[5] In 1923, Edward Chauncey Baldwin, Christian professor of Biblical literature at University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign was distressed by his Jewish students' lack of knowledge of the Hebrew Bible, and he discussed his concerns with Rabbi Benjamin Frankel.

[6][7] Later the same year, members of the local Jewish and university communities met in a rented loft over a dry cleaner in Champaign, Illinois, and founded The Hillel Foundation.

[9] An integral part of this shift was the institution of a Board of Governors, chaired by Edgar M. Bronfman until 2009 when he was succeeded by Randall Kaplan.

The subsequent revitalization of the organization resulted in increased donor support, updated programming, and broad international recognition.

Part of the increased donor support came as a result of Bronfman's well-known campus visits, beginning in 1994, that continued until his death in 2013.

[23] Hillel International Presidents and CEOs have included Rabbi Benjamin Frankel (1925–1927); Abram L. Sachar (1933–1948);[24] Richard M. Joel (1988–2003);[25] Wayne Firestone (2005–2013);[26] and Eric Fingerhut (2013–2020).

[36] Adam Lehman, Hillel International’s president and CEO, has called his organization "radically pluralistic, inclusive, egalitarian home for Jewish students coming from all different backgrounds".

[44][45] Hillel describes themselves as "steadfastedly committed to the support of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and recognized borders.

"[46] Their Standards of Partnership forbid campus Hillels to "partner with, house or host organizations, groups or speakers" that adopt an anti-Zionist orientation or express support for the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

[47] The organization imposes restrictions on activities; Hillel takes a firm stance in opposing certain types of views on Israel, such as the BDS campaign, and those who hold them.

Part of this involved a rejection of Hillel International's Standards of Partnership that they alleged to limit open dialogue and freedom of speech.

"[71] In January 2016, Boston University Hillel hosted a public event called "All Students, All Israel Think Tank" which included sections on how to "combat BDS."

Students opposing the Hillel accused Barkat's of previously "encouraging demolitions" of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem while protesting the event.

In September 2021, the Graduate and Professional Student Senate at Virginia Tech proposed a resolution demanding the university to divest from Israel.

The proposers accused the Hillel at Virginia Tech of "harassing" the resolution's supporters, despite its exercise of freedom of speech as protected by the First Amendment of the U.S.

38 Jewish Princeton students wrote an open letter accusing the group of expecting its members to oppose the petition unquestioningly.

[88] In 2006, a George Washington Law School student organized an on-campus rally to call for the disinvestment from Israel.

[89] Robert Fishman arranged a group of his members to read out questions to former President Jimmy Carter who spoke on campus in March 2007.

Individuals opposing the Hillel accused the group's activities of giving the media the "false impression" that the audience was "critical" of Carter, despite them exercising their right to protest.