100 Days, 100 Gifts Blog
Catch up on our 100 days campaign below!
To donate , please visit: www.pennstatehillel.org/campaign/100days
Here are 100 ways Penn State Hillel is making an impact on Jewish life at Penn State, Jewish students, and the State College Jewish community.
Day 90 of 100: Our office space, while small, is cozy and meant for students to relax, study, hang out, or escape reality for a minute!
Day 89 of 100: Guitar jam sessions on Shabbat and through out the week
Day 88 of 100: Text study with our Multi-Campus Educator
Day 87 of 100: Our holidays and Shabbat wouldn’t be complete without our prayer books, siddurim, kippot, or talit. Thanks to you, our supporters, we have a set ready and available for us by students and the community!
Day 86 of 100: Nosh and drosh, lunch and learn, or whatever you want to call it, we love take a step away form the text books and doing some informal learning led by our students!
Day 85 of 100: Purim parties with Matisyahu! Not every campus gets to bring Matisyahu for a Purim party, but we do! Each year we go out with a bang celebrating Purim the traditional way – costumes, migillah readings, and drinks!
Day 84 of 100: Student leadership retreats happen at the start of the year to help us prepare and plan for a successful year!
Day 83 of 100: Our staff and students are always presented opportunities to attend conferences across the country. These conferences can range from Israel advocacy, to Jewish engagement, to professional development. When possible, we are proud to be able to support travel expenses and attendance fees so that our students can continue to further their Jewish growth worry-free!
Day 82 of 100: We love being seen on campus and the best way to be seen is at the HUB! Often you can find our staff and students tabling at the HUB.
Day 81 of 100: Kosher food on campus! New this fall 2017, Kosher food will be available in the East Dining Halls! Thanks to the hard working administration and Jewish leaders on campus, we continue taking steps to creating and inclusive environment for our students!
Day 80 of 100: Growing Jewishly is important for our staff and our students. One way we gain Jewish knowledge, explore Jewish text and tradition, and strengthen our Jewish identities is through our Multi-Campus Educator, Rabbi Danielle Leshaw. Rabbi Danielle was brought on to our team to provide staff and students with the resources and support they need to make sure Jewish learning is ingrained in their every day life.
Day 79 of 100: One of our favorite moments in the week is Shabbat dinner. On Friday nights, students an staff come together to enjoy a hot meal prepared fresh in our kitchen but dedicated students. The meal symbolizes the end to the week and a time to separate the busy week from a time of reflection and relaxation. The meals are free for students thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
Day 78 of 100: Our students not only love engaging with the local Jewish community on campus and in State College, but they also love engaging on a national level too. Every year students travel to Ohio State’s campus for Ohio Loves Israel Week – a 4 days convening of Jewish students working to advocate for Israel. We’re able to subsidize a portion of the cost for our students can travel worry-free!
Day 77 of 100: Many of our students are passionate about Israel education and advocacy. One way we are able to support that passion is by sending our students to international conferences should as the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, DC. Students travel with our Israel Fellow to the conference where they are able to participate in workshops, listen to speakers, and network with many others passionate about Israel.
Day 76 of 100: Our staff is dedicated to providing the best experience for our students on campus. In order to do that, it is important for our staff to participate in professional and personal development opportunities, just like our students. One way our staff gains development is through Hillel International’s many professional development opportunities including workshops on Israel engagement, Jewish learning, social justice programming, innovation on campus, etc.
Day 75 of 100: The David Project empowers student leaders to build mutually beneficial and enduring partnerships with diverse student organizations so that the pro-Israel community is integrated and valued on campus. In partnership with The David Project, we are able to hire three interns on campus.
Day 74 of 100: Throughout the year, many high-profile speakers are able to visit campus and engage with our students. In the past, we’ve been able to bring Matisyahu -Jewish reggae artist, Shannan Street – Israeli musician, Ori Shavit – Israeli Chef, and Lucy Aharish – Israeli/Arab news anchor.
Day 73 of 100: Being located in the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center has opened up many opportunities to build interfaith programming for our students such as dinners, holiday rituals, panel discussions, etc.
Day 72 of 100: The core of what we do it relationship building. One way we do that is by taking students on coffee dates. Staff, student leaders, and interns meet with Jewish students to get to know them on a personal level so we can provide a meaningful Jewish experience.
Day 71 of 100: While all our programming is important and offers a way for students to connect Jewishly, our biggest concern is that students feel supported. Hillel is a space where students can feel at home; a space where students can be their authentic selves. College is a journey full of ups and downs, challenges, and self-discovery, and we are here for our students 100% of the way.
Day 70 of 100: Students have an opportunity to gain professional development through our programming. Specially, students can participate in the Jewish Leaders Fellowship (JLF) which offers a unique opportunities in professional development, networking, and engaging as a Jewish leader. With JLF, we’re focused on providing our students with the skills and resources they need for future internships, jobs, board positions, lay leader roles, etc.
Day 69 of 100: At Penn State Hillel we make it a priority to build strong connections with other entities on campus including Penn State Administration. We work as partners and collaborators with the administration to ensure our students feel safe on campus day in and day out.
Day 68 of 100: At Penn State Hillel we have committed to Penn State’s diversity and inclusion program, All In Penn State. All In Penn State is “an ongoing commitment to spotlight the importance of diversity at Penn State, demonstrate the University’s commitment to inclusivity and inspire all members of the community to take an active role in promoting respect and embracing diversity.
Penn State has a strong, storied history of diversity, inclusion, breaking barriers, pushing boundaries and standing together. “All In at Penn State: A Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion” is a call for every member of our University community to build on those efforts by playing an active role in creating a climate of acceptance and inclusion. It is a call for students, faculty and staff to help Penn State continually evolve.” (taken from www.allin.psu.edu)
Day 67 of 100: With so many students traveling to Israel each year, it is important for us to support them on their journey in it’s entirety – before they leave, throughout the their experience, and when they return. One way we are able to so that is by having our staff spend time in Israel during the summer with our students! While students may be participating in a number of programs in our Israel, our staff is also participating in their own development. During their overlap, our staff is able to provide on the ground support to students abroad bring our home at Penn State to Israel.
Day 66 of 100: The hardest part of our work is saying goodbye to our graduates. Fortunately for all of us, it is easy to stay connected! Recent graduates and alumni can participate in our national Alumni Network where they can connect with other Penn State alumni and maintain a connection to what’s going on on campus.
Day 65 of 100: The Israel Congress is a round table for students leaders to gather and discuss innovative ways to engage Penn State students in Israel education and advocacy.
Day 64 of 100: Israel Education is always of high importance for our students. Students especially enjoy learning about the Israel Defense Force when they return from their Birthright trips. Students gather once a year to write letters to Lone Soldiers in the IDF to say ‘thank you’ for their service and commitment to Israel.
Day 63 of 100: Fall is football season and that means tailgates! Each fall, staff and students work together to host a tailgate at a home football game. We give students a comfortable space to come have snacks, meet other Jewish students, catch up with alumni, and cheer for our favorite team! WE ARE!
Day 62 of 100: Each semester, staff and students plan a Freshman Shabbat Dinner. This event takes place in the Freshman East Dorms, making it especially convenient to meet these students where they’re at. The meal is pizza and salad and is a space to celebrate Shabbat as well as to meet other Jewish freshman on campus!
Day 61 of 100: For the past three years Hillel has brought Holocaust survivors so that students can hear their stories and engage in Holocaust Education and Awareness. The speakers bring in thousands of students and community members.
Day 60 of 100: Our Birthright trips never end after 10 days! When students are back on campus, we prepare additional learning opportunities and reunions for continued engagement. Many students enjoy gathering with their Birthright groups for Shabbat and holidays!
Day 59 of 100: Finals Week is always the hardest and we want to make sure our students are feeling healthy and ready! The best way to do that is food. Each finals week, students are invited to a bagel brunch to relax and clear their head before studying and exams begin.
Day 58 of 100: Each summer student interns and leaders are sent to St. Louis for Engagement Institute, a 4 day convening hosted by Hillel International. Hillel Institute offers training on engagement methodology and Jewish educations. Students have the opportunity to meet other Jewish leaders from across the country and prepare for their work on campus.
Day 57 of 100: Netflix and Chillel is one of the many initiatives created by a CEI to bring students together. Netflix and Chillel specifically brings students together to watch popular TV show, with Jewish themes, to discuss the ways that Jewish values are intertwined into each episode. This program gives students a chance to take a break from their work, and to discover places where Judaism plays a role in ways they didn’t realize before!
Day 56 of 100: Once a month, Jews and Brews takes place at a local bar/restaurant. Jewish undergraduate and graduate students, of 21 age and up, have a chance to unwind and socialize in the context of meeting other Jewish students and socializing off-campus. At this gathering, staff order appetizers, and students cover their own drinks.
Day 55 of 100: Jewish education is always a priority at Hillel. At Penn State Hillel, we make sure that each student and staff has access to a variety of Jewish learning. One way we do that is through Rabbi Danielle, Hillel’s Multi-Campus Educator, who spends time each month teaching students and working with staff to increase their Jewish confidence and educational capacity
Day 54 of 100: At the end of the school year, the Hillel staff who supervise different student groups and student leaders on campus, such as the Jewish Student Life Committee and the Campus Engagement Interns celebrate the year’s success with a home-cooked meal. The dinner is an opportunity for students to have a healthy meal before finals and to celebrate all of their hard work throughout the year!
Day 53 of 100: Students are always encouraged to celebrate Jewish life on their own terms. For many, that means sharing a meal together and celebrating their personal and collective traditions, especially when parents and families are in town! Each year, Penn State Hillel participates in Penn State’s Parents and Families Weekend and Greek Life’s Parents Weekend. Both weekends, students are welcome to attend Hillel for Shabbat, host their own Shabbat (funded by Hillel), or participate in the events offered around campus, including our Jewish Life Sunday Brunch!
Day 52 of 100: We love when students get excited about sharing Jewish experiences on campus. Many students enjoy hosting Shabbat dinner of Saturday Shabbat Lunch in their homes where they can share their traditions and rituals with their closest friends. Students are able to apply for funding for these meals through JewPAC, the Jewish Programming and Allocations Committee.
Day 51 of 100: At the start of each year, students are welcomed back to campus with Penn State Hillel’s annual Welcome Week. Welcome Week includes programs each night for first year Penn Staters to get to know more about Jewish life at Penn State, meet new people, and celebrate their first year on campus! Upperclassman are also welcome to celebrate the new year and reconnect with old friends!
Day 50 of 100: Students from Challah for Hunger had the opportunity to bake challah with the Hebrew School kids at the State College synagogue, Brit Shalom This program gave PSU students a chance to get involved in the local community and vice versa. We were able to expand the Challah for Hunger donor base into the community and provide Hebrew School kids a chance to practice making challahot- a classic Jewish tradition! Students are always welcoming opportunities, like this one, to engage in the community!
Day 49 of 100: This year, in addition to the 5 other sederim offered on campus, Penn State Hillel hosted Passover dinner for Emma Kaufmann Camp alumni. Students are welcome to apply through the Jewish Programming and Allocations Committee (JewPAC) to receive funding for programs like this one! BBYO alum, NFTY alum, Camp Ramah alum, and anyone else a part of a youth movement – we’re talking to you!
Day 48 of 100: The Birthright Israel Fellows program develops an elite cadre of North American experiential Jewish educators to enhance Birthright Israel experiences and the broader field of Israel and Jewish education. Two of our staff have participated in different cohorts and staff, and students, interested in developing leadership skills are welcome to apply each year!
Day 47 of 100: Jewish Student Leaders Round-table meets 3 times per a semester. Every Jewish student leader recognized by Hillel comes together to collaborate on growing and strengthening Hillel and Jewish life on campus, and to update each other on their upcoming projects, programs, or events. These meetings are also an opportunity for continued growth and development, as well as learning with guest speakers such as VP of Student Affairs Damen Sims.
Day 46 of 100: Staff and students have the opportunity to participate in the Brandeis Collegiate Institute Summer Program. BCI builds transformative community while nurturing personal and Jewish growth. Through artistic exploration, dynamic trans-denominational learning, spiritual reflection, and outdoor exploration, BCI provides you with a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the diversity of Jewish culture, to envision your own Jewish life, and to connect to community.
Day 45 of 100: Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, a Jewish creative learning institute, emphasizing intellectual openness, rigorous textual analysis, and opportunities for personal spiritual growth welcomes Penn State Hillel staff each year to learn and grow Jewishly. Our staff spends one month in the summer studying with Jewish professionals from around the word! Not only is Hillel about student enrichment, but staff enrichment too!
Day 43 of 100: What is Purim without hamentaschen?! Each year our staff hit all corners of campus delivering delicious hamentashen to celebrate Purim! Parents, family, and friends can order Hamentashen through our Hamentashen Hotline to get delivered to students on campus!
Day 42 of 100: The Chicken Soup Hotline, a student-led volunteer initiative, delivers kosher-style matzah ball soup (vegetarian option available on request) to sick students, at no cost. If you’re feeling sick, or if you know someone who is feeling sick, you may fill out the form below to place your soup order.
Day 41 of 100: Penn State Hillel’s Link Program is a yearlong engagement initiative that pairs first year students (Linksters) with upperclassmen (Links). For a first year student, an upperclassman serves as a peer mentor, buddy, and link to all things Penn State. First year students who register to be a Linkster will be matched with a Link based on the self-described interests and personality of the student. In addition to the peer mentorship component of Link, various events will be held throughout the year.
Day 40 of 100: Students Supporting Israel’s mission is to provide students with the opportunity to support the position of Israel in the Middle East, discuss fair media coverage of the area, familiarize students with current events and Israeli culture, and promote Israel awareness by fostering a united advocacy front in the Penn State community.
Day 39 of 100: Rebuild-U supports students in building personal connections through hands-on service by reaching out to those in need and actively engaging the community locally and around the world. By utilizing Jewish values such as Tikkun Olam, repairing our world, we can work together to make a difference in the lives of others.
Day 38 of 100: LEV is a branch Organization of Hillel that benefits THON. We support Penn State’s Dance MaraTHON by fundraising and making donations to the Four Diamonds fund. We offer support for our THON child Layn Burger, and his family. And we pride ourselves on fostering a meaningful connection with our family and experience with THON for each of our members.
Day 37 of 100: Challah For Hunger brings people together to bake and sell challah in effort to raise funds and awareness for social justice causes by:
- Giving Globally: Chapters donate half the proceeds to support national or global organizations fighting hunger. We partner with MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger to raise funds for hunger relief.
- Giving Locally: Each chapter works to make a difference in its local community. Chapters donate half the proceeds to a local organization making a big impact in the community.
Day 36 of 100: Masa Israel Journey is the leader in immersive international experiences in Israel for young adults (18-30). Masa’s diverse portfolio of study abroad, internship, service learning, or Jewish studies programs help you grow—as a person, a professional, and a leader— while also developing a robust global professional network. (P.S. click here for more info!)
Day 35 of 100: Live, work, and play on the Mediterranean! The Hillel Onward Israel program in the bustling start-up city of Tel Aviv offers you the opportunity to develop your professional future and build your resume through a high-level internship tailor-made to you! The heart of our program is a resume-building work experience based on your skills, interests and future plans. You will also have the chance to connect with Israeli peers through Hillel’s vast Israel network. (P.S. click here for more info!)
Day 34 of 100: If you want to visit Israel with friends or other students from your school, traveling with Hillel on Birthright Israel is an amazing way to go! Our trip takes place in the winter and spring/summer. Trips are staffed by our campus Hillel professionals and serve not only as aguide on your trip, but as a resource long after the 10 days are over, making sure the community and connections that you build in Israel don’t fade away. Hillel consistently receives top ratings from Birthright for our guides, itineraries and activities, and our accommodations in Israel are among the best! Whether by camel, foot, or bus, we’ll show you everything that Israel has to offer and pack more amazing experiences than you imagine possible into just ten days! (P.S. check out freeisraeltrip.org for more info)
Day 33 of 100: Penn State’s Annual iFest hosted by Hillel and Students Supporting Israel lands every spring on the HUB Lawn. The day is dedicated to celebrating Israel with Israeli foods, Israel’s famous Aroma Coffee, Israeli music, and more!
Day 32 of 100: Holiday food and delivery – What is a Jewish holiday without delicious treats?! Each major holiday, Penn State Hillel staff sets out to deliver traditional holiday foods to students on campus. On Rosh Hashanah we deliver apples and honey, on Hanukkah we deliver sufiganyioy, and on Purim we deliver hamantashen!
Day 31 of 100: Each week on Wednesday the staff gathers in our Beit Midrash to study in a joint space. During this time each staff works on different projects to further his or her Jewish learning. Staff is able to order books to further their learning and use this time as a quiet reading space
Day 30 of 100: On Wednesday of each week, the Penn State Hillel staff designates an hour out of their day for individualized Jewish learning. Each staff member has chosen an area of focus for the year (i.e. Shabbat, Jewish music, Talmud, Jewish leadership, etc.). At the designated hour, the staff gathers in the Beit Midrash (House of Study) to study and learn in a joint space. During this time each staff works on their individual projects to further his or her Jewish learning. To assist in the learning process, each staff is able to order books or educational resources that cover their topic of choice.
Day 29 of 100: Making Shabbat feel like home has always been a priority for our students. This year the Innovation Specialist has been able to purchase decor (including lights, center pieces, and art) for our Shabbat Dinner and Service space to create a more welcoming and comfortable ambiance for all of our students.
Day 28 of 100: Each year, the Jewish Leaders Gala brings together all of our student leaders once a year for a large celebration. The gala is a formal evening with a nice dinner and a guest speaker from the University. In recent years we’ve had the Women’s Volleyball Coach, Russ Rose, University President, Eric Barron, and VP of Student Affairs, Damon Simms. The gala is a time to celebrate the success of our Jewish students on campus throughout all aspects of campus life.
Day 27 of 100: Students leaders are given the opportunity to participate in a daylong workshop on leadership. The work shop includes a Bartell & Bartell assessment followed by a workshop lead by a guest from Bartell & Bartell. Bartell & Bartell is an organizational diagnostics and leadership development organization that assists our staff and students in becoming the most comprehensive leaders they can be.
Day 26 of 100: Design Thinking Workshops – Our Innovation Specialist is able to purchase supplies to have an interactive Design Thinking Workshop for student leaders to think about the role of empathy in their program planning work on campus. According to Forbes.com, “in its simplest form, design thinking is a process—applicable to all walks of life—of creating new and innovative ideas and solving problems. It is not limited to a specific industry or area of expertise.”
Day 25 of 100: Dinner and Discussions – Students have the ability to host their own Jewish learning experiences with their peers around a meal on campus or in spaces off campus. They can work with staff to plan these learnings and then push themselves to lean meaningful discussions with their peers.
Day 24 of 100: Campus Engagement Interns (CEI) Programming – CEIs have the ability to develop leadership skills through an intensive semester-long internship, while creating Jewish programming in new spaces on campus and reaching networks that are not already involved in Hillel. This year, CEI build programming around women’s role in Judaism, sports and Judaism, Israel, and more!
Day 23 of 100: Alternative Breaks combine Judaism and social justice in a week-long service trip. Through Alternative Breaks, students have opportunities to explore new cultures and deepen their connections to Judaism and Jewish peers, while working for the greater good.
Day 22 of 100: This year, Penn State Hillel partnered with NECHAMA’, the former Jewish Disaster Relief Corps, to sponsor an Alternative Break trip in New Orleans. NECHAMA’s primary program, disaster response, strengthens communities in need by directly supporting volunteers to assist disaster survivors with cleanup and recovery. Students spend the week volunteering during the day, participating in conversations in the evening, and enjoy a night out in the city.
Day 21 of 100: For the past two years, Penn State students opted out of the typical beach vacation, packed up their work boots, and headed for the community of Roatan, Honduras for an Alternative Break. Why Roatan, Honduras? Ten years ago, Scott Fried, motivational speaker, HIV/AIDS educator, activist, and author, traveled to the island of Honduras on a holiday cruise. After a 6 hour excursion, Scott stumbled on the community of La Colonia in Roatan, Honduras, an extremely poor area lying 40 miles off the northern coast of Honduras. There, he discovered, 1 in 7 people lives with AIDS. After engaging with the locals and learning their stories, Scott vowed that he would go back to that community. This winter, in his 10th year of service, Scott invited his first group of students, the 8 Penn Staters, to help give back to the place that he fell in love with (read more about Scott’s work at www.scottfried.com/honduras).
Day 20 of 100: Each year, Penn State Hillel offers a number of Passover Seder options for students on campus. Typically, Hillel offers a traditional seder led by a campus Rabbi, a social justice seder, On One Foot Seder, a LGBTQ seder, and an interfaith seder. In addition to the seder options provided by Hillel, students have an opportunity to create their own seder experience. Through JewPAC, Hillel’s programming and allocations committee, students can apply for funding to create a seder that fits their traditions.
Day 19 of 100: The Jewish Learners Fellowship is a 10-week experiential, pluralistic, conversational seminar for students looking to deepen their understanding of Judaism on their own terms. JLF adds two critical components to traditional study: it builds a cohort of students within each class who befriend one another and create a community, and it teaches classical Jewish texts by drawing on the life experience and intuition of college students themselves. The JLF cohort will consist of 20 students.
Day 18 of 100: The Hillel Leadership Fellowship is designed to equip student leaders with the leadership skills they need to enrich Penn State and the world. As part of the JLF, students receive an in-depth leadership assessment portfolio from a nationally renowned business consultation form, will engage with influential Penn State Jewish alumni, and participate in a semester-long leadership curriculum.
Day 17 of 100: Penn State Hillel’s Phone-A-Thon is a year-long, student-led fundraising initiative. The Phone-A-Thon internship provides an opportunity to gain professional, leadership and relationship building skills. Student Callers are hired to play an integral role in helping Penn State Hillel achieve its mission. Student Callers reach out to alumni, parents and general supporters of our organization to raise money over the phone for our incredible programming.
Day 16 of 100: Campus Engagement Interns (CEI) create a world outside the tent of Hillel, in a way that is significant to the individuals they are engaging. CEI work with fellow students one on one and in small groups to grow your community. Given a stipend and a budget to hold events relevant and Jewish, that shape a new Jewish culture at Penn State! The 10 CEI are dynamic, creative, and self-motivated individuals who want to dramatically enhance Jewish life on campus!
Day 15 of 100: The Jewish Student Life Committee is made up of driven and passionate student leaders that create innovative and engaging Jewish programs for students on campus. Student Life Committee are responsible for general Jewish programming for High Holidays and Passover, but also social programs like Penn State’s Welcome Week to bring Jewish students together.
Day 14 of 100: The Hillel Student Executive Committee is made up of ambitious and talented leaders that lead the charge towards excellence at Penn State Hillel. The Executive Committee is made up of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary and they are responsible for creating strategies for Hillel’s successes, actively participating in and promoting Hillel events, outreach to any and all communities to spread Hillel’s mission and vision, and communicating and working collaboratively with staff members. These leaders drive Hillel towards its mission of enriching the lives of Penn State’s 5,000 Jewish students so they enrich the Jewish people and the world.
Day 13 of 100: Penn State Hillel’s Jewish Programming Allocation Committee (JewPAC), our entrepreneurial micro-grant program that allocates funds to students with ideas for Jewish experiences. JewPAC is a student-run initiative devoted to promoting Jewish life across campus and empowering students to create the programming they want to experience in a space convenient for them.
Day 12 of 100: Penn State Hillel is committed to helping Jewish students build an authentic understanding of their unique Jewish identities.One way we do that is by living by a Jewish calendar. Programs and learning are offered for all Jewish holidays – including Tu B’shvat, Tish B’aav, Purim, etc. We provide opportunities for students to explore, interact with, and learn about their traditions and rituals surrounding each holiday.
Day 11 of 100: Penn State Hillel provides programming and ritual observance around all major Jewish holidays. We strive to create a “home away from home” feeling for our students by offering hot meals and services for the high holidays. our students are a part of the planning, implementing, and celebrating. Students are also encouraged to create their own holiday experiences with funding provided by Hillel. Often, students celebrate in their dorms and apartments by cooking dinner together, enjoying apples and honey, or baking challah!
Day 10 of 100: Every Friday night, students are invited to join Hillel for a festive Shabbat service and dinner. We offer a conservative and a reform service beginning at 6:30, and join together for a home-cooked meal at 7:30. Everything from our services to our meals are prepared by students. If you are looking for a way to start your weekend with over one hundred of your closest friends, this is it!
Day 9 of 100: Our Educational Vision – Penn State Hillel believes that Judaism is an inherited conversation with which we are obligated to engage, live and share with the Jewish people and the world. We help students to join this conversation by creating a culture that values curiosity and questioning in order to nurture a spark within our students. Just as Abraham and Sarah went forth into new territory and created an open tent of exploration, we help students to embark on their own Jewish journeys. As Penn State Hillel staff we join with students in engaging passionately with Judaism and deepening our Jewish knowledge and experience so that we can learn with and from each other. Our goal is that every Jewish student graduating from Penn State will have the foundation upon which to build their personal Jewish identity through meaningful practice, access to resources and Jewish learning.
Day 8 of 100: Penn State Hillel makes investments in student leadership development in ways that no other organization on campus does by receiving comprehensive leadership assessments and training that prepares them for the leadership roles on campus and in the future. Alumni consistently point to their leadership experience with Penn State Hillel as the foundation to their success. Programs like the Jewish Leaders Fellowship, in its second year, invests in the developing Jewish students in leadership positions on campus in order to equip them with skills necessary to enrich the world when they graduate.
Day 7 of 100: Penn State Hillel promotes innovation in everything we do. Our staffing structure is the only one of its kind in the country – our development team is in an office in Philadelphia and instead of hiring a Senior Jewish Educator, we are investing heavily in a train-the-trainer model where Hillel International’s multi-campus educator trains our staff to be effective informal Jewish educators. We encourage our students to innovate through JewPAC – our entrepreneurial micro-grant program that allocates funds to students with ideas for Jewish experiences. Our staff and students are constantly challenging norms. We consistently challenge each other to think “like there is no box”.
Day 6 of 100: Penn State Hillel values our rich in Jewish tradition and we constantly seek to infuse our tradition into programming available to our students. In addition to our Shabbat Services and free dinners hosting roughly 100 students each week, we celebrate and provide service for all the holidays in the Jewish calendar. Our staff and students lead discussions and study sessions of Jewish texts; our students engage in celebrating our tradition in ways that are accessible and meaningful to them. Penn State Hillel is committed to helping Jewish students build an authentic understanding of their unique Jewish identities. Jewish pluralism is at the foundation of everything that Penn State Hillel does as an organization when providing opportunities for students to explore, interact with, learn, and question Jewish topics.
Day 5 of 100: Our alumni ( – the secret is out: just because you leave campus, doesn’t mean you leave our us!). The Penn State Hillel Alumni Network is a nationwide program that engages Penn State Jewish graduates by cultivating alumni communities and connecting alumni to Jewish life on campus. Through this network, our alumni will: connect with each other, connect with us, and connect to the greater Jewish community.
Day 4 of 100: Parents and families play an integral role in the building and sustaining of Jewish life for the 5,000 Jewish students on campus. While our parents are here to support the students, we’re here to support our parents. Whether that be navigating a Jewish experience on campus, planning a weekend visit, or delivering Jewish Penicillin to a sick student, we’re here to support you and your student! We encourage our parents to get involved with Hillel by providing financial support for our programs, providing leadership for our parent and family activities, and helping Penn State Hillel connect with our supporting communities. Thank you for ensuring that Penn State Hillel can continue to grow and inspire each unique student, and that each parent can stay connected to Jewish life in Happy Valley.
Day 3 of 100: Our students are our driving force. Each day we look forward to the passion and light each student brings to Jewish life at Penn State. They inspire us, challenge us, support us, and invest in us, so that we can do the same for them. Without our students, we wouldn’t be here.
Day 2 of 100: Our promise, our mission. Through our mission, we promise our students we’ll be there for them in anyway they need. Our mission is to enrich the lives of the estimated 5,000 Jewish students at Penn State so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Penn State Hillel’s student leaders, staff, and lay leaders are dedicated to creating a pluralistic, welcoming, and inclusive environment for Jewish college students, where they are encouraged to grow intellectually, spiritually, and socially. Penn State Hillel helps students find a balance between being distinctively Jewish and universally human by encouraging them to pursue tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world), and Jewish learning, and to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood. Penn State Hillel is committed to excellence, innovation, accountability, and results.
Day 1 of 100 : Over the next 100 days learn more about how Penn State Hillel is empowering Penn State students to pursue tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world), and Jewish learning, and to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood. Each day we’ll share one way our annual campaign directly impacts the 5,000 Jewish students on campus.
Follow our progress @PennStateHillel, #100DaysPSUHillel