Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life seeks to inspire every Jewish undergraduate and graduate student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life. Since an estimated 85 percent of the American Jewish community attends an institution of higher education, Hillel is well positioned to influence young Jews at a point in their lives when they are making critical decisions about family, faith, and their future. Hillel’s mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may, in turn, enrich the Jewish people and the world.

Hillel welcomes Jews of all backgrounds to its 251 affiliated foundations, program centers and Jewish student organizations on 513 campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Hillel foundations are also located in Israel, South America, and the republics of the former Soviet Union.

Federations are an important partner in Hillel’s work. In 2005-2006, the federation system provided $15 million in direct aid to Hillel locally and internationally. Beyond ongoing support for Hillel facilities and programs, federations provided emergency funding for Virginia Tech Hillel in the wake of a shooting incident on campus, underwrote Hillel’s work in rehabilitating hurricane-damaged homes on the Gulf Coast, and are assisting with the placement of Jewish Agency for Israel fellows on 21 campuses.