chief advancement officer at Hillel Ontario. “When they move to university, they leave that safety net. For them, Hillel becomes a home away from home.”
A safe haven amidst adversity
The need for what Hillel Ontario delivers has never been more palpable. After the horrors of October 7th, and the Israel-Hamas war that followed, Jewish students have faced serious challenges, from intimidation tactics at rallies to peer social media posts accusing them of genocide to antisemitism inside classrooms.
“What’s makes it even harder is that they’re often in a vulnerable social, academic and professional position and less able to advocate for themselves,” says Rabbi Seth Goren, CEO of Hillel Ontario. “They experience isolation, fear, uncertainty, anger and anxiety, which impacts their academic work and sense of belonging.”
Goren says that while many have developed ways to persevere, sometimes what is hurled at them cuts through that armour and pushes them to reach out for urgent support. Hillel Ontario is where they turn to, and in the past two years it’s seen a 56% spike in student engagement.
“I didn’t expect university to be so hard for Jewish students,” says Rebecca at Western University. “But because of Hillel and the support behind it, I found strength. I found my voice. I didn’t feel alone.”
Because of their members’ distinct needs, Hillel follows each student’s lead and supports with resources that span mental health, social, educational, advocacy and antisemitism reporting. Meanwhile, it builds a broad, inclusive community, focusing on leadership skills, Jewish culture, a strong social network, activism and a range of social and educational events.
“Hillel is a safe environment in which to strengthen one’s Zionism in a world that outwardly frowns upon Jewish pride,” says Adam at McMaster University. “It offers a space to explore Jewish identity on campus and provides resources to be the light in an often dark world.”
Azrieli grant expands Hillel scope
With a $1 million grant from the Azrieli Foundation, Hillel Ontario is ready to expand support to a wider circle of students.
“Our world has changed and to meet the moment, we need new resources and new programs to propel us to the next level,” Solomon says. “It’s our responsibility to do things differently, to keep evolving in order to cultivate more vibrant and more diverse Jewish student life across Ontario than ever before.”
The grant enables Hillel Ontario to create dynamic programs that touch on different Jewish experiences, from sports tournaments to social events and professional networking.
Key to this effort is a deep expansion of cross-campus programs so students at different universities can find greater connections, uniting even campuses with smaller Jewish populations.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the Azrieli Foundation’s ongoing and critical support, especially in bolstering our cross-campus and graduate student programming,” Goren says. “Cross-campus programs turbocharge relationships across the province and enable Jewish students to be a part of a larger community for learning, advocacy, Israel engagement and social activities.”
“Our funding now spans Hillel chapters across the country,” says Suzanne Heft, VP, Grants, for the Azrieli Foundation. “We are proud to provide funding for Hillel’s programming, and by doing so, support Jewish students on campuses across Canada, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to learn and thrive, at this challenging time.”
