Elon Hillel chosen for cover of Hillel International’s College Guide

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Elon University, nationally recognized for its engaged Jewish population and experiential and inclusive Jewish life programming, has landed on the cover of the 2018 Hillel College Guide, released in November by Hillel International.

Elon University was also named one of the best schools for Jewish students in the College Guide, and featured prominently in the cover story, “Shalom, Y’all.”  The Hillel College Guide is an essential resource for Jewish students choosing higher education options and offers information of Jewish life at colleges and universities around the world for current and prospective undergraduate and graduate students.

“The cover story of this year’s Hillel College Guide is a trend story about the increasing popularity of southern colleges and universities among college-bound Jewish students. Elon University was a natural fit for the cover not only because the Jewish student population is growing, but because of the story behind the numbers,” said Geoffrey Melada, Hillel International’s director of communications.

This year, Elon ranked #35 on the Guide’s list of “Top 60 Private Schools Jews Choose,” up in the rankings from last year, and maintaining its 10 percent Jewish student population even as Elon University continues to grow. Over the past decade, the Jewish population at Elon has risen by 55 percent. Even more remarkable, in the past five years, Elon’s Jewish population has increased by 222 percent. The Class of 2022 boasts Elon’s largest ever number of Jewish students in an entering class.

“It’s an exciting time for Jewish Life here at Elon,” said Director of Jewish Life Betsy Polk. “We have built a community that welcomes and celebrates every student, embraces the dynamic diversity of Jewish values, and offers the easy comfort of Southern hospitality. We are thrilled and honored to be the face of Hillel International.”

Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, known as Hillel International, is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally, and working on 500 campuses throughout the United States. Their 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.

Jewish life at Elon is based out of the Sklut Hillel Center, a renovated and repurposed house on campus with a full kosher kitchen and all the comforts of home. Elon offers innovative student-led and staff-mentored programming that brings students into Hillel to celebrate their connections to their religious heritage.

“Only five years into its existence, Elon Hillel has established itself as a warm, vibrant, pluralistic ‘home away from home’ for Jewish students on campus,” said Melada. “I was honored to spend a day with some of those students shooting the cover. I know I’ll be returning to tell more stories about the great work Elon Hillel is doing to build the Jewish future.”