Hillel at Trinity has always been, and will always be, a space that welcomes and supports Jewish students of all backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. We embrace the diversity of Jewish identity, practice and belief, recognizing that there are many ways to be Jewish and many ways to engage with Jewish life. Whether students find meaning in religious observance, cultural traditions, social justice or intellectual discourse, Hillel is here to create opportunities for connection, learning and community.

One of our core values is pluralism. We understand that Jewish students come to campus with different relationships to their identity, including their perspectives on Zionism. For the majority of the Jewish community worldwide, Zionism is the right to self-determination of a Jewish state in our indigenous homeland of Israel. While we believe only Jews have the right to define Zionism, we recognize that Jewish students, like Jews worldwide, grapple with this concept in various ways.

At Hillel, we do not require students to come with predetermined beliefs. Rather, we encourage thoughtful engagement, respectful dialogue and personal exploration. We are here to support students as they navigate the complexities of identity, history and community — whether or not they identify with Zionism.

Recently, misconceptions have circulated about Hillel’s intentions, particularly in relation to our event, “Is Peace Possible?” This conversation, featuring David Makovsky and Ghaith al-Omari, was designed to offer nuanced perspectives from both a Jewish and a Palestinian voice — two individuals who have spent their careers working toward peace. Our goal was to foster thoughtful conversation and provide an opportunity for students to engage with complex issues in a constructive way.

The goal of this event, beyond providing general education on the current state of affairs, was to illustrate that leading experts on the Middle East — including both Jewish and Palestinian figures — can advocate for Palestinian rights while simultaneously acknowledging Jewish historical and cultural ties to the land and the legitimacy of Israel’s existence. Additionally, this discussion was a reminder to Jewish students and supporters of Israel that they can engage in critical discourse about Israeli policies and government without compromising their principles. Pluralism in dialogue means understanding that perspectives exist on a spectrum, not as a binary of absolute agreement or disagreement. Attendees did not have to accept all or even some of David and Ghaith’s perspectives, rather, the takeaway was that diverse view points must be acknowledged and explored in good faith.

Unfortunately, instead of engaging in conversation, some students chose to distribute flyers outside the entrance of the event that misrepresented our intentions. We were saddened not just by the distortion of Hillel’s role but by the unwillingness of some to engage with ideas they preemptively assumed would challenge their own. College should be a place where students wrestle with difficult topics, not by shutting down discussion, but by stepping into it with curiosity. Growth comes from grappling with complexity, asking hard questions and truly listening — not from dismissing perspectives before they’re even heard.

At Hillel, we remain committed to creating spaces where Jewish students — regardless of background or belief — feel seen, heard and supported. We believe in the power of dialogue, in the importance of learning from one another and in the necessity of fostering an inclusive and respectful campus climate. Our door is always open to students who seek community, conversation and connection.

We invite all students, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, to engage with us — not through assumptions or secondhand narratives, but through direct conversation. If you have questions, concerns or simply want to learn more about our community, we welcome you to join us at Hillel events, speak with our leadership and experience firsthand the pluralistic and open space we strive to cultivate at Trinity.