Since we haven’t been able to run our Birthright Israel trips since December 2019, we are extra excited to hear from our students currently taking part in Onward Israel, an eight-week summer internship in Tel Aviv.

Mazal tov to Alon Tal, the eighth US born member of Knesset (the Israeli parliament), and the first from North Carolina! Alon is a Raleigh native, a son of an NC State professor, and a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill (Class of 1980).

We are pleased that Alon is invested in NC Hillel’s mission, having visited and spoken with students multiple times over the years, and are eager to host him in his new role.

The only other person I know that’s French and Honduran is my brother. When you throw in the fact that I’m Jewish, my identity is even more of an enigma. Although I am proud of my diverse background, it is hard to go through life without meeting many people like me.

North Carolina Hillel joins UNC Chapel Hill and campus groups in condemning the racist, anti-Semitic language and imagery drawn onto the UNC Campus Y building this weekend. Hate against any group is unacceptable, and we stand in solidarity with students involved with the Campus Y, UNC's hub for social justice and innovation.