Jewish Student Life Flourishes at Florida International University's Hillel Hub
Translated & summarized from Jüdische Allgemeine by baba
The Hillel Hub at Florida International University in Miami provides a crucial community for Jewish students, offering support and a sense of belonging, especially after the October 7th attacks. Students like Lia and Ron have found a welcoming environment at FIU's Hillel, contrasting it with experiences elsewhere. The university's police department maintains close ties with Hillel to ensure student safety. FIU's president has also publicly backed the Jewish community, a gesture appreciated by students.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- FIU's Hillel Hub offers a vital community and support system for Jewish students in Miami.
- Students like Lia and Ron found a more welcoming environment for Jewish life at FIU than in Europe or other US universities.
- The FIU Police Department works closely with Hillel to address potential threats and ensure student safety.
- FIU's president has publicly expressed strong support for the university's Jewish community.
- Memorials at the Hillel Hub honor victims of the October 7th attacks, including Shani Louk.
The Hillel Hub at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami serves as a vital center for Jewish students, offering a sense of community and support, particularly in the wake of the October 7th attacks. Lia, a 21-year-old economics student from Barcelona, found the United States, and Miami specifically, a more welcoming environment for Jewish life than Spain. She sought a larger Jewish community after feeling isolated following October 7th and discovered a "substitute family" at Hillel, where she doesn't have to explain her feelings about anti-Israel slogans or the trivialization of the Hamas attack. The hub provides a quiet refuge from the bustling campus, filled with comfortable seating and Hillel merchandise. Memorial displays, including "Remember Nova, Remember Their Names," honor victims like Shani Louk, Ziv Frenkel, and Ben Shimoni.
Ascher, a sports management student who moved to Miami from rural Texas, highlights the city's significant Jewish population as a major draw. He notes that Hillel, established at FIU in 2015 and responsible for students in the Miami Dale region, is open to all students, regardless of their religious background. Ascher feels secure at FIU and within the Hillel community, contrasting Miami's visible Jewish life with that of other major cities. The FIU Police Department (FIUPD) maintains close contact with Hillel, with Chief Alexander D. Casas emphasizing proactive collaboration to prevent potential threats. While antisemitic graffiti and verbal harassment are a small fraction of police work, Casas stated that determining if an act constitutes a hate crime depends on context, such as targeting a specific group or location.
FIU's president has openly supported the Jewish community, a gesture Lia found remarkable compared to her experiences in Spain, which she described as "very pro-Palestinian and very anti-Jewish and anti-Israel." Ron, an Israeli economics student, recounts an incident where he confronted pro-Palestinian protesters at an October 7th commemoration event on campus with an Israeli flag, emphasizing his refusal to be ashamed of his identity. He previously felt alienated at Southern Illinois University, where he experienced rejection from both the right for looking Middle Eastern and the left for being Jewish. Returning to FIU, he found a sense of belonging and a strong Jewish community, including many Israelis and individuals from diverse backgrounds. Ron, 23, appreciates being able to openly identify as Jewish and Israeli at Hillel, even joking about his unusual taste in country music for an Israeli.