Hillel experiences growth in recent years
By Ashley Hopkins, staff writer
Posted on February 9, 2007

Ever since senior Meryl Rubin entered JMU as a freshman, she has been determined to uphold her religious identity. 

In order to do so, she joined Hillel, a student-run organization, which seeks to enhance and support the JMU Jewish community.

The group was founded in the 1970s, but has only become active in the last five, according to  chapter president sophomore Matthew Wolf. 

When it started, Hillel was designed as an outlet for Jewish students to hang out with others of their faith, until alumnus Dan Teweles (‘06) and seniors Drew Hayes and Jacob Forstater reformed the organization. The organization has increased dramatically since then, as there are more than 800 Jewish students across campus, half of which the group reaches through e-mail.

“We still are a group of Jews that wants to hang out with other Jews,” Wolf said. “However, we have greatly expanded our role to work with the JMU and Harrisonburg communities.”

Even students are noticing the growth in the organization.

“Since my freshman year, the word has definitely been spreading,” Rubin said.  “I remember some events freshman year that only had seven or eight people show up.  Now for our free Shabbat dinners, we can end up with above 50 people.” 

Membership, however, is not restricted to Jewish students, as attendance is free and anyone who wants to attend an event can join. In fact, of the thousands of students who attended JMU during the 2004-05 school year, 25 percent had attended at least one Hillel event, according to Wolf.

The goal of Hillel is simple — to educate and inform the public about Judaism and the Jewish community. 

The group accomplishes these goals in many ways.

Each year Hillel sponsors a plethora of events, educational, social and religious in nature.

In the past, the group has brought in a wide variety of speakers, including Raanan Gissen, former senior advisor for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, David Baker, senior foreign press coordinator for the office of the prime minister, and other ambassadors, journalists, politicians and world leaders.

In addition, the group also hosts free barbecues, ice cream socials, dances and Shabbat dinners. On a larger scale, they sponsor an interfaith Passover dinner once a year, plan a free birthright trip to Israel for Jewish students under 27 years of age, and organize a Holocaust Remembrance Week.

Students involved in the organization are enthusiastic about the program and the progress it has made. 

“It’s a way to stay involved with my spiritual life in an environment where there aren’t a lot of other Jews,” said Kathleen Herring, a sophomore who has been involved in Hillel since her freshman year.

Rubin also commented on the success of the group and her hopes for its future. “Even though I’m graduating, I hope that people still keep coming to events in years to come. We hope to spread the word to other Jewish students to come out and join us.”