The University of Florida Hillel was recently renamed the Diane and Howard Schilit Hillel following the Schilits’ seven-figure donation.
Although the exact amount was not disclosed, the Schilits’ donation is part of a larger $10 million campaign drive. This donation is aimed at strengthening programming, facility renovations and permanent endowment.
“Our initial gift was to establish an endowment in memory of my parents for Holocaust education, because I think that it is really important,” Diane Schilit said.
Hillel International says UF has the largest Jewish undergraduate population at any public university in the nation. An estimated 6,000 Jewish undergraduate students attend UF, according to Rabbi and Executive Director of Schilit Hillel, Jonah Zinn.
“Hillel is more than a building. It is a space where students can explore their Jewish identity safely and meaningfully,” Zinn said.
The campaign will help fund renovations to Norman H. Lipoff Hall, including ground-floor renovations scheduled for May 2026. The permanent endowment is to support Jewish life initiatives that will help with funding, staffing and educational resources.
The first phase of the renovations was completed last summer with the addition of the Stuzin Family Outdoor Pavilion, according to a Jan. 14 Schilit Hillel press release.
“I want the staff to have the resources that they need to do the amazing job they are doing,” Diane Schilit said.
Students say donor support is vital for the continuation of programming.
“Without the help of donors, I do not see how Hillel could be as successful as it is,” Rhea Polkhovsky, a third-year environmental science student, said.
Diane Schilit, a UF alumna, and a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, a national, historically Jewish sorority, recalls a time when Jewish life was limited to Greek life and High Holiday services often lacked physical meeting places.
“Hillel provided High Holiday services, but there were no meals, no real gathering places,” Diane Schilit said. “I remember going out for Erev Rosh Hashanah and having a tuna fish sandwich; it was kind of sad.”
Diane Schilit said the difference in opportunities available to students today versus when she was a student at UF is striking.
“Students are so lucky to be at the University of Florida in a time when it is so welcoming, and there are so many opportunities for Jewish students,” she said.
Diane Schilit has been involved in Jewish organizations nationwide. She first joined the UF Hillel board in 2020 and previously served on boards at the University of Maryland Hillel, the University of Miami Hillel, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.
Howard Schilit, who founded CFRA and Schilit Forensics and is the author of “Financial Shenanigans,” is considered a pioneer of forensic financial statement analysis, according to Schilit Hillel.
The expansion comes amid a national rise in antisemitism, particularly on college campuses, according to Hillel International. Hillel International reported 2,334 antisemitic incidents on college campuses during the 2023–24 academic year, the highest number recorded since it began tracking these incidents in 2019.
Despite the increase, students continue to engage in Schilit Hillel programming. Since Oct. 7, 2023, the Schilit Hillel has seen record engagement levels according to Zinn. He added that what matters most is having a place for students not to be afraid to embrace their Judaism.
“At a time when many Jewish students feel misunderstood or marginalized in other spaces, having a place where they can be openly and proudly Jewish and feel safe is particularly important,” Zinn said.
Schilit Hillel staff work alongside university administrators to address concerns to ensure its Jewish student population feels supported.
Beyond the conversations with administrators, Schilit Hillel has brought initiatives to campus to further educate the student population and promote allyship, including its annual Spread Cream Cheese Not Hate campaign, where students and community members can take the pledge to combat antisemitism and all forms of hate on campus.
Students say Schilit Hillel has provided them with a sense of belonging and safety on campus. For Polkhovsky, who is from out of state, Schilit Hillel has been central to finding a community.
“Hillel is a kind of that third space,” Polkhovsky said. “It is a happy medium between being a college student and being Jewish.”
Ella Prince, a second-year anthropology student who grew up in an interfaith household, said Schilit Hillel has helped her connect with Judaism in ways she never expected.
“I have never felt more accepted in a place than I have at Hillel,” Prince said. “I know that when I am there, I am safe.”
Schilit Hillel also serves as a central hub where students study, socialize, attend programming and share meals. In addition, it is a community space for alumni, families and members of the Gainesville community.
Zinn said the renaming and success of the campaign mark a turning point for Jewish life at UF, ensuring current and future students have access to resources to build a community.
For the Schilit family, the gift represents honoring the past but investing in the future.
“Diane and Howard’s generosity will help ensure vibrant Jewish life at the University of Florida for generations to come,” Zinn said.