Prospective and Incoming Students
Welcome to Columbia/Barnard Hillel!
We’re so glad you’re exploring Jewish life at Columbia and Barnard, home to the richest, most diverse Jewish community of any Ivy — in the world’s largest Jewish city.
Mazel Tov!
Current students and alumni congratulate the class of 2030 on their acceptance to Columbia and Barnard.
Prospective Student Shabbaton
This year’s Columbia/Barnard Hillel Prospective Student Shabbaton will be October 9th-10th, 2026.
Please note there is limited space and we will do our best to accommodate all registrants.
What Makes Columbia/Barnard Hillel Special?
Columbia/Barnard Hillel is a warm, welcoming home for Jewish students of all backgrounds and identities. We are proudly pluralistic—deeply committed to honoring each student’s unique Jewish journey. Whether you’re looking for meaningful conversations, cultural celebrations, learning opportunities, daily prayer services, or just a place to be yourself, you’ll find a community here that supports and celebrates you.
Students connect through:
Cultural programs, holidays, and social events
Jewish learning and fellowships
Daily Orthodox prayer services and weekly Conservative and Reform Shabbat prayer services
A diverse Jewish student community from around the world (including the largest Israeli student body in the United States)
Domestic and International travel opportunities
Our goal is to help students build strong Jewish identities, meaningful relationships, and a sense of belonging—not just on campus, but for life beyond graduation.
Visit the Kraft Center
The best way to experience Jewish life on campus is to visit.
Schedule a tour of the Kraft Center or set up a virtual conversation with our team.
Contact Leah Spector (she/her): Leah@hillel.columbia.edu to schedule a tour.
Follow Us to See Jewish Life in Action
Catch a glimpse of the energy, connection, and joy that fill our building and campus every day.
Follow us on Instagram @cbhillel
Celebrate the high holidays with us!
🔗 Check out the link in our bio to let us know you’ll join us!
Wanna travel with us? Check out the link in our bio to learn more!
We can’t wait to see you back on campus ➡️➡️➡️ swipe to see what’s coming up!
First years we have so many ways to welcome you!
🔗click the link in our bio to learn more and let us know if you’ll be there
Find us on the first day of classes, grab a bite, and learn how we’re celebrating the high holidays!
Hey seniors how are you spending your first Wednesday evening on campus?
Rumor has it the Kraft Shabbat menu this week is crazy
Did you know Rosh Hashanah is the first Friday of classes?
🔗 learn more or let us know you’ll be there at the link in our bio
🔗learn more about high holiday services at the link in our bio
Give back this Rosh Hashanah with Dorot!
There are so many ways to learn and connect this fall!
🔗fellowships sign ups are live at the link in our bio
Curious about Curaçao?
🔗learn more at the link in our bio
Name a better start to your senior year…?
🔗click the link in our bio to learn more (or even sign up?)
We’re going back to the Village in Rwanda!
🔗click the link in our bio to learn more !
We asked graduating seniors to share their favorite CBHillel memories, here’s what they had to say…
This week, we welcomed alumni, parents, students and friends to Low Library for our Annual Seixas Dinner!
CB Hillel was proud to honor Ester Fuchs, Nicholas Lemann, and David Schizer, Co-Chairs of the Task Force on Antisemitism at Columbia University, with the Gershom Mendes Seixas Award, and David Fine with the Young Leadership Award.
Last month, we honored our student leaders at our annual Leadership Appreciation Dinner and recognized seven outstanding student leaders with awards for their impact on our community.
As the Class of 2026 celebrated graduation this past week, Jewish students shared reflections, advice, and stories from their college journeys.
Congratulations to the class of 2026 🦁🐻🎓
Yesterday we celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut on campus 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱 students came together to celebrate Israel’s independence!
CBHillel students have been so lucky to hear from alumni across our Careers After Columbia series, connecting with graduates working in tech, consulting, finance, and law.
Hillel Formal was so fun! Swipe for some highlights from a night of music, great people, and lots of laughs.
Admitted/Incoming Students
Mazel Tov on your acceptance!
We’re thrilled to welcome you to the Columbia/Barnard Hillel community.
Before classes even start, you can start connecting with other students through:
Get your Free Columbia/Barnard Swag!
Fill out the form below and we’ll send you a free t-shirt to welcome you to the CBH Community.
Explore More
We invite you to take a closer look at what Jewish life looks like here.
Check out our online guidebook for high school students and families
Click around our website or start with these popular pages:
Immersive Travel Opportunities
Jewish Learning – Judaism & You Fellowships
See what’s coming up at the Kraft Center. Check out our Calendar
Prospective Families
Choosing a college is a big decision for the whole family. Visit our Prospective Parents page made just for you!
Prospective and Incoming Student FAQs
Yes — and it’s one of the most vibrant in the country. Columbia and Barnard are home to approximately 1,400 Jewish undergraduate students, along with a significant Jewish graduate student population across Columbia’s schools. Together, they form one of the largest and most active Jewish student communities in the Ivy League.
Students connect through weekly Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, Jewish learning fellowships, student-led groups, and travel experiences. The Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life serves as the community’s home base — open seven days a week and buzzing with activity throughout the year. And because Columbia is the only Ivy League school in New York City, the world’s largest Jewish city, students have access to a broader Jewish cultural and religious life that extends well beyond campus.
Yes. Jewish students at Columbia and Barnard are an active, visible, and proud presence on campus. You’ll find students wearing kippot and Magen David necklaces, leading Shabbat services, organizing Jewish cultural events, and building community openly every day of the week.
Like many universities, Columbia faced significant challenges related to antisemitism in recent years. Those challenges were real, and we have never minimized them. What they made clear is that a strong, well-resourced Hillel matters more than ever. Today, Columbia/Barnard Hillel works in close, ongoing partnership with the presidents of Columbia and Barnard, senior administrators, faculty leadership, and the board of trustees to ensure Jewish students feel safe, supported, and celebrated on campus. Our Here4You initiative means that every student has a trusted adult on staff they can turn to — for community, for advocacy, or just for support. If you have specific questions or want to speak with a current student about their experience, we’d love to connect you. Reach out at welcome@hillel.columbia.edu.
Not at all. Students who engage with Columbia/Barnard Hillel run the full spectrum — from deeply observant to culturally Jewish to still figuring it out. You don’t need to keep Shabbat, know the prayers, or have any particular level of observance to feel at home here. Our community is proudly pluralistic — meaning students of every background, denomination, and Jewish identity are genuinely welcome. Whether you’re looking for Friday night Shabbat dinner, a Jewish a cappella group, a social justice initiative, or just a warm space to be yourself, there’s a place for you.
Check out our wide range of student groups here.
Columbia/Barnard Hillel offers a full range of religious prayer services to support students of every denomination and level of observance. On Friday nights, students can attend Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform Shabbat evening services. Saturday mornings include both Orthodox and Conservative services, and Orthodox daily minyanim are held throughout the week. Columbia/Barnard Hillel is also the only Hillel in the country with two full-time OU-JLIC educators supporting Orthodox student life. High Holiday services are offered free of charge each year, with multiple denominational options.
Yes. Barnard’s Hewitt Dining Hall offers hot kosher meals three times a day, available to all students with a Barnard or Columbia meal plan. Columbia’s dining program offers grab-and-go kosher options at John Jay Dining Hall. The Jewish Theological Seminary’s kosher dining hall is also nearby and accepts Flex dollars. Beyond campus, the surrounding Upper West Side neighborhood has a wide selection of kosher restaurants, grocery stores, and bakeries — making it one of the most kosher-friendly neighborhoods in the country.
We start welcoming new students long before move-in day! Admitted students can connect with our community through Summer Welcomes held in cities across the country, Move-In Day meetups at the Kraft Center, and Welcome Weekend events at the start of the fall semester. Fill out our incoming student form to get on our list, and we’ll send you a free CBH t-shirt to officially kick things off.
Learn more!
Still Have Questions? Want to Connect?
Our full FAQ page covers everything from student groups and travel to religious accommodations and academic Jewish studies. You can also reach us directly at info@columbiabarnardhillel.org or sign up below (in the footer) to receive updates.
