The go-to guide for Jewish families ranks Elon as the top private school in North Carolina that Jews choose.
Elon University has once again risen in the ranking in Hillel International’s annual College Guide and is now ranked No. 29 in the country on the list of “Top 60 Private Schools Jews Choose.” The college guide is an essential resource for Jewish students across the country choosing higher education options.
Elon Hillel’s role is a key factor in this rise in the rankings. Elon Hillel serves a rapidly growing, geographically diverse Jewish student population that now makes up a record-breaking 13 percent of the undergraduate student body, which has close to 800 Jewish undergrads.
Elon is the highest-ranked private college or university in the state of North Carolina, ahead of both Duke University and Wake Forest University, with Elon Hillel serving as a home away from home for the university’s Jewish student population.
“Through strategic leadership from the staff in Hillel, the support of Elon parents, including those on the Jewish Life Advisory Council, and the passionate leadership of students, the Jewish Life program at the university continues to grow and thrive,” stated Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley. “This recognition is a testament to what thoughtful planning and implementation can do to strengthen the student experience in a university community.”
Jewish life at Elon engages Jewish students even before they set foot on Elon’s campus through the internationally recognized Engagement Intern program, which builds community and connection for first-year students. Through creative programming – both in-person and virtual, Elon Hillel has built a welcoming, lively and inclusive home for its students.
Elon Hillel is based out of the Sklut Hillel Center, a renovated and repurposed house on campus with a full kitchen and all the comforts of home. Jewish students gather at Hillel for bagel brunches and Israeli cooking classes, for Shabbat services and dinners, Hanukkah parties and movie nights, to braid and bake for Challah for Hunger, and to get out the vote.
According to Assistant Director of Jewish Life Hillary Zaken, “Elon Hillel has built a community where all Jewish students can feel comfortable, no matter how Jewish they are, or how they practice their Judaism. It’s an honor to see Jewish life grow and thrive on Elon’s campus, and to see more and more students find their place at Hillel.”
Elon Hillel is affiliated with Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life (known as Hillel International), the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally, and on 550 campuses throughout the United States. Their annual College Guide is a resource for students and families embarking on their college search, and seeking to learn about the opportunities for an exciting and enriching Jewish life on campus.