Explore University of Hartford Hillel
As part of the Office of Jewish Life, Hartford Hillel is a warm and welcoming place where students gather for bagel brunches, Israeli cooking classes, Shabbat dinners, Hanukkah candle-lighting, movie nights, social justice initiatives, and much more! The SGA-recognized student organization is led by 10 incredibly talent student leaders, and is widely regarded as the most visible and active student organization on campus. Hillel offers social, cultural, educational, religious and spiritual, tikkum olam (community service), and Israel-related programs that are designed and planned by our students, with staff mentorship and support. Our Hillel’s goal is to provide students with the knowledge and comfort to explore their Jewish identity in whatever way is meaningful for them.Undergraduate Enrollment
4,070 Students
*Percent of population
Graduate Enrollment
1,914 Students
*Percent of population
Jewish Experience
In addition to hundreds of Hillel events and activities each year, the Office of Jewish Life provides many opportunities for students to grow and learn through exciting leadership opportunities, immersive experiences, holiday celebrations, and more. In Fall 2021, we partnered with the Office of Residential Life to renovate and manage apartments on campus designated for students who keep kosher. These recently renovated spaces are located in the Village Apartments, and we are excited to be able to add additional apartments this fall. The University of Hartford offers three historically Jewish Greek organizations – Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPI), Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi (SAEPi), and Sigma Delta Tau (SDT). Office of Jewish Life connects with Jewish students in these and other Greek organizations through our Greek Jewish Council (GJC). We sponsor Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at no cost to students. We also provide warm and welcoming Rosh Hashanah meals, a Yom Kippur breakfast, and fun events inside and outside of our Sukkah during the fall semester. We light candles and cook latkes for Hanukkah in our Hillel Center kitchen, organize a wide range of Seder options for Passover, and provide kosher lunches and snacks throughout the holidays. All food served at Hillel events is kosher. Catered meals are prepared under the supervision of the HKC – Hartford Kashrut Commission – either from the kosher dining station at University Commons or the Crown Market, a nearby kosher grocery and caterer. Occasionally we will bake or cook vegetarian meals in our small kosher kitchen in the Hillel Campus Center, which is not under supervision from HKC but is supervised by Jewish Life staff. Our Student Leadership Team works hard to plan programs and engage with the Jewish Community on campus. Our current leadership opportunities include: Hillel Student Board Community Engagement Internship (CEI) Jewish Learning Fellowship Internship Greek Jewish Council The robust Jewish community in West Hartford is welcoming to UHart students, and students can join the community in synagogues and for Shabbat meals at people’s homes. There are also a number of job opportunities at the different Hebrew and Day schools in the community. Additionally, there are kosher options within a couple miles of campus, including the Crown Market and Big Y, serviced by the University of Hartford campus shuttle.
- Served by Hillel Yes
- Religious Services Available Yes
- Rabbi/Jewish Educator on Campus No
- Kosher Food Available Yes
- Birthright Israel Participation Yes
- Alt Break Participation No
- Jewish Studies Offered Yes
- Jewish Studies Major or Minor Minor, Major
- Study Abroad in Israel University sponsored program, University approved programs, Accepts credit for Israel study abroad
- Israel Fellow No
Additional Campus Information
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- Private/Public Private
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- U.S. Region Northeast
- Commuter/Residential Residential
- Tuition In-State $42,851
- Tuition Out-of-State $42,851
- Out-of-State/Int’l 52% / 5%
- Greek Life Yes
The Hillel College Guide aims to provide you with a snapshot of each local Hillel’s makeup and offerings. We recognize that there may be more information you need in order to better understand the campus reality, particularly around issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. If you would like additional information about a given campus’ offerings or action steps in those areas, please reach out to us at [email protected].