Statements
Mission
The mission of Vanderbilt Hillel is to provide quality programming, leadership opportunities, and professional support to the University community in order to foster Jewish education and awareness, strengthen community and identity as uniquely Jewish and universally human, and promote the values of pluralism, Tikkun Olam, Israel, and Jewish peoplehood so that students can develop significant relationships and meaningful Jewish experiences.
We seek to maximize both "breadth" (the number of students involved in Hillel activities) and "depth" (the length and quality of the experience those students have). This is accomplished through our micro-community model, which focuses on creating ongoing, discrete campus communities based on specific interests and communalities between the group members. These groups of students function both independently as well as within the broader Vanderbilt Hillel framework to create experiences that inspire both the students in that specific community as well as the campus as a whole.
Background
Though a Jewish population existed at Vanderbilt for many years before Hillel came to campus, the Ben Schulman Center for Jewish Life officially opened its doors in 2002. Our building is named in honor of Ben Schulman (z'l), a 1939 Vanderbilt graduate whose generous contribution and leadership helped make the center a reality.
Vanderbilt Hillel provides ongoing Jewish Life programming and student leadership development on campus. Hillel provides students with meaningful and inspiring religious experiences, creates opportunities for students to develop programs and activities that inspire their peers, and builds relationships with the Jewish student body, not only among students active in Hillel but those that are not, as well.
At Vanderbilt Hillel, we offer students the opportunity to explore their Judaism, to study, to become leaders, to impact the world around them, and to enrich their connections to the Global Jewish community. Judaism is more than lighting candles on Chanukah, attending a Passover Seder or attending services once or twice a year. We focus on building Jewish communities "one student at a time" and we help students explore how Judaism complements the causes they care about and the things that inspire them.
Impact
Since our building opened in 2002, Vanderbilt's Jewish community has grown from 3% to over 15% of the total student body, representing over 1,000 students with over 800 involved at Hillel. Our constantly changing and expanding community presents unique challenges. We hold over one hundred religious experiences each academic year. Last year, we served approximately 3,000 Shabbat meals, over 500 High Holiday meals, and over 700 Passover Seder experiences.
The needs of students extend beyond Shabbat and Holiday programming. One of the most effective ways Hillel has addressed these needs is through the creation of micro-communities. We average around 25 micro-communities each year. Our events draw anywhere from a dozen students at a lunch and learn to well over 200 at a Falafel at Midnight. We average over 1 event, group meeting, or religious experience every day of the academic year, with over 400 students actively participating at Hillel and more than 200 student leaders. Our micro-communities include: JLC (Jewish Life Committee), MAP (Membership and Programming), FYSH (First Year Students at Hillel), 'Dores for Israel (Israel awareness and education), AIPAC Cadre (Israel advocacy), Challah for Hunger challah baking group, "Tuesday Schmoozeday" faculty lecture series, the Holocaust Lecture Series, Taglit Birthright, Senior Leadership, Graduate Student Communities, and Executive Board. These groups change over time depending on student interests; examples of past groups are our Tiyul (camping and outdoor experiences), "Jewgrass" musical group, and Hadracha Jewish Enrichment group for children.
Out of approximately 1,000 Jewish undergraduates, around 95% have some sort of affiliation with Hillel (social media, etc). 75% of Jewish undergrads attend at least a few events/services each year, and about 400 participate in at least one meaningful activity (this does not include attending programs, events, or religious services, instead measuring participation in activities such as Birthright, Hillel retreats, and "big brother/big sister" outreach program). 200 students hold one or more leadership positions in our 25 micro-communities.
Impact Statements from our students:
Hillel is your home away from home. Everyone should be able to have a spot on campus where they feel like they have a family. Hillel is the kind of place where you can come on your hardest days and feel better with your friends- including staff."
"Nearly 40 students have joined our First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) Board, a group that acknowledges the insecurities of freshmen in college and allows each individual to be themselves while pushing for mental and emotional growth, personally and spiritually. I often have trouble describing our Hillel to my friends, because the experience leaves me speechless. It truly transcends the normal routine that Vanderbilt students are used to: it is a breath of fresh air that Hillel provides for their 'Dores."
Needs
As stated above, the needs of students extend beyond Shabbat and Holiday programming. By developing significant and meaningful relationships with our students, we determine their needs and desires. As it should, it takes time and effort to cultivate these relationships. Our programming staff is critical to this effort and we are constantly balancing the demands of our staff on their time. Each of our staff members devotes a tremendous amount of time to connecting with students and this leaves less time for programming. It is a difficult balance between programming time and face to face connection with students.
Additional funding would enable Hillel to: a) grow and strengthen existing groups to ensure they are sustainable in the long term; b) continue to create new groups that will allow us to inspire and connect with a larger circle of students; c) create a sense of unity and shared purpose among the groups through meetings, collaborations, and resource sharing; and d) use major programming to heighten awareness of the groups and Hillel in general.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Religion- Related - Judaism |
| Secondary Category: | Education - Support NEC |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Our primary focus is on building community on Vanderbilt's campus, however we have found that our work impacts the greater Nashville community and beyond in many ways. Many alumni choose to make Nashville their home after graduation and they contribute to the vibrancy of the Nashville Area. In addition, we consider developing our students into potential leaders to be fundamental to our mission. Every year our students take on leadership roles on campus that they continue after graduation.
| TN - Davidson |
