Common Questions about Rutgers Hillel.

Getting
Started
How many Jewish students are there at Rutgers?
There are approximately 6,000 Jewish undergraduates and 1,000+ Jewish graduate students at Rutgers. Our campus has the largest Jewish undergraduate population of any campus in America!
How do students get involved with Hillel? Are there membership fees?
Click here to get involved today! We consider every Jewish student on campus to be a ‘member’ of Hillel, and any Rutgers student is welcome to participate in Hillel sponsored events. There are no membership fees and students are encouraged to attend any Hillel events and activities they like. Programs are supported by donations from parents, alumni, and the Jewish community. Students can also get involved by planning a program or activity.
What is Shabbat like at Rutgers?
Shabbat at Rutgers is tremendous. Every Friday night students come together at Hillel for student-led Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform services. Afterward students of every kind, whether they attended services or not, come together for FREE kosher Shabbat dinner. Between 300-350 students each week attend Hillel’s main Shabbat dinner, and in any given week there may be satellite Shabbat dinners at other campus locations. Often there is an Oneg after dinner, at Hillel or a student apartment, where students get together for more desserts, singing, and just hanging out.

Reform and Conservative religious communities have Saturday programming/services twice a month. The Orthodox community has services every Saturday morning. Sometimes there is a special lunch at Hillel, but every week we have a festive Seudah Sh’lishit/3rd Meal, with services and havdalah.

There is also an eruv around most of the campus, maintained by Hillel students and community members.  Being Shomer Shabbat at Rutgers is easy!

Does Hillel have a Rabbi?

We actually have three rabbis! Visit our staff page for information on them and all the other staff who work at Rutgers Hillel.

I’m interested in Jewish studies, is there a major for that?

Absolutely. The Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life and the Jewish Studies Department offer an impressive array of programs and courses. You can major or minor in Jewish Studies.