There are a number of ways for undergraduate and graduate students to get involved with Hillel and Jewish Life on Campus. Scroll down below to see a brief listing of the student groups housed at the Ben Schulman Center for Jewish Life.
Undergraduate Student Programming
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. They all help oversee all aspects of Jewish Life at Vanderbilt Hillel. Elections of these positions are held in February.
Hillel Programming Board
The programming board oversees Vanderbilt Hillel’s Social Programming efforts, elections are held each September for the 6 elected seats and the remaining 4 seats are appointed on an ad-hoc basis. The Board is chaired by the Executive Vice President.
First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) Board
The board created to empower our freshman class to create a Jewish community on the commons, to build a relationship with the existing members of Hillel, and to learn how to become a leader. The FYSH Board is a student run and led initiative with guidance from the Director of Engagement , Lawrence Tobin. Their goal is to bring together Jewish students on the Commons through social, religious, and academic programming.
Senior Leadership Initiative (SLI)
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.
Religious Life Committee (RLC)
The RLC is a committee appointed by the executive board and staff to serve as a sounding board for the Vice President of Religious Life and the Executive board on issues of religious observance, most notably holidays and Shabbat. Additionally the RLC hosts educational and religious programs to engage students in these aspects of Judaism.
Events done in the past include, Purim Bar Night, Make your own Matzah Pizza Night, and the Annual Interfaith Chocolate Seder.
Travel Programs
Vanderbilt Hillel boasts several opportunities every year for travel, both domestic and international.
Birthright
Want to see the sun rise after scaling Masada? Watch the sun set over the Mediterranean? Drop a note in the Western Wall? Celebrate with others your own age from your school or community? Ride a camel?
If you’re Jewish, age 18-26, and have never been on a peer-group trip to Israel, Hillel offers the best ways for you to have the time of your life in Israel – FOR FREE
Vanderbilt Hillel is proud to partner with Israel Experts and Taglit-birthright Israel to provide an amazing and totally free of charge 10 day Israel experience for our students. If you are interested in learning more or registering, please contact Lawrence at lawrence.tobin@vanderbilt.edu and join our Birthright Group on Facebook!
Spring Break
If you love traveling, and community service then this trip is for you! Each year Hillel organizes an international Spring Break Mission Trip. We take 15-20 students to South America for a week of community service, interacting with the local Jewish Community, site seeing, and a day at the beach. Past service projects have been building houses for the homless in Uruguay and building a community center in Rio de Janiero.
Israel Advocacy
There are two Israel related groups housed within the Ben Schulman Center.
Dores for Israel (DFI) & Hillel Israel Committee (HIC)
Dore’s for Israel is Vanderbilt’s active pro-Israel arm on campus. Members come together to discuss Israel in intellectual settings at our dinners with the professors series, have social functions such as make your own hummus or falafel at midnight, and provide the campus with Israeli cultural experiences at our annual Israel Fest.
The Dore’s host regular events each semester that are open to anyone on campus. This past year the Dore’s signature event, Falafel @ Midnight, hosted at the Schulman Center, drew a crowd of almost 200 students. We are looking forward to another successful year with the help of the Vanderbilt community.
Dores For Israel on Facebook
AIPAC Cadre
The AIPAC cadre is a small group of students committed to pro-Israel political activism both on campus and beyond it. We work to educate students and leaders on the value of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
The cadre annually attends two conference for committed student activists in Washington and recruits other students to attend AIPAC’s annual Policy Conference, which this year will be held in March.
At the 2009 AIPAC Policy conference the Vanderbilt Cadre was named an activist of the year!
Graduate Student Programming
Vanderbilt Hillel offers a wide array of program opportunities for graduate students. In addition to coordinating university wide graduate student events, we also sponsor the organizations housed at each of the professional schools.
Check the calendar for upcoming graduate student events or contact Lawrence Tobin for more information.
Professional School Organizations
Maimonides Society
The Maimonides Society, the Jewish Medical Student Association at Vanderbilt Medical School, is a community of students, faculty and house staff dedicated to enriching the Jewish experience at Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Through speaker programs, social programming, and culturally-centered events, we aim to enhance Jewish community life throughout the medical center.
Jewish Law Student Association
The purposes of the Jewish Law Students Association (“JLSA”) are to serve as a sounding board and advocacy group for the Jewish students of the Vanderbilt University Law School; to arrange events for Jewish holidays; to raise awareness of Jewish life and culture, and help foster a diverse community at the Vanderbilt University Law School; and to serve as a liaison between the Vanderbilt University Law School student body, student organizations, staff and faculty, other Jewish groups at Vanderbilt University, and the Nashville Jewish community.
Jewish Business Association
The Jewish Business Association is a student organization in the Owen Graduate School of Management of Vanderbilt University. This Association intends to be a networking tool, a method of educational and cultural outreach, a source of humor and a connection to the outstanding active Jewish community that resides in Nashville.
Young Adult opportunities in the Nashville community
Jmingle
Jmingle is a a social outlet for Jewish twenty and thirty-somethings in the Nashville area. Jmingle, in conjunction with Vanderbilt Hillel and The Temple, organizes social programs such as happy hours, bowling and holiday parties for Jewish young adults. Check out their website atwww.nowgennashville.org/jmingle and their Facebook group. Jmingle is supported by the Nashville Jewish Community Foundation.
