Jewish Student Union




What is JSU? What is Hillel? What is Chabad? What is the Jewish community like on campus? How big is it? What happens on Friday night and Shabbat? I’m not Orthodox. What are my options for Shabbat? How can I get involved in Jewish programs on campus? What’s the Israel community like on campus? Is there anti-Israel sentiment on campus? Is kosher food available on and off campus? Are professors accommodating in terms of holiday observances? Are there nearby synagogues? Can I teach Hebrew School/Sunday School at nearby synagogues or temples? What are the Jewish learning opportunities on campus?			Hillel is an organization dedicated to creating a Jewish community on campus. It has a building (near the front of school), which is utilized primarily for Friday night services and dinner, staff offices, special events, Passover meals, and preparing daily kosher meals. It has a staff of six. The staff serve as advisors for JSU and many individual student groups. Most programs do not take place at Hillel, but on the main campus or South 40. According to the Hillel website, www.hillel.org: “The largest Jewish campus organization in the world, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life provides opportunities for Jewish students at more than 500 colleges and universities to explore and celebrate their Jewish identity through its global network of regional centers, campus Foundations and Hillel student organizations. Hillel is working to provoke a renaissance of Jewish life. Hillel's mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Hillel student leaders, professionals and lay leaders are dedicated to creating a pluralistic, welcoming and inclusive environment for Jewish college students, where they are encouraged to grow intellectually, spiritually and socially. Hillel helps students find a balance in being distinctively Jewish and universally human by encouraging them to pursue tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and Jewish learning, and to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood. Hillel is committed to excellence, innovation, accountability and results.” More information about the St. Louis Hillel is available at www.stlouishillel.org.