Dear Parents, Alumni and Friends of Fiedler Hillel at Northwestern University, These last few weeks have been a challenging time for the global Jewish community, as we stand with Israel in her time of need.

Through this difficult moment, our mission at Fiedler Hillel remains the same: To inspire every Jewish student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life.

In the 21st century, an enduring commitment to Jewish life requires a responsible relationship with Israel. Beginning last Sunday evening – the night before classes resumed – our staff brought together key student leaders to develop a plan of action for education and advocacy on campus.

With their usual intelligence and sensitivity, our students, guided by our capable Hillel staff, have planned and accomplished the following:

• On Wednesday, a student-written op-ed article appeared in the Daily Northwestern. The writer, Daniel Farahi, is a member of the Hillel Leadership Council, and just returned from the fall quarter's Study Abroad in Israel program – a program operated by Hillel for all Northwestern students seeking to study abroad in Israel. Click here to view this article.

• On Thursday, Northwestern Hillel hosted a Faculty Luncheon with special guest Michael Kotzin, an Executive Vice President at Chicago's Jewish Federation, providing a forum for faculty members to ask questions, and seek answers to help them educate fellow faculty, administrators and students.

• On Sunday, Hillel hosted a "Bagel and Briefing" for students, featuring Dr. Zohar Raviv, an expert on the situation in Israel, to allow students to engage in active conversation about the military operation, Israel's history and the humanitarian concerns relating to Gaza.

• Hillel’s Students for Israel group is organizing an invitation-only dinner for key student leaders – Jewish and non-Jewish – with a diplomat from the Israeli Consulate as our special guest speaker.

• Hillel spearheaded the purchase of a full-page ad in the Daily Northwestern, featuring a Q & A about Israel and Gaza, so that all Northwestern students can become better educated. The ad has co-sponsorship from our fellow Jewish student organizations on campus.

• Hillel has created a blog, where students can seek links to relevant articles and contribute their own thoughts and ideas, which can be found by clicking here.

• Working with our colleagues at the Crown Center for Jewish Studies, we are planning a series of Israeli film nights, to provide exposure to Israeli art and culture from a lens that offers a view beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Every day this week, our staff has met with students to enable them to ask questions and find answers.

We need your support. Because our students need our support. And because Israel needs our students' support.

Please help us today in supporting our students and Israel, by making a generous gift to Fiedler Hillel at Northwestern University.

I know you understand how critical this work is. We are nurturing the hearts and minds of the next generation of Jewish leaders.

While our work is vital each and every day, at a moment like this it is more important than ever.

We cannot do this vital work alone, particularly in these difficult financial times. Please help us make a difference today.

With your support, we can continue our tireless work to empower our students with knowledge. We thank you for any support that you can give.

With gratitude and prayers for safety and peace in Israel and in Gaza,

Lisa Kudish
Executive Director
Fiedler Hillel at Northwestern University