In recent years, tensions between religious communities have intensified across college and university campuses in the United States. Since conflict in the Middle East escalated in October 2023, hostility toward Jewish and Muslim students has risen, highlighting the urgent need for initiatives that promote mutual understanding and interfaith cooperation. This growing division is exacerbated by a decline in religious literacy, which plays a crucial role in shaping how individuals perceive and interact with those from different faith backgrounds. A 2019 Pew Research Center study found that young adults demonstrate lower-than-average levels of religious literacy, a deficiency that correlates with increased negative perceptions of individuals from different religious traditions.
As college campuses are among the most diverse social environments, they offer a crucial opportunity for students to develop the skills needed to engage across religious difference. To support this, AVDF funds programs which foster interfaith dialogue, empathy, and collaboration, and prepare students for an increasingly complex and pluralistic society.
One such initiative is led by Hillel International, the world’s largest pluralistic Jewish campus organization, which fosters religious literacy among Hillel chapter members and other faith-based campus groups. Through an initial AVDF grant of $300,000 that ran from 2022 to 2024, Hillel chapters around the country received microgrants that allowed them to hold over 280 events that brought together nearly 8,000 students to learn, share, and collaborate across lines of religious difference. A second round of funding in 2024 seeks to double the reach of these events between 2024 and 2026.
Two events hosted at Hillel chapter campuses this academic year illustrate how this project has fostered meaningful interfaith connections among students from diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs.
Interfaith Friendsgiving: Building Community Through Shared Experience
In an article published in the Jewish Rhode Island, University of Rhode Island (URI) student leader Leetal Young discussed her efforts to bridge divides through an initiative aimed at fostering meaningful interfaith connections. Inspired by a conversation with her former roommate, Young envisioned an Interfaith Friendsgiving event—a gathering that would unite students from different religious and cultural traditions in a spirit of gratitude and community. Recognizing the potential of this initiative, URI Hillel and the URI Chaplains Association provided institutional support, helping transform the idea into a campus-wide event.
The event created an inclusive environment where students of all faiths, backgrounds, and even those without religious affiliations could engage in dialogue and fellowship. A key component of the event’s success was its potluck format, which encouraged active participation and symbolized the broader theme of communal sharing.
On November 21, 2024, their Interfaith Friendsgiving event drew more than130 attendees. The diverse and intergenerational gathering facilitated conversations that transcended religious and cultural differences, strengthening campus relationships. Throughout the evening, students shared meals, exchanged personal stories, and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to connect in a meaningful way.
The overwhelmingly positive response underscored the event’s impact, with numerous attendees eager to support similar initiatives in the future. For Young, the success of Interfaith Friendsgiving reaffirmed the importance of creating spaces for connection and dialogue, especially in times of heightened division.
“Interfaith Friendsgiving was a testament to the power of community, gratitude, and love,” Young said. “As I reflect on this experience, I can’t help but feel hopeful for the future and blessed to be a part of developing a strong campus community. If we can continue to create spaces like this one – on campus and beyond – the connections that we can build will be limitless.”
Interfaith Moveable Feast: Unity and Understanding Amid Rising Tensions
Across the country at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), Jewish students organized the Interfaith Moveable Feast. Led by UC Davis Hillel in collaboration with multiple faith-based student organizations, the now annual event brings together students from diverse religious backgrounds for a progressive meal, with each course hosted by a different faith community. The event not only provides a space for social interaction but also reinforces a shared commitment to inclusivity and mutual understanding.
The significance of such gatherings has grown in response to rising antisemitism and broader religious tensions on campuses nationwide. Rafi Myers, a UC Davis student actively involved in Hillel, noted that the event helped alleviate his sense of isolation as a Jewish student following the events of October 7, 2023.
“The moveable feast invites everyone to see a different community that has the same goal of inclusivity and caring for the students, just like our own faith community spaces do,” Myers said. “We got to know each other on a surprisingly deep level, and it was very safe, welcoming, and understanding.”
Through sustained engagement and interfaith collaboration, the Moveable Feast nurtures a campus environment in which students recognize and support one another beyond formal gatherings. These interactions foster friendships that extend into daily campus life, transforming casual encounters into meaningful exchanges. With support from Hillel International and Interfaith America, the initiative continues to strengthen community ties and serve as a model for fostering interfaith dialogue and cooperation in higher education.
Both the Interfaith Friendsgiving and Moveable Feast events demonstrate how intentionally creating spaces for inclusion fosters shared experiences that enhance interfaith engagement and understanding. To learn more about Interfaith Friendsgiving, click here, and to learn more about the Moveable Feast, click here.
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