Guilford College Hillel has taken a huge step in practicing our core values of community, equality, integrity and diversity: we have declared ourselves to be an open Hillel. Consistent with the beliefs that drew us to Guilford, we are striving to build an inclusive and accessible Jewish community on our campus.
At Guilford’s Hillel, we have a wide range of Jewish voices. We have Zionists, anti-Zionists and everything in between. On our campus, it is imperative that Hillel be a place that is for all Jewish students, irrespective of their political ideology. As an open Hillel, we believe that Jewish students should be supported in expressing their Jewish identity and values in the way that is most meaningful to them.
As of now, Hillel International’s Standards of Partnership state that an organization bearing the name Hillel cannot partner with groups supporting Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions and that Hillel must support Israel. If we want to ensure that all students feel welcome and supported in the one Jewish organization at Guilford, it is crucial that inclusiveness be the paramount value of our community. As an open Hillel we can embrace the political diversity of our community and will use our differences to promote our personal, intellectual and Jewish growth.
To be an open Hillel is to welcome all perspectives on Israel-Palestine. By declaring ourselves open, we affirm our organization to be an accepting place for all on Guilford’s campus.
Please contact Vice President, Nicole Zelniker at [email protected] for more information.
David Frazier • May 2, 2015 at 3:35 pm
As an active member of a local Reform Temple, Guilford graduate, and former Hillel participant I am concerned that the language used in this article leaves Hillel open to becoming yet another anti-Israel group. It would be a sad day if Jewish organizations would encourage/entertain lack of support for our Jewish homeland. While these thoughts cater to the anti Semitic sentiment that so prevails I can see where the opposition would encourage this type of action on college campuses everywhere. “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” If Hillel does not support Israel it should not be allowed to be called Hillel. That is the bylaw. So, call the organization you are trying to institute something else because it is not Hillel. Jews of all opinions must have a voice regardless of their stance on Zionism, but not at the expense of our Guilford Jewish Hillel’s identity. There was a time not so long ago when Jews for forced to assimilate because of popular opinion—-we must never let that happen again! # Holocaust
Kirk Dornbush • Apr 3, 2015 at 12:42 am
Yasher Koach to Guilford Hillel! What a wonderful piece of news on the eve before Pesach.