Reaching Jewish Students on College Campuses:  A Call to Stand and Serve

Dear Friend,

College campuses are some of the most spiritually open places in our society. It is no exaggeration to say that many young people, including Jewish students, make life-altering decisions during these formative years.

A Strategic and Timely Opportunity

The Jewish student population in the United States exceeds 400,000. New York University (NYU) alone has over 6,000 Jewish undergraduates, making it one of the largest concentrations of Jewish students outside of Israel. Columbia and Barnard College (its affiliated women’s college) are not far behind. Together, they represent a vital mission field.

The Crisis on Campus: The Growth of Antisemitism

In recent months, the surge in antisemitic rhetoric and incidents on college campuses has been unprecedented. In the 2023–2024 school year, the Anti-Defamation League recorded over 1,400 antisemitic events linked to higher education institutions—a fivefold increase over the previous year.^[1] At Columbia, Jewish students have been labeled “Zionist aggressors,” with their photos and names posted publicly. Others have found their dorm room doors vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti. One Columbia student told the press, “I’m scared to wear a Jewish star here.”^[2] Protesters have stormed campus buildings shouting slogans like “From the river to the sea,” which many Jewish people understand as a call for the eradication of Israel.

At NYU, students wearing Jewish symbols have been verbally harassed, and one Jewish student was assaulted during a protest. In November, Students for Justice in Palestine organized a rally outside the Stern School of Business that blocked entrances and featured chants praising “resistance” in the name of Gaza. Some students reported being spat on. In another case, flyers were distributed accusing specific students of supporting “genocide” because they expressed pro-Israel views. These incidents have created a climate where many Jewish students feel isolated or afraid to speak.

Despite national media attention, administrative responses have often lagged and incidents ignored, leaving Jewish students feeling abandoned. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has launched investigations into both NYU and Columbia.

The Traditional Approach to Jewish Ministry on Campus

For many years we have conducted a more traditional approach to Jewish ministry on campus and continue to do so, setting up book tables and trying to start spiritual conversations. God has used these efforts to impact students on campus—especially in the current environment where so many students are exhibiting antisemitic behavior. 

For example, a staff member in Boston gives the following testimony,

In response to the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, especially in Boston, I felt called to stand with Jewish students. In response to the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, especially in Boston, my team and I set up book tables at Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University, Northeastern, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMASS-Amherst).

At UMASS, we set up our book table right outside of the student union, and immediately the Lord opened many conversations with Jewish students. At one time I had five Jewish students standing around my table. One student was a regular at the Hillel House [a Jewish student group with chapters nationwide], another girl was more secular, then a young Jewish kid came to join us from Long Island, NY, and finally two more Jewish students joined in—one being from Israel and the other coming from a traditional Jewish home. Each took an evangelistic pamphlet, and two left with a copy of the New Testament, which I always carry with me.

A Residential Ministry to Jewish Students: The House of Living Waters

Hostility toward Jewish students and Israel makes our ministry of on-campus presence more important than ever. The idea is simple but powerful: young adults live in community near a major campus, host regular outreach events, and form deep, personal relationships with Jewish students. In contrast to pop-up evangelism, the House of Living Waters creates stability and trust. The model has proven effective, as the following testimonies from some of the program leaders indicate!

Henry

House of Living Waters in the past months has seen extraordinary growth in what can only be understood as the Lord’s provision. We had an event on the NYU campus, an interfaith Purim party, and students were engaged and desiring more events from our team. We continue to have our Sabbath dinners and Bible study, which has built up a community of believers and not-yet-believers who are excited to see the community provided through the program. We are partnering with many student groups to continue reaching the campus, engaging with students, and building a lasting community within these campuses.

Sergey

“So, what is House of Living Waters doing?” This was the question that two rabbis asked me at Rutgers University while we hosted a Purim event on campus. I had an amazing conversation with them about who we are and what we do on campuses, and I told them that we would love to connect in the future and maybe do something together. Please keep praying for our work in Columbia while we establish the ministry there and specifically for our upcoming events with both Jewish and non-Jewish students.

Charlene

House of Living Waters has seen incredible growth this school year. We are hopeful about the connections we are building at NYU, and as we launch at Columbia and even Rutgers. It has been an encouragement to see Jewish and non-Jewish students engage with us at our weekly Sabbath dinners and events. At NYU, one student leader said they were happy to partner with us given all the antisemitism and unrest that has been taking place on university campuses. As a result, Christian students are excited about connecting their Jewish friends with us, and Jewish students have shown an interest in our effort to create a community for Jewish-Christian dialogue.

NYU, Columbia, Barnard . . . and to the Uttermost Campuses!

NYU is not only in the heart of a Jewish population center, but it also houses over twenty active Jewish student organizations. These groups represent not only strategic access points for Jewish engagement but also spiritual battlegrounds where Jewish students are searching for truth. 

Christian groups are present and active as well. At NYU, InterVarsity, CRU, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), and others have welcomed partnership with our House of Living Waters team. We are working to strengthen collaboration with these groups so they can more confidently reach out to their Jewish friends and classmates. We hope to begin a House of Living Waters program at Columbia in the fall.

A Snapshot of Our Outreach

Evangelism: The men at our current House of Living Waters program based at NYU engage students in dorms, coffee shops, and at public events. Through partnerships with CRU, InterVarsity, RUF, and others, our staff are invited into conversations with Christian students who long to reach their Jewish friends.

Sabbath Dinners: These are the heartbeat of the program. Every week, students come for a home-cooked meal, warm conversation, and spiritual reflection. These Friday evening meals and Bible studies often lead to further questions about the Messiah and what it means to be Jewish and believe in Jesus.

Discipleship: Those who serve as part of the House of Living Waters are often recent college graduates themselves, so this wonderful outreach program also serves as a powerful tool of training and discipleship for this next-generation team of dedicated, Jesus-focused young adults. The team members are trained in apologetics, theology, and pastoral care, with ongoing personal mentorship by more experienced Chosen People Ministries staff.

Future Plans and the Call to Multiply

We believe God is calling us to replicate the House of Living Waters in other strategic university cities: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Toronto—to name a few. Each city has a dense Jewish population and major university presence. With the success we have seen at NYU and growing relationships at Columbia and Rutgers, we are eager to build.

Each participant receives a stipend each month and free housing in exchange for a year-long commitment to outreach and discipleship. Their week includes a Friday night Sabbath dinner, Bible studies, Jewish holiday celebrations, and strategic evangelism. The cost of the program is approximately $200,000 annually, covering stipends, housing, food, supplies, and outreach.

Your Role in This Movement

We have already seen God provide the annual funding for the House of Living Waters through a generous grant—but to expand, we need your help. Your gift will enable us to house, train, and deploy a new generation of bold, thoughtful, gospel-centered young adults ready to stand with the Jewish people and share the good news.

Will you help us reach this next generation of Jewish students and train young leaders for their future ministries among His chosen people? Maybe you would be willing to underwrite a House of Living Waters team member for a year or for a month at a time? We need twenty faithful believers giving $2,500 per year to make this opportunity a reality for one person. A monthly commitment of $200 per month would make this happen!

Thanks for caring and for building the future of Jewish evangelism on campus together with Your Mission to the Jewish People.

Your brother,

Mitch

^[1]           “Anti-Israel Activism on U.S. Campuses, 2023-2024,” ADL, updated February 7, 2025,  https://www.adl.org/resources/report/anti-israel-activism-us-campuses-2023-2024.

^[2]           Ali Bauman and Christina Fan, “Columbia University Protesters Taken into Custody after Day of Unrest on Campus,” CBS News, updated on April 18, 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/columbia-university-pro-palestinian-pro-israeli-protests/.