Hillel

The Kraft Center for Jewish Life, home of Hillel

Columbia/Barnard Hillel is a student group that exists to promote Jewish life on campus. Hillel is in the Kraft Center on 115th & Broadway. There are 1,500 Columbia and Barnard students who are actively engaged in Jewish life on campus. Hillel sponsors a wide variety of programs; specific programmatic areas include: social, religious, cultural, social justice, educational, interfaith and Israel.

Student Life at Hillel

Acting as an umbrella for Jewish life under the Student Governing Board, Hillel is comprised of 26 constituent student groups and countless supplemental initiatives. One such initiative is Jewish Life Orientation (or JelLO) which takes place immediately after NSOP at the beginning of each Fall semester and includes programming intended to help incoming students find their place in the Jewish community. Hillel is also an active programming location during Senior Week at the end of each Spring semester.

Programming at Hillel

In addition to weekly religious programming and holiday programming, Hillel has several unique events and initiatives. Every Fall semester, often in Low Library, the social/cultural committee sponsors Hillel Formal. This dance is co-sponsored by a multitude of campus groups and organizations. During finals each semester, Hillel hosts "Butler Smells, Come to Hillel." The Hillel building is transformed into a multiplicity of study spaces, from social to silent, with consistently replenished snacks and reservable group-study rooms.

Dining at Hillel

In addition to food served by groups at their events, Hillel offers several dining options: Cafe Nana is a restaurant on the 2nd floor of Hillel open Sunday-Thursday that serves Middle Eastern and Italian fare. Kraft Shabbat Dinner is a weekly Shabbat dinner that takes place on the 5th floor of the Kraft Center every Friday. The heavily subsidized meal costs $5. Hewitt Shabbat Meals are coordinated by Hillel and provided by Barnard dining services. These traditional Friday dinners and Saturday lunches take place in Hewitt Dining Hall.

Executive Board

Email us at eboard@hillel.columbia.edu

2013

• • President - Seffi Kogen, GS/JTS '14
  • Vice President of Group Development - LeeLee Borzak, BC '15
  • Vice President of Community Development - Arielle Belfer, BC/JTS '14
  • Marketing and Finance Coordinator - Charlene Thrope, BC/JTS '14
  • Social/Cultural Coordinator - Livi Byer, BC '15
  • Israel Coordinator - Hillel Lehmann, GS/JTS '15
  • Religious Life Coordinator - Hannah Spellman, BC '15
  • Education Coordinator - Chavie Sharfman, BC '15
  • Interfaith/Intercultural Coordinator - Simone Vais, BC '15
  • Social Justice Coordinator - Benjie Frieling, SEAS '14

2012

• • President - Daniel Bonner, CC '13
  • Vice President - Seffi Kogen, GS/JTS '14
  • Vice President Initiatives - David Offit, GS/JTS '13
  • Treasurer- Rachael Smilowitz, SEAS '13
  • Social/Cultural Coordinator - Jessica Levenson, BC '14
  • Israel Coordinator - Ariel Brickman, GS/JTS '13
  • Religious Life Coordinator - Sam Kazer, CC '14
  • Education Coordinator - Ariella Pultman, BC '13
  • Interfaith/Intercultural Coordinator - Yakira Heller, BC '14
  • Social Justice Coordinator - Zoe Schein, BC '13

2011

• • President - Jordana Kaminetsky, BC '12
  • Vice President of Groups - Suzanne Guttman, BC '12
  • Vice President of Community Relations - Julianna Storch, BC '12
  • Treasurer- Ze'ev Gebler, CC '13
  • Social/Cultural Coordinator - Sara Miriam Liben, GS/JTS '13
  • Israel Coordinator - Matthew Jacobs, CC '13
  • Religious Life Coordinator - Josh Warshawsky, GS/JTS '13
  • Education Coordinator - Gavriel Metzger, CC '13
  • Interfaith/Intercultural Coordinator - Leah Greenstein, CC '13
  • Social Justice Coordinator - Ruthy Sher, CC '12

2010

• • President - Aviva Buechler, BC ’11
  • Vice President of Groups - Abigail Lowin, CC ’11
  • Treasurer- Jamie Herskovits, BC '11
  • Social/Cultural Coordinator - Jordana Kaminetsky, BC ’12
  • Israel Coordinator - Jonah Liben, GS/JTS '11
  • Religious Life Coordinator - Cory Doliner, GS/JTS '12
  • Education Coordinator - Mitzi Steiner, BC '12
  • Interfaith/Intercultural Coordinator - Emily Winograd, BC/JTS '12
  • Social Justice Coordinator - Esther Nivasch, CC '11

Religious Groups

• Kesher (Reform Jewish Life)
• Yavneh (Modern Orthodox Jewish Life)
• Koach (Conservative Jewish Life)
• Lalekhet (Progressive Orthodox Jewish Life)
• Jewish Women on Campus (Feminist Orthodox Life)
• Shabbat Meals Committee (Weekly Shabbat Meals)

Social/Culture Groups

• Gayava (Jewish Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Group)
• Pizmon (Jewish Coed A Capella)
• S'madar (Jewish Female A Capella)
• Shalhevet (Jewish Dance Troupe)
• Avanim (Literary Magazine)

Education Groups

• Beit Midrash Program (Extra-curricular Jewish Studies Learning)
• Wednesday Night Learning Program (Partner/Group Learning)
• Jewish Education Workshop (Peer Learning & Teaching Program)

Social Justice Groups

• Kraft Clothing Pantry (Clothing Pantry)
• Project Sunshine (Kids Krafts and Book Buddy Volunteering)
• Alternative Spring Breaks (Spring Volunteer Alternative Break Trips)
• Challah for Hunger (Baking Challah each Wednesday to sell every Friday. Proceeds benefit AJWS and the Nourishing Kitchen)

Interfaith/Intercultural

• General Interfaith/Intercultural Programming

Israel Groups

• Garin Lavi (Alliyah/Moving to Israel)
• LionPAC (Pro-Israel Political Affairs Committee)
• Pro-Israel Progressives (Pro-Peace, Pro-Israel Group)
• Tarbootnikim, Israel Committee (Israel Cultural & Educational Committee)
• J Street CU (Progressive Israel Group)

Follow us on Twitter

• Hillel on Twitter

Our Website

• Hillel Website

Like Us On Facebook

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External links

• Columbia/Barnard Hillel - Wikipedia article