Support Our Local Students

Hillel is the nerve center for Jewish life on campus at the University of Connecticut. With more than 2,000 Jewish college students, Hillel offers students the means to explore and celebrate their Jewish identity in a dynamic and comfortable environment. Each year, Hillel connects students to their community, their peers and their heritage through an array of social, cultural and community service programs.

Hillel is a non-profit organization that operates primarily on donations and grants. We count on the generous support of parents, alumni, faculty, and general community members to help us accomplish our mission to give Jewish students meaningful Jewish connections. Your donation of any size is a great mitzvah and will make a difference to Jewish life on campus! Whether it’s $18, $180 or more, every gift is greatly appreciated. There are many opportunities to sponsor a special program, including:

Shabbat Dinners
J-Café Programs
Jewish Penicillin Hotline
Blue & White Programs (Israel Programs)
Marketing Program
Holiday Parties
Hillel Informational Tables
Tzedek Hillel
Jewish Student Life Liaisons
Engagement Fellows & Program Associates
 

To learn more about the above programs please read below…

Shabbat Dinners are the perfect way for students to unwind from hectic class schedules in a healthy and relaxing venue. They also create a forum for young Jews to meet and grow relationships with each other. We take pride in offering these delicious dinners free of charge so that all Jewish students can enjoy this Shabbat experience. Our Hillel hosts at least four Shabbat dinners per month on campus and in our students homes…we serve almost 100 meals at more than 40 dinners per year! Each Shabbat Dinner costs approximately $1100.

J-Café programs bring together Jewish students from each of our area campuses on a monthly basis for a discussion and program. Specific topics of interest to targeted groups, such as Women's Issues, Israeli Students, Interfaith Students, Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Students, and Graduate & Professional Students have occurred each year. A J-Café program usually occurs in convenient and well-known places in the community – taking Hillel to where the students are, instead of asking them to come to us. J-Café programs include visits with local Rabbis, educators, business professionals and other community leaders. Each program includes a time to socialize and meet other Jewish students, with complimentary food available. J-Café programs cost approximately $500 per session, including food and marketing. The entire J-Café program can be underwritten for $4000 per year.

The new Jewish Penicillin Hotline brings a bit of home and family to students who are feeling a bit under the weather. With generous support, students can get a friendly delivery of fresh matzah ball soup right to their door! Jewish Penicillin Hotline can be sponsored for $1,500 per year.

Each year our Blue & White Days attract students from all over campus to show their support and solidarity with the people and the state of Israel. Our campus hosts at least one Blue and White day per semester. Everywhere you turn, students are wearing blue and white t-shirts! This is an opportunity for Jewish students to take an active stand in promoting a positive image of Israel through exciting programming and innovative marketing. Traditional Israeli foods and music set the tone for these highly successful programs. Each Blue & White Program can be sponsored for $1,000 or the annual program on campus can be sponsored for $4,000. The entire series can be sponsored for $20,000.

UConn Hillels unique Marketing Program entices and attracts Jewish campus life. Our package includes our web-site, e-mail and standard glossy newsletters, brochures, advertisements and interns. $20,000 per year.

Holiday Parties provide students with attractive and meaningful Jewish holiday celebrations for Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah and Purim. $1,000 per event or $5,000 for an entire year.

Hillel Informational Tables on campus provide programmatic funds for weekly tabling supplies, including, but not limited to, displays, fliers, photocopies, giveaways and newspaper ads. $5,000 a year.

Tzedek Hillel, a social action student group, hosts dinners and programs in homeless shelters, retirement homes and other venues. Students have sponsored collections for victims of domestic violence and children in need, held bone marrow testing drives, and participated in Shabbat services at Jewish nursing homes. Funding will help them reach out to more people in need. $5,000 per year.

Jewish Student Life Liaisons: Reaching out to students living in residence halls, the Jewish Student Life Liaisons (JLL) are students living in the residence halls who want to take a programmatic position within the Jewish community. The JLLs are provided with a stipend as well as a programmatic budget. The cost of each JLL (stipend and budget) is $1,000 per year.

Engagement Fellows & Program Associates foster relationships and engage college students who identify only moderately with their Jewish heritage and therefore aren't likely to participate in Hillel activities. By working outside the traditional framework, fellows have involved hundreds of previously unaffiliated Jewish students. Program Associates must have at least two years of work experience while an Engagement Fellow is usually a recent graduate. $35,000 per Engagement Fellow and $50,000 per year per associate.

For more information about giving opportunities or how you can help UConn Hillel, please contact Executive Director, Gary Wolff at 860-492-9007 or gary@uconnhillel.org

We are located at...

54 N. Eagleville Road
Storrs, CT 06269