Campus Commons:
Building Bridges with Jewish Wisdom

A free program for Jewish college students who want to build bridges across difference

APPLY NOW for our 2025-2026 Cohorts!

To apply, you must be a full-time college student who identifies as Jewish and has completed at least one year of college.

Too young to apply this year? Fill out this interest form to stay in touch.

Nominate a college student here.

Do you ever find yourself thinking, “I wish people would just say what they really think, even if it’s not what everyone else is saying”?

Would you like a space to explore how to have meaningful conversations with friends or family when you see things differently?

Are you interested in joining a community that’s focused on developing the skills to connect across differences and build real understanding?

Does the idea of being part of a diverse Jewish community -- one that values open dialogue and collaboration to create something lasting on campus and beyond -- excite you?

Campus Commons, a free program for Jewish college students, is for you.

WHY DO IT?

We know how hard it can be on college campuses right now, especially for Jewish students: people shouting each other down or withdrawing into echo chambers; fewer and fewer spaces where students with different points of view can come together and talk freely with each other. More divisions have been forming within the Jewish community, and other groups are growing increasingly distant from the Jewish community on campus.

Campus Commons will help you break down these barriers and build bridges across differences. Life is fuller, richer, when we’re in community with people who have different beliefs; when we can talk to people respectfully and confidently, without being afraid to say what we really mean. Jewish texts and wisdom, passed down through generations, can give us agency in building a vibrant, pluralistic community on campus and beyond.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

We are looking for students who seek out opportunities for intellectual growth, and who have a track record for connecting with individuals whose views and experiences differ from their own. Each cohort of Bridge Builders will be 40 students and comprise a mixture of people who are and are not formally involved in Jewish life on campus. Participants must be a full-time college students who identify as Jewish and have completed at least one year of college.

WHO’S LEADING IT?

The Bronfman Fellowship has 39 years of experience in fostering pluralistic Jewish community and leadership through our flagship year-long Fellowship program for Jewish teenagers in North America and Israel, and through programming for our vibrant alumni community. Our nearly 1,500 alumni have significant impact on the Jewish world and beyond through their work as community builders, deep thinkers, moral voices, and cultural creators. Learn more at bronfman.org.

The Campus Commons program is modeled on The Bronfman Fellowship's belief in Positive Pluralism – the deep understanding that a person can learn and grow from relationships with those who are different from them, and the recognition that this ability can and should be nurtured. Most importantly, it’s the knowledge that therein lies the key to a better future. Positive Pluralism has its roots in ancient Jewish wisdom, grows strong with self-exploration and discovery, and stretches its branches in all directions to an improved world.

As a Bridge Builder, you’ll have the opportunity to…

  • Study Jewish texts without tests, homework, grades, or judgment -- where you can enjoy learning even if you've never studied Jewish texts before.

  • Develop real-world, actionable skills, based on the latest research in social psychology, communication, and conflict management.

  • Meet other interesting Jewish students who may hold different views than you, but who share a desire to build bridges on campus.