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The 40 Best Colleges

for

Jewish Students, 2017

The Algemeiner’s 2nd Annual List of the Most Friendly North American Campuses for Jewish Students

Jewish Population on Campus
1 .
Jewish Population on Campus

46%

Touro College

New York City, New York

The largest private US university with a Jewish heritage, Touro College in New York is a hub of Jewish life. The urban school offers Jewish Studies degrees and an opportunity for students to study abroad at Touro College in Israel. Touro is closed for all Jewish holy days, and professors are even encouraged not to give tests on minor fast days. The school has a sizable Jewish community and a chapter of Students Supporting Israel, an Israel advocacy club. There is no discernible anti-Zionist or antisemitic activity on campus. (Photo credit: Towson.)

Jewish Population on Campus

46%

2 .
Jewish Population on Campus

41%

Tulane University

New Orleans, Louisiana

Over 40 percent of Tulane University’s undergraduate student body is Jewish, the largest percentage of a school without Jewish roots. This New Orleans-based university sees very little antisemitism, and features an active pro-Israel student group and regular Shabbat dinners. Chabad hosts 100 students for meals every Shabbat, and an enormous annual 'Shabbat 1000,' publicized as the biggest shabbat meal in New Orleans. Students can also eat at Rimon, a dining hall which serves gourmet, kosher cuisine with Israeli and Korean-inspired fare, and also offers grab-and-go options. In August, the planned US-Israel Energy Research Innovation Center that will be headquartered at Tulane — an initiative designed to promote academic collaboration between US and Israeli universities on energy technologies — was boosted with a $100,000 gift from community members. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

41%

3 .
Jewish Population on Campus

100%

Yeshiva University

New York City, New York

With an entirely Jewish student body, Yeshiva University bills itself as “rooted in Jewish thought and tradition.” Indeed, when it comes to combining a secular education with traditional religious study, there are few options better than this flagship school of the modern Orthodox movement. Based in the heavily-Jewish neighborhood of Washington Heights in Manhattan, YU students are spoiled for choice when it comes to minyans, synagogues, and good kosher dining options. Anti-Zionist sentiment is also nearly nonexistent among the mostly religious and traditional Jewish student body. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

100%

4 .
Jewish Population on Campus

25%

A full one-quarter of students at Queens College are Jewish, where it’s easy to be Zionist and Jewishly involved. The school offers incredible opportunities to live a full Jewish life: cultural and Zionist student clubs, regular Friday night dinners, Jewish Studies majors and minors, an active Hillel, a dedicated Chabad, and the Jewish AEPi fraternity. This New York university is also surrounded by multiple kosher restaurants and synagogues, and is virtually unaffected by BDS and anti-Zionist activity. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

25%

5 .
Jewish Population on Campus

17%

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia

For over 40 years, Emory University has been known for its interdisciplinary Jewish Studies program, which offers courses in 20th century German Jewish philosophy, Yiddish culture, and even Israeli national cinema. Along with that, the Atlanta area university offers a kosher meal plan and has a generally tolerant atmosphere toward Zionist students, despite the presence of an SJP branch on campus. Hillel and Chabad also host Shabbat and holiday dinners for students. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

17%

6 .
Jewish Population on Campus

11%

Although schools in the CUNY system are not always friendly to Zionists, Baruch College is an exception. The campus does not have many faculty endorsers of BDS, and antisemitic incidents are a rarity. Along with that, it boasts all the benefits of Jewish life that NYC can offer. On camps minyans? Baruch has them. Kosher dining options and synagogues within walking distance? Plentiful. Chabad and Hillel are both active on campus, with the latter offering 7-day trips to Israel for CUNY student leaders. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

11%

7 .
Jewish Population on Campus

44%

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Over 40 percent of undergraduates are Jewish at Brandeis University, a private research university with Jewish roots. The school does not hold classes on major Jewish holidays, and its Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies is one of the largest of its kind outside Israel. While the school does host a chapter of SJP, a significantly higher number of students engage with the campus Chabad and Hillel, the latter of which supports some 20 religious, cultural, educational, Israel-centric, and community service groups. Chabad offers Shabbat meals, Jewish learning opportunities, and personal support and guidance to Jewish students. On Shabbat, students can attend Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox services. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

44%

8 .
Jewish Population on Campus

27%

Binghamton University maintains an impressive Judaic Studies program, and its Center for Israel Studies offers interested students an opportunity to obtain a minor. More observant students can purchase kosher food at any dining hall at Binghamton, or enjoy hot meals three times a day at the school’s kosher kitchen. The university is closed on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the first two days of Passover. Its Hillel supports over a dozen student-led groups, while Chabad hosts 'Shabbat 1800,' described as the largest annual student shabbat meal in the US. Along with that, there are Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox student-led Friday night services. While the school once had an active SJP, the group has since disbanded. "I find myself appalled at what my fellow Jewish students are enduring across the nation because I personally do not endure the same on my own campus," one student wrote in March 2017. "Our African, Asian, Black, Latino, Muslim and Jewish organizations are all intertwined and allied to create a beautiful and holistically accepting student body." (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

27%

9 .
Jewish Population on Campus

8%

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

The University of Kansas does not have many professors who openly support BDS, nor major antisemitic incidents or active anti-Zionist groups on campus. Jewish life, on the other hand, is thriving: the school has some 1,500 Jewish students, and an active Chabad, AEPi, and Zeta Beta Tau. Chabad organizes popular shabbat meals, while Hillel hosts Happy Hour Shabbats and partners with Birthright to send nearly 40 Jewish students to Israel each year. There are also multiple options for faculty-led and student-initiated study abroad programs in Israel. KU opened a kosher kitchen at a campus dining hall in February, while the basketball stadium even has its own Chabad-run “Kosher Korner” for observant Jayhawks. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

8%

10 .
Jewish Population on Campus

8%

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

With excellent kosher dining options, several on-campus Friday night services, and multiple Jewish and Zionist student groups, Johns Hopkins University is a great choice for the prospective Jewish student. There is little anti-Israel activity on campus, and what there is includes the vandalization of statues by the campus SJP, a tactic unlikely to attract many followers. While there are few synagogues within walking distance of the university, with the rich options available on-campus, that isn’t a major hindrance. (Photo credit: Pixabay.)

Jewish Population on Campus

8%

11 .
Jewish Population on Campus

18%

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont

Only one antisemitic incident was reported over the last two years at the scenic University of Vermont campus, located on the shores of Lake Champlain. An ample number of synagogues can be found within walking distance, as well as on-campus minyans. Chabad and Hillel look out for Jewish student needs on campus, while the school maintains a kosher kitchen in the Redstone Unlimited dining hall and supplies Passover offerings during the holiday. UVM is also only a few hours away from the regional hub of Boston, as well as Montreal, with a strong, historic, and large Jewish community. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

18%

12 .
Jewish Population on Campus

11%

Outside of Israel, UCF boasts the third largest undergraduate Jewish college population. Innovative programs ensure Jewish students feel at home, including Hillel’s Matzah Ball Soup program, which provides sick students kosher meals at no cost, four nights a week. There is a themed (think Latin Jews, Tailgating, and Israel) Shabbat dinner and services every week. Chabad also hosts weekly barbecues, popular Friday night meals, and brings 150 students a year to Israel on Birthright. And while UCF does have an SJP branch, there is no significant BDS activity on campus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

11%

13 .
Jewish Population on Campus

6%

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Every Friday night while school is in session, Temple Hillel holds Reform and Conservative Shabbat services, with a free dinner provided afterwards. For more religious students, there are also weekly services and free dinners at the on-campus Chabad. Both Hillel and Chabad at Temple run a variety of different programming, from cooking for the elderly, a knitting club, and a dodgeball tournament at Hillel, to “Kabbalah and Coffee,” Challah-baking, and one-on-one learning at Chabad. The school has a dedicated Israel Fellow on campus, who offers classes on what life in Israel can be like. While there is an SJP at Temple, the school’s Zionist student group, Owls for Israel, is more active. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

6%

14 .
Jewish Population on Campus

16%

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York

Jewish students make up some 16 percent of Syracuse University’s undergraduate population. From its courses on Hebrew and Yiddish literature, to its seminars on Jewish mysticism, the school has many of the academic resources a student interested in Jewish heritage could ask for. However, while it does lack an SJP chapter and is not known as a hotbed of anti-Zionist activity, recent incidents have raised concern among some members of the Jewish community. In March, a Syracuse student said an adviser in her residence hall posted a picture of a pro-Palestinian demonstrator holding a defaced Israeli flag, while in April an event with an Israeli diplomat was disrupted by a group of anti-Zionist students led by professional activists. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

16%

15 .
Jewish Population on Campus

10%

Indiana University Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

With some 4,000 Jewish undergrads and a vibrant Hillel and Chabad, there are numerous ways to be Jewishly involved at Indiana University. Hillel events include everything from “Gin and Jews” hangouts to Israelpalooza, a yearly bash celebrating Israel’s culture. There are over a dozen different Jewish clubs run through Hillel, as well as weekly Reform and Conservative services, and occasional Orthodox services. There is also a Chabad located right on campus, which offers a number of programs, from traditional Shabbat services and Friday night dinners to challah baking, one-on-one learning, and grants for purchasing Tefillin. While IU does have an SJP chapter, anti-Zionist sentiment at the school runs low. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

10%

16 .
Jewish Population on Campus

17%

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The University of Pennsylvania's Hillel claims to reach some 90 percent of the school’s approximately 1,700 Jewish undergraduates, whether through its dedicated soup kitchen or the J*Stage Theatre Company. Over 40 Hillel student communities and programs are housed in the state of the art Steinhart Hall, which includes a kosher dining hall and Beit Midrash. Chabad also offers Shabbat meals and an array educational programs, including the Sinai Scholars’ Society and a Jewish Heritage Internship. Despite this positive environment, Jewish students may still face some challenges at U Penn. The school's SJP held its second “Israeli Apartheid Week” in April 2017, shortly after screening a movie supportive of the BDS campaign. That same month, Nazi recruitment flyers were found on campus, drawing condemnation from the administration. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

17%

17 .
Jewish Population on Campus

15%

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

Jewish students make up some 15 percent of the undergraduate population at Yale University. The Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life is home to both the Young Israel House at Yale, which serves the Orthodox Jewish community, and Hillel, which offers a diverse array of programs. These include Jewish learning classes, social justice opportunities, and an annual Chanukah Ball, as well as initiatives by multiple groups dedicated to exploring Israel’s political and cultural dimensions. Chabad similarly has a strong presence on campus, offering an annual public menorah lighting, shabbat meals, and one-on-one Jewish learning. This Ivy League school also boasts a Jewish sorority and fraternity, regular minyanim, and offers kosher lunch and dinner options at the Lindenbaum Kosher Kitchen. However, the school does have an SJP chapter, which in April 2017 hosted BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti on campus, where he received an award from the Connecticut-based organization Promoting Enduring Peace. Yale's administration clarified that the award was given by a third-party organization, and "does not represent the views of the university as a whole.” In September, the Yale Program for the Study of Antisemitism co-organized a conference on “Antisemitism and the Radical Right,” featuring a keynote speaker who claimed that “straight-up Zionism is generally Islamophobic,” and that “Israel has always been Islamophobic, that is to say racist.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

15%

18 .
Jewish Population on Campus

10%

Pennsylvania State University

University Park, Pennsylvania

While Pennsylvania State University has an SJP chapter, it’s not proven very effective. Meanwhile, the Jewish community at the school is thriving. Over a hundred students go on the Penn State Birthright trip each year, while others study abroad and participate in other opportunities in Israel. In addition, Hillel — jointly with Aish — hosts a trip to Poland for students. The Gloria Kaufman Smith Klein Scholarship awards financial assistance to Jewish students who are active in the school’s Jewish community. There is even a dedicated Jewish Programming Allocation Committee, which grants students funding for original initiatives. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

10%

19 .
Jewish Population on Campus

8%

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona

With around 3,500 Jewish undergrads, Arizona State University offers ample opportunities to fully engage in Jewish life. ASU offers official study abroad programs at several universities in Israel, and large delegations go on the ASU Birthright trip each year. The Hillel on campus is quite active, administering a special scholarship program that funds student projects which combine “elements of Judaism and the arts,” and Chabad runs a full range of activities from Friday night dinners to Jewish education classes and even a Basketball Jewish Heritage Night. There are student-led Reform and Conservative Shabbat services every Friday night, with the Chabad offering Orthodox services for all students. There are also several kosher dining options, from food at Hillel and local Phoenix establishments to the on-campus eatery Chick-In supervised by Chabad. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

8%

20 .
Jewish Population on Campus

21%

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Cornell University is home to some 3,000 Jewish students, who make up over 20 percent of the undergraduate population. The school's Hillel says it supports over 30 students groups — from the Russian Jewish Club to the Chai Notes a capella group — while the Chabad center offers regular Shabbat dinners, religious services, and shabbaton trips. The Cornell Tech campus in New York City — officially dedicated in September — is also home to the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, a major academic partnership between Cornell and the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology. Unsurprisingly, Cornell SJP has spoken out against the venture and vowed to renew its efforts to target Israel on campus, including by boycotting Sabra Hummus. The group also crashed a Hillel-sponsored Israeli Independence Day event in May, where some 20 SJP members staged a disruptive "die-in" and accused Israel of committing genocide. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

21%

21 .
Jewish Population on Campus

18%

University of Miami

Coral Gables, Florida

The student body is nearly 20 percent Jewish at the University of Miami, which offers a variety of ways to participate in Jewish life. For students from Latin-American backgrounds, there is Hola Hillel, a Hillel sub-group. UM dorms offer “Shabbat locks” for observant Jewish students, and there is both a minor and major offered in Jewish Studies, as well as a specialty Jewish education studies program. The school also has an associated Chabad, which offers weekly Shabbat dinners, as well as a chapter of AEPi. Add in minimal anti-Israel activity, and UM is an attractive choice for Jewish students. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

18%

22 .
Jewish Population on Campus

6%

While only about six percent of this school’s undergraduate population is Jewish, a majority of those are actively engaged in Jewish life, whether through Chabad, Hillel, AEPi, or one of the four historically-Jewish Greek societies. There is a Jewish Studies minor, and some 30 students go on the school’s Birthright trips each year. What’s more, there is little to no antisemitic and anti-Israel activity at MU. The Hillel offers interesting and frequent programming, from an Ethiopian Shabbat to Hockey Havdallah, while Chabad brings students to NYC for the international Shabbaton leadership conference, and puts up an ice menorah in middle of campus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

6%

23 .
Jewish Population on Campus

28%

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

While historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Boston University has a large and diverse Jewish community. After several years of low attendance and staff resignations, the campus Hillel has hired a new rabbi and expanded its offerings, and is — in the words of a Boston Globe correspondent from 2016 — "in the midst of a renaissance.” Jewish students are also well served by the local Chabad and Aish Campus Boston, as well as a kosher dining program and weekly Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox religious services. However, the school does have an active SJP group, and antisemitic flyers have been found on campus several times in recent years. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

28%

24 .
Jewish Population on Campus

8%

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Located in rural Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is an excellent choice for STEM-minded Jewish students. Testifying to the school’s vibrant Jewish life, about 100 students crowd the Hillel dining room each Friday night for free Shabbat dinners. The school has a vibrant and active pro-Israel group, as well as a Jewish Studies minor. At the on-campus Chabad, students can borrow mezuzot for the school year and engage in one-on-one study sessions. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

8%

25 .
Jewish Population on Campus

11%

Ithaca College

Ithaca, New York

The signature program of Ithaca College’s Hillel is Fresh Fest, a multi-day event to welcome incoming Jewish students to the school. At Fresh Fest, students get the opportunity to move in early and meet other Jewish peers. There are also numerous organized community events throughout the school year, from apple picking and bagel brunches to the welcome back BBQ and weekly Shabbat services and dinners. The school has a Jewish Studies minor, an AEPi, and Chabad. (Photo credit: Paul Houle / Flickr.)

Jewish Population on Campus

11%

26 .
Jewish Population on Campus

14%

University of Rochester

Rochester, New York

Some 900 Jewish undergraduates attend the University of Rochester, comprising about 14 percent of the student body. They are well-served by a Jewish Studies program, which offers a minor, as well as Hillel, Chabad, and AEPi. There is cultural, social justice, and Israel-oriented programming throughout the year, along with two different Birthright Israel trips. One of the student dining centers offers hot kosher meat options, with take-out kosher food available at five different locations on campus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

14%

27 .
Jewish Population on Campus

10%

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth Hillel has numerous social events for the its approximately 450 Jewish students, from "Jews and Java" on Tuesdays to a special weekly Thursday night event for freshmen on campus. Along with that, the Hillel hosts 3 different bagel brunches every semester, providing an opportunity to mingle and carb-load at the same time. Chabad at Dartmouth also hosts Friday night dinners, runs the local chapter of the Sinai Scholars’ Society, and offers one-one-one learning opportunities as well as celebrations for the Jewish festivals. The kosher dining options are pretty good for such a small campus; there are kosher offerings available in the main dining hall and a kosher kitchen at the Hillel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

10%

28 .
Jewish Population on Campus

10%

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

With no significant anti-Israel or antisemitic activity in several years, Towson University is an excellent choice for Jewish students. The school offers Jewish sororities and fraternities, as well as a “Kosher Korner” with both dairy and meat meals. Hillel hosts a catered Shabbat dinner at least once a month, as well as a Challah for Hunger chapter and a Cafe Ivrit Hebrew learning program. Chabad provides Shabbat meals, learning opportunities and celebrations of Jewish holidays. About 10 percent of Towson undergraduates are Jewish, and on average nearly 50 go on each Towson Birthright trip to Israel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

10%

29 .
Jewish Population on Campus

12%

Some 12 percent of Case Western Reserve University’s undergraduates are Jewish, and many take full advantage of the opportunities available to them: from Birthright trips and study abroad opportunities at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, to a Judaic Studies program and pro-Israel student group. Chabad and Hillel offer students weekly Shabbat dinners, as well as cultural, religious, and educational events. Observant students can also opt to purchase a kosher meal plan. While the school's Radical Student Union hosted its second screening in January 2017 of a film sympathetic to the BDS campaign, there hasn’t been significant divestment activity on this campus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

12%

30 .
Jewish Population on Campus

16%

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

There are no active anti-Israel student groups at Lehigh University, nor have there been pushes for divestment in recent years. Approximately 16 percent of the undergraduate student body is Jewish, with an average of over 40 students going on each Lehigh Birthright trip to Israel. Lehigh does not have a kosher meal plan, although there is a kosher deli on campus. Hillel offers students access to an unsupervised kosher kitchen, and both Chabad and Hillel run weekly Shabbat dinners. The Berman Center for Jewish Studies provides an academic home for those interested in Jewish issues, offering a minor and several courses each year, from “Judaism and Comic Books” to “Jewish Philosophy,” while Chabad oversees the Sinai Scholars’ Society. There is also “Kibbutz Lehigh,” a themed dorm focused on kosher living. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

16%

31 .
Jewish Population on Campus

12%

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Approximately 12 percent of undergraduates are Jewish at Harvard University, which offers a kosher dining hall and religious services for Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox students. Hillel leads two Birthright trips every year and supports a variety of student groups — from the Krav Maga and Jewish baking clubs to the RecKlez Klezmer band. Harvard Chabad similarly works to enrich student life with a variety of programming, including Shabbat dinners, weekly classes, and a Women’s Circle. In April, the school hosted its first-ever Israel Summit, drawing over 400 individuals to panels on the Jewish state's achievements. Notably, Harvard does also have an active Palestine Solidarity Committee, which organizes an annual "Israeli Apartheid Week" campaign and hosted BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti on campus in April 2017. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

12%

32 .
Jewish Population on Campus

20%

University of Maryland, College Park

College Park, Maryland

Jewish students make up about 20 percent of the undergraduate population at the University of Maryland. The community has access to kosher meal plans, multiple religious services, and even maintains its own student-run newspaper. In November, UMD’s student government rejected a BDS bill that was opposed by over 1,000 students, 140 faculty members, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and six Democratic members of Congress representing Maryland. However, Jewish students still face attacks on their identity by some members of the campus community. Several swastikas were found on campus in 2017, while SJP and the school's Muslim Political Alliance led a protest in May of the Jewish Student Union's annual Israel Fest. The school has also come under scrutiny for the June firing of former assistant professor Melissa Landa, who claims she was targeted due to her pro-Israel activism. UMD denies the charge. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

20%

33 .
Jewish Population on Campus

6%

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Drexel University has several synagogues within walking distance, providing its approximately 900 Jewish undergraduates with ample choice for services. For those who wish to stay on campus, Hillel hosts Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform minyanim. The group also offers a “Jewniversity” program that lets incoming freshmen move-in early and get acclimated to university life. Chabad also offers a strong program of learning opportunities and events as well as shabbat meals. For students interested in keeping kosher, the cafe at the Perelman Center for Jewish Life is exclusively kosher and open four days a week from morning till night. If that’s not enough, students also have the option of forgoing the standard Drexel meal plan for one at nearby University of Pennsylvania, which offers a kosher dining hall. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

6%

34 .
Jewish Population on Campus

9%

Nearly 10 percent of undergraduates are Jewish at the University of Colorado — Boulder, with an average of 80 students going on each annual Birthright trip. The school maintains an interdisciplinary Jewish Studies program that grants both BAs and minors, and provides kosher dining options four days a week. Jewish students are also well-served by Hillel, which offers a Jewish climbing club, cooking challenges, and various volunteer opportunities. Chabad is also active on campus, running Sinai Scholars courses each semester and hosting free Shabbat services and dinners. Worryingly, one of the Chabad Center's windows was shot with a BB gun in April. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

9%

35 .
Jewish Population on Campus

20%

American University

Washington, D.C.

Some twenty percent of undergraduates are Jewish at American University. Located in Washington, D.C., AU is home to both a Hillel and Chabad that provide students with a variety of religious, cultural, and social programming. The school’s Jewish Studies program offers both a major and a minor, and its Center for Israel Studies — which frequently hosts engaging events on campus — grants a minor. While AU doesn't have a kosher dining hall, Hillel maintains a kosher kitchen, and both Hillel and Chabad offer free Shabbat dinners every week. However, the school also hosts chapters of JVP and SJP, which held several events promoting the BDS campaign in 2017, and has experienced incidents of antisemitic flyering and vandalism in recent years. In April, AU's undergraduate senate passed a bill condemning antisemitism on campus, including the "demonization, double standards, and delegitimization" of Israel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

20%

36 .
Jewish Population on Campus

31%

Goucher College

Towson, Maryland

Over 30 percent of Goucher College’s nearly 1,500 undergraduates are Jewish, one of the highest ratios at a traditionally non-Jewish school in North America. There is minimal anti-Israel and antisemitic activity at this Baltimore school, which offers a dedicated kosher dining hall with Passover offerings. The Hillel sponsors a wide range of activities, including High Holiday services, Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations, and Alternative Spring Break service trips. There is a nearby Chabad also open to students, whose rabbi can often be seen on campus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

31%

37 .
Jewish Population on Campus

10%

Jewish students make up about 10 percent of the undergraduate population at the University at Buffalo, the largest campus in the State University of New York system. Students can obtain either a BA or minor in Jewish Studies from the Department of Jewish Thought, and engage with the Jewish community through a variety of Hillel programming, like the Mysterious Maccabee Hanukkah gift exchange. Chabad at Buffalo also offers weekly Shabbat services and dinners, along with a “Judaism in a Semester” education program, which includes classes, a field trip, and a stipend. For more observant students, the on-campus NY Deli and Diner serves kosher food five days a week. The school does have an SJP chapter, which in March 2017 hosted a speaker who claimed that Israel's actions were "almost identical" to the UN definition of genocide, but is not a hotbed of BDS activity. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

10%

38 .
Jewish Population on Campus

6%

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University is home to some 1,200 Jewish undergraduates, about six percent of the greater student body. The Virginia school hosts a Hillel that is entirely student-run, which organizes events ranging from Bagel Brunches, talks by Holocaust survivors, and the occasional Shabbat dinner. The on-campus Chabad offers weekly Shabbat services and meals, and runs social events like “Chillin 'n Grillin” and “Midnight Breakfast.” Happily, JMU sees little to no antisemitic and anti-Israel activity. (Photo credit: Ben Schumin, Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

6%

39 .
Jewish Population on Campus

14%

Franklin & Marshall College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Franklin & Marshall College’s undergraduate student body is 14 percent Jewish. The F&M Hillel offers weekly Shabbat services and meals, as well as bi-weekly Bagel Brunches and other social events. The Klehr Center for Jewish Life also hosts Judaic Studies lectures, discussions, and a Jewish book club. The campus Chabad offers weekly Shabbat lunches and dinners, as well as a chicken soup delivery service for sick students. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

14%

40 .
Jewish Population on Campus

8%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jewish students comprise nearly 10 percent of undergraduates at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school has both a Jewish fraternity and sorority, as well as a Hillel that offers a variety of programming. The campus Chabad runs weekly Shabbat services and dinners, along with Hebrew and religious study classes. A 2016 study found that MIT — whose famous alumnus include Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu — collaborated with more Israeli academics than any other US university in the previous decade. While the campus hosts a "Palestine@MIT" group, anti-Zionist activity is not prevalent. (Photo credit: Wikipedia.)

Jewish Population on Campus

8%

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