Israel

UR Hillel encourages students to learn about, travel to, and develop a personal connection with Israel, past and present. As an organization we are Zionist - defined in the classical sense of believing in the Jewish People's historical indigeneity to the land of Israel, and of the right of Jews to self-determination on some form of that land today. There is a wide range of how American Jews relate to Israel - ancient and modern, including if at all. We hope that all Jewish students at UR feel UR Hillel is a place to learn about and explore all aspects of Jewish identity, including as it pertains to Israel, in meaningful and relevant ways.

We actively support student travel to Israel, including Taglit Birthright trips. These trips are a great way for students to learn about Israel and connect with ancient Jewish heritage in an immersive and financially accessible way. Our next trip is intended for December 2024. Questions? Please contact Joy Getnick.

UR Hillel also proudly supports student participation in a wide variety of other travel opportunities. Each year we have students who study abroad at Israeli universities, or participate in other travel, learning, and internship programs through MASA, JNF, Onward, Birthright Excel, and more. Interested in spending time in Israel? Please contact Joy Getnick. We'd love to help!

We offer a variety of opportunities for students to learn about Israel, and explore the role Israel might play in their lives within inclusive, welcoming, pluralistic Jewish space. We offer speaker programs about Israel and regional geopolitics, and programming that helps students learn about or celebrate aspects of Israeli society and culture. We also sometimes partner with the Rochester Students for Israel group, a student club which hosts Israel-related programming and cultural events. Students should check the weekly e-blast for information on new programs, travel opportunities, and more.

Interested in learning Hebrew? Learn more about the offerings through the Center for Jewish Studies, or join the weekly Cafe Ivrit through the Language Center.