Home Away from Home: Building Community at Hillel Jerusalem

On March 20th, more than 50 students gathered for a Shabbat dinner at the Fuchsberg Center in Jerusalem, one of the most vibrant gatherings this year. The evening was part of a student-led initiative, designed and facilitated by students themselves to bring people together during a time of uncertainty. The gathering required careful coordination and proximity to a shelter under wartime conditions.

The group included a majority of international students, many from the U.S., alongside Israeli students. From the start, the energy in the room was open and social. Through facilitated activities and shared conversation, students mixed easily and built connections across cultures and backgrounds. People moved between groups, conversations opened quickly, and the atmosphere felt natural and engaged.

For an evening of connection at a time when social opportunities feel limited, the need for spaces like this was clear. “There’s a real lack of social spaces right now… people really needed this,” one student reflected.

For many of the international students in the room, the stakes are different. They are building their lives here while navigating life far from their families, often during war, without the same strong language fluency or informal support systems that Israeli students naturally have. Everyday interactions require more intention, from meeting new people to finding a sense of belonging, which makes spaces like this essential. Through shared conversation and structured activities, students built relationships and created a sense of belonging on campus.

Despite the ongoing war, they have chosen to stay. They are continuing their degrees and maintaining routines while managing uncertainty from a distance. In an otherwise uncertain reality, student life is not just something they participate in; it becomes their primary source of connection and support. Without nearby family, familiar networks, or full language fluency, spaces like this Shabbat dinner help fill a real gap. They offer community, consistency, and a place to feel seen and included.

In one conversation, a visiting student from Switzerland spoke about her excitement to explore Jerusalem more deeply once things settle. In another, students shared what it means to maintain family life from afar while pursuing graduate studies.

Programs like this are not incidental. They are intentionally designed spaces where students can connect, engage, and look ahead. Even in the midst of uncertainty, students are choosing to invest in relationships and to imagine what comes next. They are not putting their lives on hold. They are forming friendships, making plans, and continuing to build a future here. That shared sense of possibility is what carries them forward.

This dinner was held in partnership with the Fuchsberg Center and the Hebrew University International School.