About Hillel

Hillel is an amazing way to meet all kinds of people. We have a wonderful building right on the edge of campus with a phenomenal garden, 2 student lounges, a Judaic library, a chapel, an industrial-sized Kosher kitchen and cafeteria, computers with Internet access, and a multi-purpose room with a full size pool table. We're able to use all this space in addition to the hundreds of places in Iowa City and on campus to bring you a truly diverse set of programs - and we have big plans for this year! We also have lots of students who end up planning their own things, so if you're interested in starting, planning, or co-sponsoring a program/event, we'd love to make it happen, because we're always looking for new ideas.

Our Mission

Hillel's mission is to be a visible and positively recognized nexus of Jewish life on campus. We aim to inspire Jewish students to create an active and open community with each other as well as the local, national, and world at large. We encourage an open environment where Jewish students (of all knowledge levels and backgrounds) are able learn about their heritage and develop their own unique identity within the world of Jewish pluralism.

University Presence

Hillel has been a part of the University of Iowa almost as long as Jewish students have been at the university. Over the years, Hillel students have sought to build Jewish community on campus and to raise the university and Iowa City communities' awareness of issues related to culture, ethnicity and basic human rights. Today, Hillel works with other student organizations to serve as an impetus for the development of understanding and frienship with other cultural, ethnic and religious groups within the University and throughout Iowa.

Programming

Hillel's most important function is helping students organize, publisize, and carry out programs serving the interests of the campus Jewish community as well as the local, national, and global communities at large. We aim to maximize connections among Jewish students through a diverse and stimulating range of programming that emphasizes religious, ethnic and political pluralism. Any program that brings Jews together - at the Hillel House, in the dorms, at a restaurant, at the park - is part of what Hillel does. A number of programs occur regularly; others are one-time events, responding to changing demands from the campus community. Here are some highlights:

Jewish Opportunities

Jewish students come to the University of Iowa with a variety of educational backgrounds and styles of religious observance. Hillel aims to expose students to opportunities they may not have had previously, through informal educational activities, travel programs, and employement contracts in the Jewish general world. Here are some examples:

Partner Organizations

In meeting its goal of stimulating Jewish involvement, Hillel takes advantage of other organizations that have expertise and offer programs focusing on particular topics. Some of these groups are local chapters of national organizations; others are unique to the University of Iowa. But all of them share Hillel's interest in maximizing opportunities for Jewish students to pursue Jewish interests.

Hillel House

Located at the corner of Dubuque and Market Streets is the Aliber Center or the "Hillel House". The building is a multi-function facility that serves the programming, administrative, and recreational needs of Hillel's students. Hillel House is becoming known as the site of the finest flower garden in downtown Iowa City. Its other features include: