Community Dinner
On November 18, Vanderbilt Hillel welcomed students and members of the Nashville Jewish community for a Jewish Learning Dinner experience. For the past ten weeks, the students have been part of a cohort exploring how Jewish texts address Life’s Big Questions. That evening, they presented their text study on the question “What is God?” and led thoughtful, engaging discussions with the dinner guests. (pictured below)
Vanderbilt Hillel Partners with Vasac
Vanderbilt Hillel students joined together with VASAC (Vanderbilt Association for South Asian Cuisine) for a partnership program around South Asian Cuisine. The students made Samosas and learned about the relationship between the Jewish and Indian culture communities. (Pictured above)
Puppy Palooza
Over 75 students came to de-stress during our Puppy Palooza program at Vanderbilt Hillel. Students enjoyed using our new outdoor patio programming space. (Pictured above)
Sigd Celebration
Malka Desale, our Jewish Agency for Israel Fellow, spoke about the Ethiopian community and the holiday of Sigd. She talked about her family's story and about their aliyah to Israel. During the program,there were stations with Ethiopian foods, coffee, culture, music, and writings/poetry. (Pictured below)
Consul General of Israel
The Consul General of Israel – Southeast Region, Eitan Weiss, visited Vanderbilt University on November 13, 2025. During his visit, he was joined by Tennessee lawmakers and Co-Chairs of the Tennessee-Israel Caucus, State Senator Mark Pody (District 17) and State Representative Scott Cepicky (District 64), as well as City Councilman Jacob Kupin (District 19). The delegation came to campus to meet with students as well as representatives from the Vanderbilt administration, among them Nathan Green, Vice Chancellor for Government and Community Relations, and Darren Reisberg, Vice Chancellor for Administration. Several representatives from the Nashville Jewish community were also in attendance including Judy Alperin, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville, Barbara Dab, Chief Communications Officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville, and visit organizer Andy Neuman.
The Consul General, lawmakers, and Vanderbilt administrators held a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation with a small group of student leaders and Ari Dubin, Executive Director of Vanderbilt Hillel. The discussion focused on campus climate since October 7th and how students are navigating the current environment. Legislators and the Consul General posed questions to the students, who in turn were able to share their experiences and ask questions of their own.
In addition to private meetings with the students and University administrators, the Consul General also participated in a larger lunch event at Vanderbilt Hillel with student leaders who were given an opportunity to ask the Consul General questions.
