North Carolina Hillel Foundation

Peer engagement, community-building, and leadership development are at the core of NC Hillels work. Even during a global pandemic, NC Hillel engaged over 1,000 students (including nearly 700 Jewish students) on campuses across the state through diverse initiatives, including: a) student leaders who engage their Jewish peers through informal conversations, developing relationships and connecting their peers to meaningful Jewish experiences; b) a range of programs intended to create community, nearly all conducted online in 2020-2021, due to COVID-19; c) training and mentoring student leaders, which promotes community-building and peer engagement.

Jewish education is another key facet of NC Hillels efforts. The Jewish Learning Fellowship, a ten-week conversational seminar, and other educational programs inspire students to explore Jewish ideas, deepening their Jewish identities.

Shabbat and holiday celebrations and meals are a staple of NC Hillels calendar. In a typical year, on Friday nights across the state, hundreds of students gather to celebrate Shabbat, strengthening community and carving out time and space to rest and recharge with pluralistic religious services and a communal dinner. Hillel also convenes the community for Jewish holidays including Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Chanukah, and Passover, in addition to less well-known holidays of particular value for those students who are unable to travel home for the holiday, due to schedule, distance, or cost. During the pandemic, gathering patterns have shifted for safety reasons, but NC Hillel has remained committed to supporting students and providing them with resources to celebrate, including shipping creative Shabbat and holiday packages to students across the country.