Hillel at the Ohio State University | Student Organizations


Hillel provides a welcoming atmosphere to students from all backgrounds and communities. While some have had little or no connection with Jewish life before, others come to OSU with youth group, day school, or other experiences that have made Judaism central to their lives. Hillel offers a variety of leadership opportunities to bring fresh ideas and new visions to Jewish campus life. Their varied interests ranging from theater to Greek life to Israel provide numerous entry points for participating in Hillel activities.
Café Entertainment Programming Crew	Fitness and Nature Sports	Friday Nighters
Small scale social events provide students the opportunity to gather in an informal comfortable setting. Programs include a wide range of topics from Seinfeld to a Purim Pancake Breakfast.	This group of students participates in sports of all sorts! Dodgeball, softball, ultimate frisbee, and hiking are but a few of the many activities in which this group takes part. Look for upcoming programs like rafting and intramurals!	Friday Nighters help to facilitate education on theological topics, as well as promote Shabbat involvement.
Grads and Young Professionals (GAP)	Greek Chai Jewish Greek Council	Hillel Players
. Overflowing with twenty-somethings, Columbus offers ample opportunities for socializing. OSU's Grads and Young Professionals participate in a number of events, many co-sponsored by the Young Adult Division of the Columbus Jewish Federation, including an annual wine-and-cheese tasting, speed dating, Gallery Hop, and quarterly GAP Shabbat at Hillel. Click here for more info on GAP programming.	This council of Jewish Greek students works together to reach out to the greater Greek community. By offering social, philanthropic, and volunteer opportunities, the Greek community is able to gain a better understanding of Hillel and the Jewish culture	Possibly the oldest group still existent at Hillel, the Players have been producing stage plays and skits for over 50 years. With one to two shows per academic year, each is completely student-run between actors and production staff.
Holocaust Awareness Council	Israel Action Committee	Jewish Business Student Association
The Holocaust Awareness Council is dedicated to the continued education of students at the campus of Ohio State to the tragedies of the Holocaust and other genocides. An annual conference on the Holocaust is hosted every spring, including a 24 Hour Vigil, speakers, and other events.	The Israel Action Committee is Ohio State's premier pro-Israel student organization. Through speakers, activist training, and cultural exchanges the IAC celebrates Israel's democracy with other students. As part of its mission, the IAC seeks to further strengthen and develop the relationship between the United States and Israel, fostering intellectual and political dialogue. During the year, the IAC works with influential constituents on campus, community activists, and national organizations to expand the pro-Israel network on campus and beyond.	This group of students with business ambitions includes a variety of majors. They share an interest in networking, learning, and exploring all areas of business. Discussion groups are held quarterly with members of the Columbus community in all areas of business.
Jewish Queers and Allies (JQA)	Jewish Women's Collective	Jews on Campus
Hillel's GLBT and allies group gets together regularly for social, religious, and other learning events. Recent programs have included a JQA Passover Seder, Shabbat in a community member's home, and noted author Leslea Newman, author of Heather Has Two Mommies. Coffee is usually always included in the plans!	By connecting female Jewish students with women in the greater Columbus Jewish community, JWC creates a strong network of individuals for workshops on careers, family, life balance, spirituality, and empowerment. Intimate discussion groups are held at various host homes in the community to touch on a wide range of topics.	Hillel presents residence hall programming that takes place right where you live. Join Jews on Campus as we bake challah, make stress-balls, watch TV shows, perform Chocolate Seders, and more - all without leaving your dorm!
KEDMA	KESHER	KOACH
KEDMA’s mission is to promote and foster community building and relationships amongst traditional Jewish students and the entire OSU campus community.	KESHER is the college movement of North American Reform Judaism, an affiliate of the Union for Reform Judaism, which connects college-aged Reform Jews, Reform college groups, and college campuses to each other and to the Reform movement, in order to promote continuous involvement in Reform Judaism.	KOACH provides college-age students the opportunity to maintain and develop connections to Conservative Judaism. KOACH nurtures a love of Torah, the Jewish people, Israel and God through a variety of activities, including social, religious, educational, cultural and social action programs.
MeshugaNotes	Ohio Loves Israel	Ruach
The MeshugaNotes are OSU Hillel's a cappella group, singing tunes from Jewish liturgy to American pop. The group has sung at OSU's Homecoming Variety Show in addition to performances all over Columbus and their quarterly Shabbat show. They travel annually to New York City for the Jewish Collegiate Festival of the Performing Arts.	Ohio Loves Israel is a Hillel-based annual statewide conference and workshop, dedicated to educating students, faculty, and community about Israel. The education focuses primarily on political, economic, cultural, technological, and medical institutions, as well as Ohio-Israel partnerships.	This student group celebrates Israel's arts and culture through quarterly programs. Integrating aspects of daily Israeli life and Middle Eastern culture, Ruach sponsors programs like the popular hookah nights, Israeli film screenings, and the annual Yom Ha'atzmaut Fair, welcoming vendors of Israeli products and offering typical Israeli foods.
Starfish	Student Representatives to the Board of Trustees	The Writing on the Wall Project (WOW)
Throughout the year, Hillel's social action team provides various opportunities to help give back to the community. These include weekly volunteer opportunities working with all types of people ranging from kids to senior citizens. Starfish also conducts quarterly large scale service events. Students across the campus make over 2500 sandwiches for the homeless, throw a carnival for children and their families in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and perform a campus-wide donation drive for the needy.	These students are sitting members of OSU Hillel's governing body. They are considered to be leaders both at OSU Hillel and around campus. They attend board meetings, represent OSU Hillel at community functions, act as student voices, bring added value to existing OSU Hillel programs, and build relationships with people in the broader Columbus community.	OSU Hillel's students who participate in WOW are committed to eradicating the campus and greater Columbus community of hatred and intolerance.