According to the Berman Jewish Policy Archive (bjpa.org), a central electronic address for Jewish communal policy, college years – ages 18 to 22 – can be a time when young people decide how connected they want to be to their Jewish identity. Without the constant supervision of parents, these young adults may be inclined to skip services or even temple altogether, weakening their connection to Judaism. However, for many college students, Jewish opportunities on campus ultimately strengthen their Jewish identities.

One of the most popular on-campus resources for Jewish learning is Hillel. The largest Jewish student organization in the world, Hillel strives to enrich not only the lives of Jewish students, but of Jewish people all around the world.

“I attend Hillel every Friday, [which] encompasses services followed by a home-cooked meal,” said Kate Rubin, an Emory University freshman and graduate of Ladue Horton Watkins High School. “I love it because it’s like my home away from home and it’s nice at the end of the week. I didn’t go to temple regularly [before], and so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it at school.”

There are no Hillel membership fees at any of the more than 550 locations on college and university campuses.  Each location offers a variety of activities and programs that can help introduce college students to a community of Jews on campus.

“We went on a whitewater rafting trip in the beginning of the year,” Rubin said. “They offer birthright through it. There [are] a lot of leadership opportunities.”

For Rubin, a major benefit of connecting with other Jewish students through Hillel was finding her best friends. Although for many, finding friends at college is stressful, Rubin found hers because of Hillel’s introductory week.

“Everyone involved is really kind and warmhearted and welcomes you with open arms,” Rubin said. “Especially in those first few weeks, where you feel very out of place in this new environment, it provided me a comforting place to be. I love the people and atmosphere.”

Madison Rinder, a Northwestern University sophomore and John Burroughs School graduate, also attends Hillel services every Friday evening. As a freshman, Rinder also was involved with Challah for Hunger, an organization that brings people together to bake and sell challah for social-justice causes. She also is very involved in Wildcats for Israel, Northwestern’s pro-Israel student organization.

“Most recently, I applied for a grant through NU’s Hillel for students traveling to Israel,” Rinder said. “NU’s Hillel also helps students find opportunities to be involved in other Jewish or pro-Israel organizations, such as the ICC and StandWithUs, which have fellowships for college students.”

Leadership positions are available as well as other opportunities through the Hillel on campus, she said. These initiatives include Mega Shabbat and Hillel Speaker of the Year.

“I did not consciously decide to primarily be involved in Jewish activities or mostly surround myself with members of the Jewish community,” Rinder said. “But, ultimately, I think that I was drawn to Jewish activities and the Jewish community because of my strong connection to my Jewish identity.”

Rinder said her level of commitment to Judaism is similar at home and at college, a major difference being only the increased difficulty of missing school for holidays. Even though it is harder to keep kosher at college, she tries to maintain the same traditions at college that she had back home.

“It is important to me that I maintain that Jewish identity, and therefore I continue to go to Shabbat services and dinner,” Rinder said. “Even though the services are slightly different and the food doesn’t compare to my family’s Shabbat dinners, there’s still something special about celebrating Shabbat on Friday night.”

Benjamin Levy, a Bradley University junior and Parkway Central High School alum, also is involved in Jewish organizations on campus, especially Chabad and his Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, known as AEPi. Levy said that one of the first organizations he became a part of as a freshman was Chabad.

“From weekly Shabbat dinners to sushi in the sukkah, Chabad has allowed me to establish my Jewish identity in many different and unique ways,” Levy said. “I chose to take my involvement further and joined the Chabad board as a sophomore. Currently, I am serving as the outreach chair and am responsible for keeping students informed and involved with all Chabad events.”

Levy said Bradley University was the perfect fit for him because, in addition to Chabad and Hillel, it has a kosher kitchen, services on the high holidays and Shabbat dinners. Additionally, Bradley offered him the opportunity to become a part of a Jewish fraternity. As an active member of AEPi, Levy served as the rush chairman. Levy believes that because all fraternity brothers have a Jewish heritage, a stronger connection forms among them.

“College can be a very eye-opening experience,” Levy said. “Young students, many who have never been independent, are thrown into a world full of new experiences and knowledge. Continuing to learn about Judaism is a great way to keep oneself grounded.”