The Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) is a 10-week experiential, conversational seminar for students looking to deepen their understanding of Judaism on their own terms. We’re interested in asking big questions. You know — like, Who am I? What communities am I a part of? What is worth committing myself to, and why?
Today, JLF serves over 5,000 students annually, across over 150 Hillels in North America, with a growing number of local partners and students who would like to participate each year. The program has become the largest Jewish educational provider on North American college campuses, and the only pluralistic one of its kind.
To enhance students’ learning, JLF adds two components to traditional Torah study:
- JLF builds a cohort of students who become friends, supporting one another as they navigate Jewish communal life.
- JLF makes no claims about the “right” way to be Jewish. Through the prism of Torah and other ancient texts, fellows address life’s biggest questions, drawing on the life experiences and intuition of students.
5,000 Jewish students participate in JLF each year
96%
of JLF graduates said that the program helped Jewish ideas and tradition feel more relevant to their own lives
95%
of JLF graduates agreed that the program helped them feel like part of a Jewish community on campus
I had an amazing experience with JLF. I found a group that not only encompassed the importance of Judaism as a culture, but seeing the value in how to apply it to your daily life.
Through participating in the Jewish Learning Fellowship, students gain:
- A love of the study of Torah
- A strong Jewish social network and a
commitment to the Jewish people - A Jewish mentor to help them address life’s
big questions - A deep appreciation for the rhythms of the
Jewish calendar