To make this site work properly, we sometimes place small data files called cookies on your device. By choosing to continue to use this site without changing your cookie setting, we will assume that you are consenting to receive cookies.
Northwestern Hillel is the center and catalyst for Jewish life at Northwestern University. Our mission is to inspire Jewish undergraduate and graduate students to make meaningful and enduring commitments to Jewish life. Hillel provides limitless support and opportunities for students to develop their Jewish identities and to be engaged by a Judaism that is relevant to their lives. Whether you`re interested in social action, Israel, music, theater, cooking, spirituality, leadership, environmental education, or Jewish culture, you`ll likely find a Hillel group or activity in which to participate. And if what you`re looking for doesn`t yet exist, we`ll help you create it!
Undergraduate Enrollment
1,200 Jewish Students (13.6%*) 8,811 Students
*Percent of population
Graduate Enrollment
1,000 Jewish Students (7.2%*) 13,955 Students
*Percent of population
Anti-Israel Student Government or BDS Resolution
Passed
Anti-Israel Encampment, Spring 2024
Yes
Kosher Dining
The strong Jewish presence at Northwestern also guarantees a plethora of food options. Students enjoy Friday night dinners after services while mingling with the Shabbat crowd. For additional kosher alternatives, kosher meals are available Monday through Thursday for lunch and dinner in one of the on-campus dining halls. Plus, for those on the go, pre-made kosher sandwiches are offered at various sites on campus.
Options:
University meal plan-no extra cost
Religious Services
To bring in Shabbat, Hillel offers Friday night services, with student-led Reform and Conservative prayer services available and a communal dinner. Hillel celebrates the Jewish holidays throughout the year with services, fun festivities, and meaningful get-togethers. There is a bi-weekly Conservative minyan that serves the Evanston and Northwestern community on Saturday mornings.
We, as a Jewish people, spend a lot of time marking important dates and holding on to them throughout time. We remember the day we received Torah at Mt. Sinai, and we make it the sacred festival day of Shavuot. We remember the day we left Egypt, and celebrate it as the festival of Pesach, telling the story to our children as though it happened to us. We celebrate new beginnings with songs, feasts, and stories, gathering family, friends, and guests to share our joy as widely as we can. On Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate the day the universe began. We say Hayom Harat Olam. Today, the world was born.
As Hillel, the world’s largest Jewish campus organization, marks 100 years since its founding, a global centennial fundraising effort has now eclipsed $100M raised to enhance the lives of Jewish college students well into the future.
At my seder table growing up, we took turns passing the storytelling baton around our large table filled with multiple generations of family and guests. We each read aloud from the Haggadah, doing our part to tell the greatest story of the Jewish tradition.
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].
Compare Schools
Compare colleges that you’re interested in by using our college comparison tool.
