The Charlotte Jewish News- May 2026- Page 5 Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Jewish Life on North Carolina Campuses: Thriving, Challenged, and Deeply Supported
By Phil Brodsky
Each spring, as high school seniors across North Carolina open long-awaited college acceptance letters, they begin asking a new set of questions. What will academic life be like? How will they find community? And what is the climate like for Jewish students on campus today?
The latter question is one I spend every day working to answer in my role as Director of Community Relations for North Carolina Hillel.
NC Hillel is one of just 13 Hillels nationwide selected to pilot Hillel International’ s Campus Impact Initiative, which places full-time staff on campuses to strengthen the environment for Jewish students.
In my role as Director of Community Relations, I work with students, administrators, faculty, public safety, government, and community partners to ensure that Jewish students feel supported and safe on UNC system campuses.
While this work has always been important, a national survey released by American Jewish Committee( AJC) and Hillel International this month underscores its urgency.
According to the survey, more
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than 40 percent of Jewish college students report personally experiencing antisemitism on campus. Last year, in a similar survey from the Anti-Defamation League( ADL), over 80 percent of Jewish college students reported that they had experienced or were aware of antisemitic incidents on campus; yet, crucially, only nine percent of those students reported those incidents.
This dramatic increase in antisemitic incidents on campus since October 7, has impacted campus life in a number of ways. Comfort on Campus
First, Jewish comfort on campus has taken a hit. Both in my conversations with students and according to survey data, nearly 50 percent of Jewish students report feeling uncomfortable with others on campus knowing their Jewish identity. These students will at times hesitate to share their Jewish identities.
Despite these challenges, and perhaps partially because of them, Jewish life on North Carolina campuses is expanding in remarkable ways. NC Hillel now works on eight campuses across the UNC system, serving approximately 2,500 Jewish students at those schools.
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Last year at NC State, NC Hillel opened a brand-new Hillel space on Hillsborough Street, more than twice the size of our previous home. There are students in our space 24 / 6, and we are already stretching for space on Shabbat evenings. This year, NC Hillel hired our first-ever statewide Rabbi, Larry Ginsberg, who supports Jewish education and ritual life across all our campuses. Our programs are expanding: Birthright Israel trips are back, regional Shabbatons are thriving, Jewish Learning Fellowships are running on multiple campuses, and Hillel International’ s Israel Leadership Network, which trains student leaders in Israel activism, is active at six of our top campuses.
In addition to NC Hillel, we have noticed an uptick in additional Jewish organizations on campuses across the state. Organizations like AEPi, Israel-focused student groups, and Chabad have all expanded their presence and programming. Across NC, Jewish life is thriving, even as students navigate a climate that can feel complicated and, at times, deeply challenging. How Antisemitism Shows Up
Antisemitism on campus rarely appears as a single dramatic incident. More often, it shows up in quieter ways: a student excluded from a group project after mentioning Hillel; a professor making sweeping generalizations about Jews or Israel in direct or coded language; a student organization posting rhetoric online that leaves Jewish students feeling targeted. These moments accumulate and shape how students move through campus and how openly they express their identity.
In this current school year, violent incidents have decreased significantly, yet online harassment and social-media-driven hostility remain high. Additionally, from my vantage point within Hillel International’ s campus climate work, the most striking shift is how antisemitism has become intertwined with broader political narratives. Students are encountering rhetoric that collapses Jewish identity, Zionism, and global politics into a single category, often without nuance or understanding. For instance, in recent incidents on campus, outrage and protest over U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement( ICE) have directed blame at Israel. How Does NC Hillel Work with University Stakeholders
To increase support for Jewish life, NC Hillel is consistently working to deepen our relationships with university stakeholders across the UNC System. At every campus we serve, we maintain active partnerships with administrators, public safety, faculty, student affairs, and campus bias-reporting offices.
Our role is twofold: supporting students by helping them understand available resources and encouraging them to report incidents, and supporting universities by providing context, training, and guidance on Jewish life so administrators have the tools to respond appropriately when antisemitic incidents occur.
Our goal is simple: Jewish students should feel confident as Jews everywhere on their campus. And when we do this work well, all students benefit from a safer, more inclusive environment.
One outcome of this work is that universities are taking their time, place, and manner policies very seriously. While protests and demonstrations still happen, they are more likely to remain within the bounds of university rules. Programs end when they are supposed to, and demonstrations stay in designated areas. This has helped reduce the sense of chaos or threat that some campuses experienced in the immediate aftermath of October 7. How You Can Support?
For those concerned about Jewish life on campus, there is much you can do. If you are a parent, encourage your student to report incidents to their campus bias-reporting office. These professionals want to help, but they can only act if they know what is happening. And remind students that Hillel is here for them, even if they have never attended a program before.
Additionally, for those who are alumni of universities or connected to university life, now is the time to activate your relationships. Take your contacts out for coffee, let them know about Jewish life on campus, and make sure they are aware of the challenges our community faces. Every university has thousands of staff and stakeholders. When issues arise, it is often someone closer to the situation, not just the chancellor or top administrators, who can make the biggest difference. Help them understand how antisemitism is showing up today, so they have context before an issue arises.
As families across North Carolina celebrate their students’ college acceptances, they deserve to know that Jewish life on campus is strong, growing, and supported. The challenges are real, but so is the work being done every day to ensure that Jewish students feel safe, proud, and at home at our state’ s universities.
NC Hillel is available and ready to connect with anyone who is concerned about Jewish life on campus or has questions about campuses in the UNC system. For questions, please contact Phil Brodsky at pbrodsky @ nchillel. org.
North Carolina Hillel is the foundation for Jewish campus life in North Carolina, based at UNC-Chapel Hill, providing a Jewish community for Jewish college students across the state. We provide social, religious, cultural, and educational opportunities for Jewish students to deepen their identity in a celebratory, pluralistic, caring environment. Our executive director works with staff, faculty advisers, and staff advisers at every North Carolina campus with a Jewish presence in order to enrich Jewish life on campus.