FAQs
Answering all of your Frequently Asked Questions about Hillel!
Since its founding in 1923, Hillel has become the world’s largest, most inclusive Jewish campus organization, serving more than 140,000 students each year at 850 colleges and universities around the world. Hillel is a global community and a movement, but it’s also more than that: It’s a promise to empower every Jewish student along their Jewish journey, positively impacting the lives of generations of young Jews and ensuring the Jewish future, now and for years to come.
Learn more about Hillel.
Hillel encourages students of all backgrounds to form deep, personal connections to Jewish life, learning, and Israel through Jewish exploration, leadership, and a sense of belonging. Hillel professionals provide opportunities for students to have meaningful Jewish experiences, which can range from participating in peer-facilitated Jewish learning initiatives or immersive travel experience such as alternative breaks and Birthright Israel to developing relationships with Jewish mentors and educators, among others. Hillel also supports and facilitates student celebrations of Shabbat and holidays on and off campus.
Each Hillel is unique and caters to the local community it serves. There are Hillels on large college campuses and in the middle of metropolitan cities; those with large staffs, those run by student groups with a faculty advisor, and many more models.
Hillel International offers campus Hillels resources and services to support their work. The Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Experience provides students and professionals with Jewish educational resources and learning curricula. Hillel International also offers support in the areas of human resources, fundraising, strategic planning, leadership development, communications, fiscal administration, and student engagement.
To learn more about a campus Hillel, visit Hillel’s College Guide.
In general, Hillel does not advertise outside interests. If you feel that your event or opportunity is uniquely relevant to the Hillel network, please contact Hillel International with details. If you have a local offering relevant to students, you may contact the nearest Hillels directly through their College Guide listings.
Hillel never charges membership fees or dues, instead encouraging students to get involved and shape the Hillel experience they want during their time in college. Hillel is supported by generous donors. Learn more about supporting Hillel.
While the college selection process can be difficult at times, it can also be a truly rewarding experience! Choosing a college is about finding the place that is right for you. Start by deciding which factors are most important to you.
Hillel’s College Guide offers information on hundreds of colleges and universities around the world. Visit now for information on Jewish populations, kosher dining options, religious life, and Jewish studies. Once you have narrowed down your college choices, contact a Hillel professional on campus and ask to be put in touch with a current Jewish student.
Once you know where you’re going to school, make sure to sign up for our free welcome gift for all incoming first-year college students!
If you are a current college or university student, the best way to engage with a Jewish community of your peers is to contact your campus Hillel and ask for more information about how to get involved. To find a campus Hillel’s contact information, visit its listing in the College Guide. There are many ways to participate in Hillel, from Birthright Israel trips to Shabbat celebrations and other offerings. There may also be campus clubs that you might wish to join.
If you are not a student or the nearest Hillel is too far away, local Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Centers, and synagogues are a great place to start your search for a local Jewish community.
Israel is at the heart of Hillel’s work. Hillel’s goal is to inspire every Jewish college student to develop a meaningful and enduring relationship to Israel and to Israelis.
Hillel welcomes, partners with, and aids the efforts of organizations, groups, and speakers from diverse perspectives in support of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. Learn more about Hillel and Israel, and read Hillel’s full Guidelines on Israel.
Donate to your campus Hillel by visiting its listing in Hillel’s College Guide.
Thank you very much for your donation to Hillel! Please note that it can take up to six weeks for your gift to be processed and a receipt to reach you by mail. If you have not received your receipt after six weeks, please email [email protected] and include your full name, address, the date of your gift, and your specific inquiry/request.
A donation to Hillel impacts over 160,000 Jewish young adults each year at a critical moment of their self-discovery. With your support, Hillel provides students with meaningful Jewish experiences at colleges and universities around the world, inspiring them to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel. Your generous tax-deductible donation enables Hillel to continue enriching the lives of these students. Please click here to donate now.