Hillel's connection to Israel is as old as the Hillel movement itself. Rabbi Frankel founded Hillel at the University of Illinois in 1923. In 1927 he married Florence Koenigsberg. Their honeymoon was a trip to the Holy Land where they visited friends and family in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. 

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In the following decades, Hillel was the place where Jewish students, community members and faculty met to discuss Israel, celebrate the Jewish state and support it when it was under attack.

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The October 7th terror attacks and the subsequent war between Israel and Hamas manifested on college campuses with an unprecedented wave of antisemitic protests and incidents. The connection between hate against Israel and hate against Jewish people has become undeniable. 

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Hillel created the Israel Beyond Fund as part of its centennial campaign to ensure that the bond between Jewish students and Israel will continue to thrive for generations to come, beyond any current or future conflicts in the Middle East. 

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The fund will bring Israel to campus by financial supporting speakers, research projects and students projects. By generously donating to the fund you will strengthen Jewish students, support Israel and create a brighter future for our Jewish communities and beyond!

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