Help Bring Jewish Music and Solidarity to Israel
Dear fellow members of Harvard’s Jewish community,
As Hillel Global Giving Week marches on, remember — any gift made through Friday night is matched dollar-for-dollar up to the first $25,000, thanks to Hillel International and our incredible parent community. We at Harvard Hillel are just a small part of a worldwide Hillel Global Giving Week movement, empowering and supporting Jewish students across the globe — a movement we invite you now to join.
If your Hillel Global Giving Week gift has crossed paths with this email, thank you for your support! We hope you continue to enjoy the student stories we’ll be sharing for the rest of the week.
Yesterday, you heard how your gifts power student-led Shabbat dinners and Passover seders across campus. Today, we want to share another remarkable way Harvard Hillel students are living their Jewish values: through music that crosses oceans and builds bridges.
This March, ApiChorus—Harvard Hillel’s Jewish a cappella group—embarked on a transformative 10-day tour of Israel. From the Ethiopian Jewish community in Haifa to President Herzog’s residence in Jerusalem, our students brought melodies of healing and hope to communities still reeling from October 7th.
Throughout their journey, ApiChorus didn’t just perform—they connected. At Ichilov Sourasky Medical Center, their songs lifted spirits of patients and families.
At Chimes Israel and Shalva, their music became a shared language with children who joined the “performance,” transforming stages into dance floors. At the Kotel and Hostage Square, their voices joined with strangers in spontaneous song.
"My favorite experience was traveling to Haifa to volunteer at an Ethiopian Jewish community center. We performed for some of the women of the community, and then they taught us Ethiopian dance moves. It was a beautiful and touching cultural exchange that deepened my appreciation for the strength and resilience of the Jewish people. This trip was one of the most meaningful experiences of my college career."
- Tova Kaplan '26
"I particularly enjoyed moments when the barrier between us and our audience collapsed. This happened consistently during our interactions with children - at Chimes in Tel Aviv, and Shalva in Jerusalem. In both Chimes and Shalva, our performances were greeted with dancing on the part of the children; soon we found ourselves dancing alongside them, our stage becoming theirs. Such moments made me feel especially connected to the people for and with whom our music was being made."
- Anna Gamburd '27
"Beyond our volunteer singing in hospitals and schools, we were very honored to perform in distinguished venues including Tel Aviv University, the Harvard Club of Israel, the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem and the President's residence. We were honored to be granted an audience with President Herzog, with whom we shared our experiences as Jewish students at Harvard and for whom we sang the Prayer for the IDF. Having an intimate meeting with such a high-profile figure was a surreal experience that would not have been possible without our donors' generous funding."
- Mark Takken '26
Your support makes these experiences possible. Whether it’s:
- ApiChorus’s next Israel tour bringing healing through music
- Our upcoming Birthright trip with Yale Hillel, giving students an opportunity to experience Israel with their peers
- Harvard Hillel Trek deepening non-Jewish students’ understanding of Israeli society
- Year-round Israel programming right here in Cambridge
Every gift creates opportunities for students to connect with Israel, their heritage, and each other. During Global Giving Week, your impact doubles. Every dollar you give—up to the first $25,000—will be matched.
From Haifa to Jerusalem, from hospital rooms to the President’s residence, ApiChorus carried the spirit of Harvard’s Jewish community across Israel. Your gift ensures this spirit continues to flourish.