I’ve noticed something about college campuses, and, honestly, about all of us. We often don’t go to events hosted by people who don’t look like us, pray like us, or share our background. We hesitate, thinking, “This isn’t for me.” And so, we stay in our own bubbles, separate from one another, missing opportunities to connect, to learn, to stand together.
That’s why we started Bagels, Not Bigotry. What began as a simple idea—hand out free bagels in exchange for signing a pledge against hate—has grown into something much bigger. Last year at Montclair State, our goal was modest: 250 signatures on a pledge standing against all forms of hate, not just antisemitism. What we found was surprising. Students didn’t just want a free bagel. They wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves. They wanted to say, “Hate has no place here on my campus.”
This fall, before Rosh Hashanah, we brought the event to all six of our campuses, aiming even higher. Over the course of one week, we collected more than 1,550 signatures. The bagels, generously donated primarily by Sonny’s Bagels in South Orange (and some from Kosher Bagel Supreme in Springfield and Super Duper Bagels in Livingston), became a warm invitation to step outside comfort zones and into community.
What struck me most wasn’t just the numbers. It was the conversations. Students who had never spoken to Jewish peers, who never thought they’d join a Hillel event, stopped by. Some said, “I don’t need a bagel, but I want to sign.” There was laughter, curiosity, and, most importantly, connection.
It reminded me that combating hate doesn’t always start with grand gestures. Sometimes, it starts with bagels.
With saying something, when you see someone being treated unfairly.
With putting our phones down long enough to really see the people around us, to make eye contact instead of scrolling past each other.
I’ve learned that hate thrives when we stay silent and separate. But it falters when we step forward, together. Bagels, Not Bigotry is simple, but its impact spreads far beyond a free breakfast. It creates space for dialogue, understanding, and relationships that can change the tone of an entire campus.
We’ll continue this event next year, and the year after that, because the work isn’t done. As long as hate exists, we need to keep showing up, keep signing pledges, keep sharing bagels and keep reminding ourselves that no campus, no community, should ever feel like it’s only “for some.”
Because it’s not. It’s for all of us.