As rising antisemitism and anti-Israel protests have swept across North American colleges and universities, dominating students’ lives and national media cycles, Hillel International is trying to not lose sight of the lighter, happier aspects of Jewish life on campus.

On Sunday night, over 2,000 students gathered at the Upper West Side’s Beacon Theater for the first night of Yallapalooza, a three-part concert series for Jewish college students, organized by Hillel and American Jewish reggae musician, Matisyahu. 

“We’ve really been trying to focus on the joyful side of Jewish life,” Sarah Fried, Hillel International’s chief external affairs officer told eJewishPhilanthropy.

Hillel has been trying to create more opportunities for inter-collegiate Jewish community-building and unity, having seen record levels of engagement last year as a result of increased campus antisemitism, Fried said.

Sunday’s free-of-charge concert, hosted with support from UJA Federation-New York, featured performances by Matisyahu and Israeli pop singer Netta Barzilai. Nova Festival survivors Yonatan Cohen, and Omri Sasi, co-founder of the Tribe of Nova Foundation, also performed. 

“During a year when Jewish college students have faced an alarming increase in antisemitism on campus with strength and courage, it is more important than ever that we support them with opportunities where they can proudly showcase what it means to be Jewish,” Matthew Bronfman, chair of Hillel International’s board of governors, said in a statement. “Tonight’s concert, featuring some of the most recognizable Jewish and Israeli musicians in the world playing in front of thousands of cheering students, was a wonderfully positive and uplifting experience that our students so richly deserve and that Hillel is so proud to provide.”

According to Fried, 180,000 students engaged with Hillel’s affiliates across the country last year, the highest number in the organization’s history. Increased student need has also required Hillel to expand its logistical capabilities. 

From securing grants for additional crisis support to partnering with Secure Community Network, much of that need has been met through collaborations, specifically with foundation partners, said Fried. 

The New York City concert, which drew students from over 200 universities, was also a collaboration. While Sunday night’s show was hosted in partnership with UJA Federation-New York, Matisyahu and his agents handled most aspects of event production across all three shows. 

“It felt like a good time to return, to inspire some students and keep people feeling proud about being Jewish,” Matisyahu, whose band consists of old friends from The New School, told eJP.

Student recruitment is Hillel International’s main focus for the concert series. But some aspects of that were outsourced too, said Fried, with “student captains” aiding in the effort across campuses. 

One such student was Natalie Ryba, a senior at Hunter College who co-emceed the event and currently serves on Hillel’s “student cabinet.”

“The way that the Hillel directors and people have been able to absorb and accommodate all of this… I’m just really grateful for it,” Ryba told eJP.