Elon Hillel, one of the largest student organizations at Elon, is dynamic, student-run, and staff-mentored. Our students are leaders and organizers. They are empowered to make Jewish connections, take initiative, and find their own place within a diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community of their peers. We engage 100% of self-identified Jewish first-year students thanks to our spirited team of student Engagement Interns, and our Hillel student board leaders take pride in creating programs that draw a wide range of students. Elon Hillel has been recognized for excellence by numerous organizations, including Hillel International and the ADL. Elon Hillel is an integral part of campus life at Elon.
Elon opened "Green World," an all-access dining option in Colonnades. Green World provides vegan/vegetarian dining using pots and pans which are only used for vegan and vegetarian food. Paper plates & disposable cutlery is available. The kitchen and dining room are not under rabbinic supervision, but Hillel staff and Professor (Rabbi) Geoffrey Claussen have met with Aramark staff and reviewed recipes, ingredients, and food preparation procedures.The Sklut Hillel Center is set up with a clear separation of meat and dairy foods. The main kitchen is meat-free; the outdoor grill is used for preparing meat. Students are welcome to cook and eat at the Hillel Center.
Options: University meal plan-no extra cost;Kosher food available nearby
Elon Hillel provides opportunities for religious observances throughout the year. During the High Holidays offerings include services and meals, including our Rosh Hashanah “seder,” bagel break-fast, and meals in our backyard sukkah. We come together in-person for Hanukkah when it falls during the academic year; when it doesn’t, our community meets for a Family Hanukkah Zoom Candle-Lighting. All are always welcome to our community-wide Passover seder. Our Shabbat gatherings are led by our student Shabbat Chairs, Jewish Educator, and rabbi, with music from our Shab-Band. Gatherings vary and include our popular camp-style Shabbats held in our pavilion, our cozy, discussion-focused Table for Chai Shabbats, Shabbat barbeques (“Shabarbeque”) which are jointly hosted with Jewish fraternity AEPi, themed Shabbats such as “Noah Kahan” or "Swap Shop,” and our rabbi-led Kabbalat Shabbats which focus on teaching and learning.
Frequency: Friday night only
Everyone is welcome at Elon Hillel. The Sklut Hillel Center and Pavilion are fully accessible and inclusive, and we keep a kosher kitchen stocked with snacks and drinks. We embrace multi-faith initiatives and partner with many departments at Elon. We piloted a Leaders in InterFaith Team (LIFT) cohort with Hillel International and the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. Our most recent Alternative Spring Break to Urban Adamah was organized through our partnership with the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and included Repair the World fellowships. We created our own program modeled on Challah for Hunger called ChallahWorks in which a team of student volunteers make homemade challahs to raise money for the Elon Chaplains Fund. We are excited to once again participate in MitzVote, focusing our energies on getting out the vote and supporting students where they are.
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We are both Hillel directors and parents: Joyce’s son is starting college this fall, while Betsy’s daughter graduated in May. Our experiences give us insight into the worries parents have about whether their children will connect and thrive as Jewish students in the coming year.
The recent attacks in Israel have shocked the Jewish community across the nation. At Elon Hillel, we are processing, grieving, and sticking up for our community. As a student leader in the Jewish community, I want to offer comforting and empowering spaces and opportunities for my fellow students, while also dealing with the emotional trauma of losing friends, wondering whether other friends are alive, and watching my people get raped, murdered, and kidnapped.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to be one of the 60 American and Israeli participants on the Israel Insight Fellowship, a trip sponsored by Hillel International to introduce students to new perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Hillel College Guide aims to provide you with a snapshot of each local Hillel’s makeup and offerings. We recognize that there may be more information you need in order to better understand the campus reality, particularly around issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. If you would like additional information about a given campus’ offerings or action steps in those areas, please reach out to us at [email protected].