Campaign to Enhance Support for Jewish Life at AU Launches with Momentum
From Shabbat services and Passover seders, to hot chocolate socials and board game nights, American University Hillel has long been a hub for Jewish student life on campus.
As one of the communities affiliated with the Kay Spiritual Life Center, AU Hillel has maintained a vibrant presence on campus since its founding in 1965. And this community is growing. Recent years have witnessed student engagement triple, with AU Hillel reaching more than 1,700 students in the 2024-25 academic year.
To support this evolution, AU Hillel has launched the Campaign for the Future of Jewish Life at AU in partnership with the university and philanthropic donors. The $7 million campaign has already secured $4 million through the generosity of AU alumni, parents, faculty, and friends.
At the heart of this campaign is the Trone Family Center for Jewish Life, a new dedicated space which will offer meeting and activity space, a student lounge, and office space for AU Hillel staff. This permanent home for AU Hillel will be located in a non-residential wing of Hughes Hall, and Shabbat and holiday prayer services will continue to take place in Kay.
The Center is designed to support AU Hillel’s portfolio of programming, which includes spiritual, social, and community service activities. AU Hillel’s calendar of events and initiatives foster inquiry and invite students to consider their own nuanced relationships to Jewish identity and its place in their lives.
Beyond its connections with Jewish students, AU Hillel leads and partners with other campus organizations on educational programming, interfaith and intercultural activities, and civic initiatives that engage hundreds of students from a wide range of backgrounds annually.
Jason Benkendorf, Executive Director of AU Hillel, views the creation of the Trone Family Center for Jewish Life and larger campaign as an opportunity with campus-wide impact.
“We are thrilled to be able to meet the growing needs of our community by providing a dedicated space for Jewish life and expanding the meaningful experiences that we offer for Jewish students and the entire campus,” said Benkendorf.
Leadership gifts from AU Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Gary Abramson, SPA/BA ’68, Pennie Abramson, along with the Center’s naming gift from the David and June Trone Family Foundation, have created early momentum for the campaign.
“Campus spaces are central to fostering student well-being and a shared sense of belonging,” said David and June Trone. “In supporting this new initiative, it is our hope that the Trone Family Center for Jewish Life will serve as a gathering and resource home for AU Hillel and its campus programs and partnerships.”
Nearly two dozen additional AU alumni, parents, faculty, and friends have provided significant gifts to date, among them: Trustee Marc Duber, Kogod/BSBA ’81, and former chair of the AU Hillel Board Nancy Duber, CAS/BGS ’82; Trustee Alan Meltzer, CAS/BA ’21, and Amy Meltzer; and Trustee Emeritus Ambassador Stuart Bernstein, Kogod/BS ’60, and Wilma Bernstein, CAS/BA ’60.
“AU Hillel's remarkable growth, with student involvement more than tripling over the past decade, has long called for a dedicated home on campus,” said Adam Lehman, President and CEO of Hillel International.
“Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of David and June Trone, Gary and Pennie Abramson, and other visionary donors, the Trone Family Center for Jewish Life will become a vibrant hub where Jewish students can connect, learn, and celebrate for generations to come,” said Lehman.
In his message to the community President Jon Alger described the connection between campus organizations like AU Hillel and AU’s Inclusive Excellence commitment.
“We become stronger as a community by welcoming and including all individuals,” shared President Alger, adding that AU Hillel “enhances the campus environment for all Eagles” by contributing to university-wide efforts to promote student collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
Alumni, parents, and friends can join in supporting the Campaign for the Future of Jewish Life at AU to strengthen student thriving on campus for generations to come.