Microcommunitities
Challah for Hunger
Challah for Hunger is a national organization with individual chapters at college campuses across the country. Students meet bi-weekly to make challah from scratch and sell the loaves on campus. Proceeds from the bake sales go directly to hunger organizations including Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger and The Nashville Food Project . Challah for Hunger is more than just a bake sale- it provides opportunities for leadership, entreprenuership, and social justice awareness, both locally and globally.
'Dores for Israel
‘Dores for Israel (DFI) is Vanderbilt’s active pro-Israel arm on campus. Members come together to discuss Israel in intellectual settings, enjoy social functions such as Falafel at Midnight, and provide Israeli cultural experiences at the annual Israel Fest in April. In addition, a dedicated group of Israel activisits within DFI work to engage the broader campus community to raise awareness of Israel at Vanderbilt.
The Hillel Fantasy Football League
Our annual group that gets together to fight for the pride of winning our fantasy football league! The winner gets their name on a Hillel trophy. More than that, the league has regular weekend programming around games or studying.
Membership and Programming Board
Hillel’s Membership and Programming Board (MaP), chaired by the Vice President of MaP, oversees Vanderbilt Hillel’s social programming efforts and major events of Vanderbilt Hillel. MaP works to plan events for students across campus including Jewish Food Festival, Hillel Date Party, Hamantaschen Hotwheels, among other activities.
Tikkun Olam Committee
Heal the world with our TIkkun Olam committee. Give blood at our annual MLK Blood Drive. Join the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Donor Registry. The Tikkun Olam committee is dedicated to supporting students, saving lives, and taking on big causes.
Senior Leadership Initiative
The Senior Leadership Initiative meets regularly, engaging in social, community service, networking, and educational activities in order to enhance the sense of a “senior class community,” establish connections between seniors and the Nashville Jewish community, and ensure that the bond between Hillel and our graduating students is an enduring one.
Hillel Out'Dores
Hillel Out’Dores is a community passionate about exploring the natural beauty of Middle Tennessee with a Jewish lens. Join your friends on monthly hikes, raft trips, and overnights that let you get off campus and into the wilderness.
First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH)
First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) is a student-run initiative that empowers our first year class to create a Jewish community on the Ingram Commons through social, religious, and academic programming, all while building relationships with those involved in Hillel and honing important leadership skills. First year students can apply to join the FYSH board in September. We also have a pre-orientation program FYSH Fest, that helps students adjust to campus before school even starts! Click the photo above for more information about our First Year community, and to sign up for FYSH Fest!
Hillel Executive Board
The Hillel Executive Board consists of the Hillel president, the vice presidents of programming, membership, religious life, and Israel, and the secretary and the treasurer, all of whom oversee all aspects of Jewish Life at Vanderbilt Hillel. Elections for these positions are held in February.
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Jewish Life Committee
The Jewish Life Committee (JLC) is responsible for the organization and development of Vanderbilt’s Jewish religious community. Events done in the past include themed Shabbats, make your own matzah pizza, and the Annual Interfaith Chrismukkah party. In addition to planning Shabbat and holiday programming, JLC hosts Tuesday Schmoozeday, a monthly speaker series open to all students. Jewish local professionals join students on campus for discussions across a variety of disciplines including the intersection of feminism and Judaism, Jewish music, and Jewish humor.
Atzmi
Atzmi is Hillel’s community for LGBTQ+ Jews and Allies. With programming ranging from Jewish learnings on gender identity to drag race watch parties, Atzmi provides space for all our ‘Dores to engage in topics of identity, sexuality, love, and relationships through Jewish texts and perspectives.
Gift of Life
Vanderbilt Hillel partners with Gift of Life, an organization whose mission is to help cure blood cancer. Vanderbilt Hillel students run swab drives both on campus and in the community to add people to the donor registry to save lives.
Tikkun Olam Makers
Vanderbilt is proud to support the Vanderbilt University chapter of Tikkun Olam Makers. These students, from a variety of diciplines, unite to create and engineer solutions for individuals with disabilities.