As Jewish college students across North America experience unprecedented levels of antisemitism on campus, the University of Virginia has joined Hillel International’s flagship Campus Climate Initiative (CCI) program.
Hillel’s CCI program is the nation’s leading training and engagement program for college and university administrators to address the alarming rise in antisemitism on campus.
In an effort to strengthen ties among university leaders, Hillel International, and the Brody Jewish Center, CCI will provide tools to address the challenge of antisemitism at UVA and to ensure a safe climate for the university’s Jewish students where they can feel safe and confident expressing their identity and values.
“Over the last year and a half, we have identified significant areas of growth for the University of Virginia when it comes to supporting a sense of belonging and respect for our students in the community,” says Annie Weinberg, executive director of the Brody Jewish Center. “These growth opportunities include more training for leadership on Jewish identity and experience as well as ensuring that Jewish students are a respected voice in the UVA community and among their peers. I’m grateful to be working in partnership with key UVA administrators over the next 10 months, with a constant focus on our goal of establishing tangible ways to improve the campus climate for Jewish students and all students in the coming years.”
With the addition of the 18 participants in the latest cohort, more than 102 schools across the United States and Canada have now participated in the CCI program.
As part of CCI, University of Virginia officials will create an action plan to combat antisemitism on campus. It is structured to align with the University of Virginia’s longstanding commitment to creating welcoming campus environments for all students to ensure that Jewish students and their needs are integrated into any broader university efforts to combat bias and discrimination.
The Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at the University of Virginia, is the focal point of Jewish life for the estimated 1,000 Jewish undergraduates on the campus. Building upon UVA’s strong tradition of student leadership, the Brody Jewish Center actively and successfully empowers Jewish students to create relevant and meaningful Jewish experiences focused on education, empowerment, and community.
It is a recipient of funds from United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
The University of Virginia and the Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVA joins Hillel International’s flagship Campus Climate Initiative to address antisemitism on campus
