When Ayala Hendin arrived in St. Louis in the summer of 2022, she wasn’t just beginning a new academic chapter. She was coming home—sort of. Her parents had made aliyah in 1975, after her father was one of the first volunteers from St. Louis to fly to Israel during the Yom Kippur War (1973). She was born here during a brief return to the United States and though she was raised in Israel, St. Louis had always been a part of her story.

Now, nearly three years into her postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University, that story is coming full circle. Hendin is preparing to return to Israel this summer. But first, she’s offering one final—and very personal—conversation about the questions she’s spent years studying: What happens to inclusion and equity when the world feels like it’s falling apart?

A farewell event and a timely question

On Thursday, April 17, Hendin will present “A DEI Policy Trap? Lessons from Israeli and American Higher Education,” a free, public program hosted by WashU’s Department of Jewish, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. The event begins with a kosher-for-Passover reception at 5 p.m., followed by the program at 5:30 p.m. in Brown Lounge in Brown Hall.

Joining Hendin will be Professor Mona Khoury, vice president for strategy and diversity at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr. Kia Caldwell, vice provost for faculty affairs and diversity at WashU. Together, they’ll explore how institutions in Israel and the U.S. are grappling with diversity, equity and inclusion—especially in the face of crisis, war and public backlash.

“Since Oct. 7, (2023), the tension between liberal values—like equity and inclusion—and ethnonational values that set boundaries for inclusion has become even more pronounced,” Hendin said. “The challenge now is ensuring that campuses are spaces where everyone can truly live and learn together—even in the most difficult times.”

A research project shaped by real-time crisis

Hendin’s three-year postdoctoral fellowship at WashU has focused on teaching and research about Israeli society and public policy. She originally planned to compare civic divides in Jerusalem and St. Louis. But events quickly shifted her attention.

“I wasn’t looking to come here specifically,” she said. “But I thought being in St. Louis—a city divided in different ways—might help me understand more about identity, history and belonging in a new context. What I didn’t expect was that Israel’s crises would follow me here.”

As Oct. 7 and its aftermath reshaped life in Israel, Hendin began examining how DEI policies in Israeli higher education were impacted. At the same time, she saw familiar fault lines emerging across American campuses, including her own.

A goodbye rooted in community

While her work has remained academic, her presence in St. Louis has been deeply communal. During her time here, Hendin has spoken at Lead STL, JCRC, Momentum, Temple Israel, Kol Rinah, Shaare Emeth, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and within the Clayton School District. She’s led discussions, delivered lectures and helped people across the Jewish community process complex and often painful issues.

“The St. Louis Jewish community welcomed me in,” she said. “They were there in a very tough time to be an Israeli Jew outside of Israel.”

Thursday’s event, she says, is her way of closing this chapter honestly.

“This is my goodbye to the university—and to St. Louis Jewish life in a moment that still feels so unfinished,” she said. “But I know this city will always be part of my story.”

The conversation may be complicated—but it’s urgent

Following Hendin’s talk, two university leaders will join her for a thoughtful and possibly emotional, discussion.

Khoury of Hebrew University said the work of building inclusive campuses starts long before the headlines.

“My recommendation for institutions like ours is not to wait for a crisis in order to bring students together,” she said. “We have to build relationships and understanding before tensions rise. At the Hebrew University, we’ve spent years working on Jewish and Arab relationships. Because of that, we were more prepared than many other institutions when Oct. 7 happened.”

Still, she acknowledged that not everything can be anticipated.

“There were new issues we didn’t cope with effectively. But we learned from them,” she said. “We had a committee examine freedom of speech and we’re using that to guide how we move forward—even while still in the middle of this crisis.”

Khoury said she hopes attendees walk away from the event with a deeper understanding of the complexity behind the headlines.

“People should know that the situation is complicated. It’s not black and white,” she said. “Everyone comes with their own narrative. We don’t have to accept each other’s narratives—but we do have to respect the differences between us. That’s how we move forward.”

What: A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Policy Trap?
When: Thursday, April 17, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Brown Hall, Brown Lounge
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