Students gathered at USC Hillel Wednesday night for an event to raise funds for Magen David Adom, an Israel-based disaster relief service. Participants were asked to donate what they could at the door.

Rachael Cohen, assistant director of Hillel, said the event was organized by students who wanted to support Israel and its first responders during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

“The citizens of Israel were victims of a terrorist attack,” Cohen said. “There’s a lot of people in hospitals and in need of medical assistance … We just want to make sure that [Magen David Adom] can take care of Israelis, but also people of many nationalities who are under siege.”

The event comes as Israel reels from a deadly attack Oct. 7 by Hamas militants, in which at least 1,300 people in Israel were killed by airstrikes and gunfire, including at a music festival in southern Israel. Hamas is holding at least 199 hostages in Gaza, according to Israel.

The fundraiser also served as a community gathering for the Jewish community at USC. Delilah Masket, a sophomore majoring in theatre and sociology, said Hillel offered her and other Jewish students a chance to relax in a peaceful environment on campus.

“One of the big goals for this event is to just have a safe space where students can come and do activities that are therapeutic or calming, like letter writing or baking,” Masket said.

Inside, Hillel offered dinner and refreshments for students. In addition to the donations accepted at the door, students had the opportunity to help make vegan chocolate chip cookies for an additional bake sale fundraiser Thursday. Cohen said students also coordinated a letter writing effort as part of Hillel’s activities. 

“[Students wrote] letters to soldiers in the [Israel] Defense Forces to thank them for their service and to boost morale as they’re transitioning into a time of war,” Cohen said.

In addition to raising soldiers’ morale, Coby Rosso — a sophomore majoring in theatre and public relations and advertising — said the event did the same for Jewish students at USC.

“Here, we’re connecting as a Jewish community on campus to promote positivity in a safe and well environment,” Russo said. “Everyone can connect on a deeper level and create friendships that can last forever.”

Cohen said Hillel serves as an important resource for Jewish and non-Jewish students, now offering therapy, educational opportunities and events such as the fundraiser.

“We’re moving into supporting students in a moment where anti-Zionism and antisemitism are really on the rise, nationally and internationally,” Cohen said. “We’re a place where Jews can come together, they can feel surrounded by their community, they can feel safe and supported.”

Carmel Schwartz, a sophomore majoring in computational neuroscience and the head of Hillel’s club for Hebrew speakers on campus, said she particularly values Hillel as a community space during times of conflict.

“[Hillel] is a safe oasis where I can express all aspects of my Jewish identity, so it’s especially important to have during these times,” Schwartz said.

The event concluded with attendees reciting numerous prayers, including the Mourner’s Kaddish, to mourn the lives lost in Israel.