A look at Vanderbilt Hillel
Madeleine Fentress
Issue date: 2/20/07 Section: News/Features
Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, is an international organization found on over 500 college campuses. It promotes Jewish life and community during the college years, which helps reach students before they start their careers and families that are vital to the future of the Jewish community. The foundation has been under some criticism from other members of the Jewish community for promoting a "watered-down" version of Judaism; however, Vanderbilt Hillel's emphasis on social justice makes it clear that both the students and the directors have clear ideas about what it means to be Jewish. "A very big and important role in Judaism is social action. Social action programs are, in some ways, trumping religion on many Hillel campuses," pointed out Barzel. "What makes Hillel so beautiful and Judaism so beautiful is that everyone gets from it what they want to, what they can," added Lindsay Waldman, a cantorial intern at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York who flies to Nashville about once a month to help lead holiday services and to work with students on religious programming.
Barzel went on to describe the alternative spring break trip that Hillel is sponsoring, through which 32 students will travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina (home to the world's fourth-largest Jewish population) and help out in both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities by building a playground and working in homeless shelters and food banks, among other activities. "We felt that we could fill a niche on campus by offering international trips," said Barzel, citing a past trip to Cuba and a planned trip to Uruguay.
About 20 percent of Hillel's regular attendees at services and dinner are students representing each of Vanderbilt's graduate schools. "If [Hillel] can get people through the doors and bring them together, that's good," said Jessica, a second-year law student. Joseph, a first-year law student, added, "This Hillel is a very close community. The Hillel at my school had more students but no building, so it's great to see such a good community."
Barzel went on to describe the alternative spring break trip that Hillel is sponsoring, through which 32 students will travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina (home to the world's fourth-largest Jewish population) and help out in both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities by building a playground and working in homeless shelters and food banks, among other activities. "We felt that we could fill a niche on campus by offering international trips," said Barzel, citing a past trip to Cuba and a planned trip to Uruguay.
About 20 percent of Hillel's regular attendees at services and dinner are students representing each of Vanderbilt's graduate schools. "If [Hillel] can get people through the doors and bring them together, that's good," said Jessica, a second-year law student. Joseph, a first-year law student, added, "This Hillel is a very close community. The Hillel at my school had more students but no building, so it's great to see such a good community."
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