Who We Are
Welcome to Penn Hillel!
Penn Hillel is one of the best parts of being at Penn. Each year, Hillel reaches over 85% of the 1,500 Jewish undergraduate students on campus, with a wide-ranging array of different Jewish opportunities — from social justice to Israel, and from Jewish culture offerings to religious expression.
No matter your interest or Jewish background, Penn Hillel is there to get to know each Jewish student by name and by story.
Mission
To encourage students to:
- Pursue tzedek (justice) and tikkun olam (repairing the world)
- Deepen their engagement with Israel and other Jews all over the world
- Inspire new levels of spiritual exploration
- Delve into expansive intellectual inquiry and Jewish learning
- Celebrate and sweeten key moments of the year through Jewish holidays and ritual
Core Values:
- Finding the balance of being distinctively Jewish and universally human
- Creating communities that are inclusive and open to all students
- Fostering student innovation and entrepreneurship
- Promoting civil discourse
- Creating opportunities for student ownership and empowerment
- Supporting physical, emotional and spiritual wellness
- Enriching the larger University and Philadelphia community
Hillel is proud to be an “umbrella” organization, home to over 40 student communities and groups, while also hosting events, initiatives, speakers, and classes that engage a wide spectrum of students of all backgrounds and beliefs. A small sampling or offerings include a weekly soup kitchen, a wide variety of opportunities to engage with and learn about Israel, world famous speakers and public intellectuals, alternative break trips to UAE, Germany, Israel and beyond. All of this is in addition to the nearly 300 students who experience Shabbat each week, when we offer up to six different services on Friday nights and Saturday mornings.
Steinhardt Hall, our home base, is a state-of-the-art facility that includes Falk at Penn Hillel, a kosher Penn dining hall, that provides the best food on campus with the warmest and most welcoming community.