The American Jewish Committee (AJC) and Hillel International are expanding their partnership to deepen the organizations’ critical work with college and university presidents and administrators to combat rising antisemitism on campus.
“Now more than ever, our partnership with AJC is vital to equipping university presidents and senior administrators with the tools they need to assert stronger and more effective leadership in protecting and supporting their Jewish students,” said Hillel International President and CEO Adam Lehman. “We have tracked more than 1,150 incidents of antisemitism on campus since October 7 alone, making our work together all the more urgent. We are grateful for our close collaboration with AJC, as we work together to fundamentally improve the campus climate for Jewish students and all students.”
Both organizations plan to continue to deepen their work on the local and national levels with students, college and university administrators, and all stakeholders in the higher education landscape to address antisemitism on campuses and ensure the safety and well-being of Jewish students, faculty, and staff.
In 2025, AJC’s groundbreaking Project Interchange and Hillel’s flagship Campus Climate Initiative, which includes more than 75 participating universities, will host a joint delegation of university and college leadership from across the country to Israel, modeled after AJC’s proven Project Interchange educational and experiential program.
“Harnessing the expertise of both of our organizations will help us to be even more effective as we work to support Jewish students and ensure that every campus is not only safe for Jewish life but is a place where the Jewish community can grow and thrive,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch.
As part of the expanded partnership, AJC and Hillel will once again be joined by ACE in hosting a University Presidents Summit on Campus Antisemitism in fall 2024, building on the success of that first summit.
Following the publication of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, AJC created and distributed a series of guides to implement the strategy’s recommendations, including one for higher education administration. In the wake of the spike of antisemitism seen after Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack, AJC released Confronting Campus Antisemitism: An Action Plan for University Administrators, which has been cited multiple times by members of Congress and has driven AJC’s briefings for top university leaders.