The recent surge in violence against Jews—both at Rutgers and across America—has been a source of great concern at the Bildner Center. As a major hub of Jewish life and learning on campus and in the larger community, we are in communication with the Rutgers administration to help ensure that this rise in virulent antisemitic attacks is recognized and combatted at the highest levels.

The Bildner Center’s mission makes it ideally suited to this challenging moment. As an academic center of a state university, the Bildner Center is dedicated to educating a broad public on the complexity of Jewish civilization, as well as enhancing cultural diversity and reducing prejudice.

The Center offers dynamic and timely educational programs for the public about Jewish history, society, and culture through its mini-courses, lectures, and films. On campus and in the community, it explores the broad spectrum of the Jewish experience as well as the manifestations and consequences of antisemitism. The Center strives to create a safe intellectual environment for the entire Rutgers community as well as for its diverse public.

Our Littman Families Holocaust Resource Center (HRC) and Master Teacher Institute in Holocaust Education work with educators in New Jersey and beyond to bring the history and legacy of the Holocaust into their classrooms. These efforts have an impact on thousands of students, providing the educational tools and resources that will enable future generations to navigate the complexities of antisemitism.

Rutgers University is distinguished from its peer institutions by its ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, and cultural diversity. In this context, Jewish studies is more important than ever. The Bildner Center is committed to working with the Rutgers administration to fight bigotry and hatred in all its forms, and to ensure that the Jewish community is an integral part of the university’s ongoing conversation about diversity, equity, and cultural inclusivity.