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Revised Hillel College Guide Makes School Choice Easier
August 02, 2004Comments (0) | Add | E-mail this to a friendHillel has released an updated Guide to Jewish Life on Campus (JLOC) that makes choosing the right college more convenient than ever. The guide, available at www.hillel.org, is the only online resource that reports on Jewish activity on hundreds of campuses in North America and around the world.
JLOC enables students and parents to search the database by a number of important criteria, such as Jewish student population, religious services, kosher dining options and Jewish studies courses. More than 35 student interest groups and activities, everything from a cappella to social justice programs, are also included. Many Hillels provide links to their own Web sites as well, and students and parents can use the site to find local Hillel contacts at their prospective schools. Hillel professionals can provide a first-hand perspective on their colleges and universities.
"For some students, kosher dining is a necessity, while others may be more interested in the number of Jewish fraternities and sororities on campus," Hillel President Avraham Infeld said. "Whether students want to study at a large public university or a small liberal arts college, this guide will help them examine if their chosen school will meet their Jewish needs."
By searching JLOC, students can find that Hillel brings together their Jewish peers at Christian institutions, such as Loyola University Chicago, Southern Methodist University and Texas Christian University. Shaloha Hillel at the University of Hawaii, Manoa serves students in the most tropical state, while students at North Dakota State University can warm up at Hillel as well. JLOC users can even find schools in exotic locations, such as Omsk, Russia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Hillel provides a world of opportunities for Jewish college students to grow as individuals and as community leaders. Students can participate in leadership training programs, travel abroad or develop programs that make an impact. Hillel is more than just a home away from home on campus: it is an engaging complement to college that adds value to students' lives.
Students can review schools with Jewish populations large and small, from Brandeis University, with an estimated Jewish population of 62 percent, to The Georgia Institute of Technology with 3 percent. One of the larger schools featured on JLOC, the University of Michigan, has 22 student interest groups at Hillel, including a cappella, athletics, drama and Israeli folk dance. There are also six historically Jewish fraternities and sororities, as well as College Democrats and College Republicans chapters. The University of Michigan Hillel offers daily Orthodox services, weekly Conservative and Reform services and a pluralistic minyan once a term.
In contrast, Washington and Lee University, with an undergraduate population of 1,800, has 13 Hillel student groups, including birthright israel Alumni, social action and campus leaders. The Washington and Lee Hillel offers monthly Conservative and Reform services. Earlham College has an undergraduate population of 1,200 but has 10 student groups at Hillel, such as Israeli folk dance, klezmer music and social action. Students join members at a local synagogue for religious services.
The largest Jewish campus organization in the world, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is committed to creatively empowering and engaging Jewish students through its network of over 500 campus Foundations, Program Centers and affiliates. Its long-standing dedication to building Jewish identity, while nurturing intellectual and spiritual growth in a pluralistic community, positions Hillel as a leader in building a stronger Jewish people and stronger Jewish future.
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