The new building, adjacent to the current building on Delaware Avenue, is expected to be completed by spring 2027. The 18,000-square-foot building will feature a large event hall for Shabbat dinners for up to 250 students, huddle spaces for students to study and meet, lounges for students to gather, a beit midrash/chapel, classroom space and an outdoor gathering space.

“Finding a community to participate in is such an important part of the college experience, and Hillel is one of UD’s terrific organizations dedicated to this mission,” said UD alumnus Sen. David Sokola, who represents Newark in the state Senate. “Since the 1990s, the Kristol Center for Jewish Life has provided a beloved space for celebrations, social gatherings and community service programs. But as the student body continues to grow, spaces tailored to campus life need to grow with it. I know this new facility will continue to serve as a campus hub and provide an important welcoming space for UD students.”

The vision for the Kristol Center embodies UD’s intention to be inclusive, welcoming and supportive of students’ academic and personal growth. Since taking on the role of interim president in July, one of Laura Carlson’s key efforts has been to build community at UD.

“As I've been thinking about trying to do that university-wide, it is helpful to find incredible examples across campus where it's done really well, and Hillel is at the top of the list,” Carlson said. “This is a groundbreaking event … in both the literal sense as you see the dirt and the shovels, but also in a metaphorical sense because for me, this represents an instantiation of this incredible community.”

While there has been a Hillel group on UD’s campus since 1948, it wasn’t until 1993 that the group received a permanent space. Named for Abe and Pearl Kristol, who were instrumental in acquiring the property, the Kristol Center is located on Delaware Avenue within walking distance of the entire campus.

“We've been planning and dreaming about this day for many years,” said Todd Kristol, president of the UD Hillel board of directors and the grandson of Abe and Pearl Kristol. “This new building will be a home for Jewish life at UD for decades to come. It's going to be a place where students can celebrate, they can learn and they can find belonging.”

Hillel has raised $9.5 million of its $12 million goal for the new Kristol Center, including gifts of over $1 million each from Stuart and Suzanne Grant, the Kristol family and the Book family. In recognition of these transformational gifts, the new facility will be named the Stuart and Suzanne Grant Hillel at the Kristol Center for Jewish Life.

“We're making an investment in the future of the Jewish people,” Stuart Grant said. “This building will be a place where UD students go to turn that spark of Judaism into a lifelong Jewish journey. And within this new building, the Jewish students of the University of Delaware will have a place to go in refuge for trying times and a place to celebrate joyous times.”

Gov. Matt Meyer said the groundbreaking event was a momentous occasion not just for the University but for the entire state of Delaware.

“Through facilities like this … I have confidence that we can continue as a people around the world and as a people here — the Blue Hen [Jewish community] — that we can thrive for generations to come,” Meyer said.

Amidst a recent rising tide of antisemitism on college campuses around the country, the new building will serve as a welcoming space where students can authentically express their identities, engage in Jewish life and find a shared community.

“This represents much more than bricks and mortar. It really stands as a symbol of resilience, of identity and of unwavering community,” said Neil Book, a donor and UD alumnus. “My hope and prayer is that this will always serve as a place where Jewish students not only find connection and joy, but also strength and courage in who they are. When I look at this building, it says to me that we're here to stay.”