SAN DIEGO — The California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District has affirmed a decision allowing construction of a new Hillel Jewish student center adjacent to the University of California, San Diego. The project has been on hold pending a challenge in court by a group named Taxpayers for Responsible Land Use (TRLU).

“After nearly two decades of fighting for the right to create a safe space to cultivate the future of our Jewish community in an area with a history riddled with blatant antisemitism, the fact that we can now build this special space means so much,” said Hillel of San Diego Executive Director, Karen Parry. “The Joseph and Beverly Glickman Hillel Center will be a shining symbol of resilience for the future of the Jewish community.”

The vacant lot of land was purchased by Hillel of San Diego nearly two decades ago and the building project was unanimously approved by the San Diego City Council in 2017. TRLU has been challenging the project at every level claiming, among other things, that the gathering space for Jewish college students would be a detriment to the neighborhood. The City Council rejected those challenges and approved the project, and that decision was upheld by the Superior Court and now the Court of Appeal as well. 

The La Jolla neighborhood where Hillel of San Diego has been waiting to build has a known antisemitic history and did not allow Jewish people to purchase property in the area until the mid-1960’s, when a deal was brokered in order to allow the University of California to consider the area for UC San Diego. La Jolla now boasts three large synagogues and a thriving Jewish community. 

The Appellate Court’s decision is the penultimate step toward finally allowing the construction project to begin. The $19 million project consists of three state-of-the-art buildings totaling 6,500 square feet, and will serve the Jewish students of UCSD each year by hosting worship, Jewish learning, and community activities. 

“The Hillel Board would like to thank all our friends and supporters who have enabled us to reach this incredible milestone,” said Todd Kirschen, Hillel of San Diego Board President. “We are now one step closer to actualizing our dream of welcoming students into the Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center.”

Construction on the Hillel is slated to begin later this summer.