5/28/26

Community Service Award for JCRC

In April of 2025, UNL Hillel and the Jewish Community Relations Council hosted the event “Spread Cream Cheese Not Hate” on the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln. The purpose: to spread awareness of antisemitism and other forms of hate in an engaging way.

The JCRC will receive the Jewish Federation of Omaha Community Service Award during our Annual Meeting, which will be held Thursday June 4.
Free bagels with cream cheese were given away, along with information about UNL Hillel and JCRC, including ways to report incidents. Over the course of the event, more than 250 students and faculty interacted with the Hillel students and JCRC to learn about each organization’s mission and to sign a digital pledge to fight antisemitism and other forms of bias on campus. The flyers distributed said:

“As UNL students, we have the power to lead by example. Let’s challenge harmful narratives and amplify voices that need to be heard. Every small act of kindness, every open conversation, every stand against hate counts. We are stronger when we unite, celebrate diversity, and reject all forms of hate. Together, we can build a college community where everyone belongs.”

“This program is an expression of Jewish values in action,” Sharon Brodkey, JCRC executive director, said. “It embodies the Jewish principles of tikkun olam and kehillah, translating deeply held religious and cultural commitments into concrete campus engagement.”
“The bagels and cream cheese are a nod to a food that is iconic in Jewish life and broadly recognized as part of Jewish cultural heritage,” JCRC Assistant Director Pam Monsky added. “For Jewish students, seeing their culture celebrated in a public space is itself meaningful. For non-Jewish students, it offered a warm, low-stakes introduction to Jewish community.”

In partnering with JCRC, the program connected UNL’s Jewish students to a wider network of community support, advocacy, and resources reinforcing the bonds between campus Jewish life and the broader Jewish community in Nebraska.

“Spread Cream Cheese Not Hate” is a program that is greater than the sum of its parts. It was creative in design, successful in execution, distinctive in approach, and deeply rooted in Jewish values and community purpose. UNL Hillel and JCRC have demonstrated that meaningful change on campus begins with showing up, meeting people where they are, and inviting them into a shared commitment to a more just and inclusive community.
The engagement did not stop at awareness. Every participant was invited to sign a digital pledge to actively combat antisemitism and bias-converting passive awareness into personal commitment. This pledge-based model reflects best practices in behavior change research, which shows that public commitments significantly increase follow-through on stated intentions.

The program also succeeded in its secondary goal of introducing both UNL Hillel and JCRC to members of the campus community, who may have been unfamiliar with either organization, building a broader base of allies and potential future participants…The event was sponsored by the Lazier L. and Harriet B. Singer Memorial Fund for Youth, and was so successful, it was back for a repeat performance in April of 2026.

“Spread Cream Cheese” stands out as a genuinely inventive approach to a serious subject,” Pam Monsky said. “By using food, specifically bagels and cream cheese, we have a fabulous icebreaker that invites students in for an engaging interaction with Jewish students – it is truly a grassroots effort!”

“The biggest impact of the Spread Cream Cheese event is education,” said Preston Gordman, student president of UNL chapter Hillel. “Often, offensive comments are not made out of malice but out of a lack of education or experience. Events like this create opportunities for people to learn, ask questions, and build greater awareness.”

While handing out bagels and cream cheese in a non-threatening atmosphere, volunteers have the opportunity to lead by example, engage students in conversations that challenge harmful narratives, and foster a college community where everyone belongs. Students who stop by to enjoy a nosh will learn how to report hate incidents and are invited to sign a pledge, which reads: “I commit to combat antisemitism and all forms of hate on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. I encourage my fellow Huskers to create a safe and welcoming campus community for all.”