Current Students

Tzedek/Social Action

Here at Hillel, our main tzedek programming is a monthly volunteer project with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild homes in our local community. We also participate in National Hillel social action events, such as Just for a Day, a day of service in the Los Angeles area, bringing over 1,000 students from all over the country. Every spring break, Hillel at the Claremont Colleges takes students on a National Hillel Alternative Spring Break, most recently traveling to New Orleans to help rebuild homes after Hurricane Katrina. We look forward to expanding our social action programs and would love your input!

Springson, Hillel Student Board Tzedek Chair 2006-2007

Additionally, Challah for Hunger both at Scripps and Pomona, founded by a past Claremont Colleges Hillel president, bakes and sells over 300 challot weekly to raise money and awareness for the humanitarian aid in Darfur.

First Year Students at Hillel

First Year Students at Hillel (FYSH) is an innovative program that provides compelling and engaging entry-points to Jewish life for incoming freshman on the Claremont campuses. Our goal is to provide a strong foundation of Jewish-identified engagement opportunities right out of the gates, building a basis for continuity and growth, and participation in our Hillel community. For the 2008-2009 school year, FYSH has many great experiential, interactive, spiritual, social, educational, and identity-building programs planned. We have hosted the Welcome Barbeque, Candy Apple Making, Feast Before You Fast, the Jewish Community Retreat and look forward to many more events! Our FYSH Council is comprised of seven first year students who are committed to planning Jewish programs for their peers. If you are interested in learning more about FYSH, please contact First Year Chair Sarah Surrey!

Cultural

Our social events are usually weekly, low key events that are chill, fun, and good study breaks. While some of the events take place in the Hillel Student Lounge, which has a widescreen plasma TV, refrigerator, couch, and snacks, other events take place in the dorms on campus. Our social events are a great place to meet people and just hang out. For our bigger, high-energy events such as the Purim Party and concerts like Matisyahu, we collaborate with other Jewish groups on campus, especially the Jewish Student Union. Some of the social events that Hillel sponsors are Café Shlomowitzki, Sushi in the Sukkah and Social Lunch.

Shabbat and Holidays

Shabbat Services and Dinner

Hillel hosts a weekly Shabbat service and dinner for all students at the Claremont Colleges. The service may be led by students, the Rabbi, or a guest from outside the Claremont community. Services are followed by blessings over the challah and wine, and a kosher meal. Meals are usually cooked by a group of students who volunteer several hours out of their Friday afternoon for the preparation. The Shabbat service and meal are a unique chance for a wide variety of students to come together during the week to just relax. It is a wonderful chance to touch base with friends, and catch up after a sometimes hectic week.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Services are provided for both days of Rosh Hashanah. Rabbi Bergson leads services and student volunteers participate in the Torah service and English readings. The services are led according to the Reform tradition and are open to the community at large. For Yom Kippur, we offer Kol Nidre, services all next day with additional activities planned between the traditional services such as meditation and yoga, walks, and study sessions. The McAlister center sponsors a break-the-fast which is open to the whole community.

Passover

We hold seders for the first and second night of Passover, and provide kosher-for-Passover meals for the duration of the holiday. The first seder is usually a more traditional one led by the rabbi and the second seder is a less traditional and often led by a student. Pomona College has been so good as to let us kasher the kitchen in Oldenborg Dining Hall and use it to make kosher-for-Passover meals for the duration of the holiday. The delicious meals are cooked by Martha, the Oldenborg Dining Hall Manager, and her wonderful staff. Martha has had many years experience and is a superb passover chef.

Claremont Birthright trip to Israel

Join fellow Jewish students from Claremont and travel to Israel for FREE! Birthright Israel is a unique, all expenses paid trip to Israel for 18-26 year old young adults who have not traveled to Israel before on a peer led trip.

Lisa Sobel, Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow (2006-2007), wrote about the trip:

Taglit-Birthright Israel Blossoms at Claremont Colleges

During the 2007 winter, Hillel at the Claremont Colleges sent 11 students on Hillelalem for tours of the Old City before preparing for their first Shabbat in Israel. Morale was high--even though the temperature was not. After Shabbat festivities ended, students attended the Mega Event, which took them all by surprise. For most, they had never been around so many Jews; for others this was an eye-opening event. One student commented, ”I never knew there were Jews in India!“ Students left Jerusalem feeling a strong sense of peoplehood and headed up north to learn more about life in the Galilee. At this point, a group of eight Israeli soldiers joined the Birthright group and they shared about how they were affected by the war with Lebanon. Afterwards, students explored the holy city of Tzefat and learned what goes into the making of beautiful Shabbat candles at the famous Tzefat Candle Factory. Students then headed down towards the Negev for a festive experience of Bedouin life. The next day students were up early to ride camels before trekking up and down Masada. They then drove a short ways to the Dead Sea where they had a big disappointment in not being able to swim because of rough waves and high winds. Their spirits rose however when they learned that they were going to get to spend time at a spa where mineral baths were on the menu. They ended their trip with another special Shabbat outside of Jerusalem before heading to Tel Aviv for one last day of exploration and history. It was a tearful goodbye to the group of Israeli soldiers, who had become part of the Bus #588 family, but a special surprise awaited students at the airport. The Mifgash was there to send us off in style with hugs and chocolate. Though exhausted from the prior ten days, students spent most of the plane ride back talking and sharing favorite stories from the trip. They left the baggage claim area for their connecting flights with many promises and smiles for a reunion this coming summer. Once back at the Claremont Colleges the 11 students teamed up with their JCSC Fellow and Birthright leader to have a small reunion dinner a week later that was full of laughs and fond memories.