Hillel International: Jewish Life on the College Campus

Finding Home Away from Home

For many Jewish students, arriving at college is the first time they have been responsible for their own Jewish life. At home, Jewish identity was maintained by family — Shabbat dinners happened because parents made them happen, holidays were observed because grandparents insisted, synagogue attendance was not optional. At college, all of that disappears. Nobody is reminding you to light candles on Friday night. Nobody is making you chicken soup when you are homesick.

This is where Hillel comes in. Since 1923, Hillel International has been the primary address for Jewish life on the college campus — a place where students can find Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, study groups, social events, and community. It is the Jewish living room of the university, and for millions of students over the past century, it has been the place where Jewish identity stopped being something inherited from parents and became something chosen.

The Founding: A Rabbi’s Vision

Hillel was founded in 1923 at the University of Illinois by Rabbi Benjamin Frankel, who recognized that Jewish students at large secular universities were drifting away from Jewish life. Synagogues were designed for families and established communities, not for nineteen-year-olds trying to figure out who they were. Rabbi Frankel created something new — a Jewish space embedded within the university itself, designed specifically for students.

He named it after Hillel the Elder, the first-century rabbi famous for his openness and accessibility. Hillel the Elder once summarized the entire Torah for a skeptical student standing on one foot: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary — go and learn.” That spirit of radical welcome became the organization’s founding ethos.

The idea spread quickly. Within a decade, Hillel chapters had been established at dozens of universities. B’nai B’rith, the Jewish service organization, provided institutional support and helped fund the expansion. By mid-century, Hillel was a fixture on major campuses across America.

What Hillel Does

At its core, Hillel creates Jewish experiences for college students. The specifics vary by campus, but the programming typically includes:

Shabbat. Friday night dinners are the backbone of most Hillel chapters. A warm meal, candle lighting, kiddush, and challah — for many students, Hillel’s Shabbat dinner becomes the weekly anchor of their college social life.

Holidays. Hillel organizes High Holiday services, Passover seders, Hanukkah celebrations, and observances of every Jewish holiday. For students who cannot travel home, these events provide a sense of belonging and continuity.

Jewish learning. Classes, discussion groups, and text study sessions give students the opportunity to engage with Jewish ideas, history, and tradition in an intellectually serious but informal setting.

Israel engagement. Many Hillels offer programming related to Israel, including educational trips (often in partnership with Birthright Israel), speakers, and opportunities for dialogue about Israeli society and politics.

Social justice. Tikkun olam — repairing the world — is a core value for many Hillel chapters. Students organize volunteer projects, advocacy campaigns, and community service initiatives.

Community building. Beyond formal programming, Hillel provides a social space — a place to hang out, meet people, study for exams, and build the friendships that define the college experience.

The Philosophy of Radical Welcome

Hillel’s approach has evolved over the decades, but one principle has remained constant: meet students where they are. Hillel does not demand a specific level of observance or belief. It welcomes students who keep strictly kosher and students who have never seen the inside of a synagogue. It welcomes students with two Jewish parents, one Jewish parent, or no Jewish parents at all. It welcomes students who are questioning, exploring, or unsure.

This philosophy, sometimes called “radical welcome,” is rooted in the organization’s namesake. Hillel the Elder did not turn away the skeptic — he engaged him. Modern Hillel follows the same principle: the door is open, the table is set, and everyone is invited.

Hillel Across the World

What began as a single chapter in Illinois has grown into a global network operating on more than 850 campuses worldwide. Hillel has chapters across North America, in South America, Europe, Australia, Israel, and the former Soviet Union.

Each campus Hillel operates with significant autonomy, adapting to local culture and student needs. A Hillel at a large state university in the Midwest looks different from one at a small liberal arts college in New England, which looks different from one at a university in Buenos Aires or Moscow. The common thread is the mission: creating opportunities for Jewish students to explore and celebrate Jewish life.

Impact and Challenges

Hillel’s impact on American Jewish life is difficult to overstate. For many Jews, the years spent at Hillel during college are formative — the period when Jewish identity shifts from something given by family to something actively chosen. Studies consistently show that students who engage with Hillel during college are more likely to maintain Jewish connections as adults, raise Jewish families, and participate in Jewish communal life.

The organization faces challenges too. On some campuses, rising antisemitism has made Jewish students feel targeted and vulnerable. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict generates intense debate, and Hillel has struggled at times to balance its commitment to open dialogue with its support for Israel. Its partnership policies — which set guidelines for which speakers and organizations can be hosted under the Hillel banner — have generated controversy.

But the fundamental mission endures. Every Friday night, on hundreds of campuses around the world, students gather for Shabbat dinner at Hillel. They light candles, break challah, sing songs, and sit around tables that feel, for a few hours, like home. That is what Hillel does best: it makes Jewish life feel like home, even when home is far away.