GET TO KNOW CHARLESTON HILLEL
About
Hillel was, is, and always will be a space for all kinds of Jewish students – a place where they feel welcomed and included.
Our Mission
Enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
Our Vision
We envision a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel.
For over 100 years, the Hillel movement has been uniquely focused on serving all kinds of Jewish students, no matter who they are or how they express their Judaism. Today, Hillel is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, serving more than 180,000 Jewish students each year at 850+ colleges and universities around the world. Every day, we strive to bring a spirit of genuine openness and inclusivity into everything we say and do.
Our Founding Philosophy
There isn't one way to be Jewish. We know that expression of Jewish identity (and identity in general) comes in many forms, and just like no two people are the same, no two Jewish journeys are alike.
At Hillel, all kinds of students are invited and encouraged to bring their whole selves. Whether students keep kosher or have never attended synagogue; whether they want to participate in Shabbat or in a study group; whether they identify as Queer, Black, Ashkenazi, Sephardi, or all of the above. Hillel enables Jewish college students to freely explore what being Jewish in today’s world means to them.
Our Values
To achieve our mission and vision, our work focuses on core facets of Jewish life including Jewish learning, holiday and Shabbat celebration, arts and culture and building a meaningful, ongoing relationship with Israel. Hillel supports students’ spiritual growth and wellness, promotes leadership development and empowers students to make an impact on the broader community. Hillel builds relationships that promote understanding among a variety of groups, advocates for Jewish students, and strives to ensure a safe and supportive atmosphere on campus.
Jewish Education
Jewish education is a lifelong journey—one that invites curiosity, reflection, and connection across generations. At Charleston Hillel, we believe learning is most powerful when it’s rooted in community and enriched by different perspectives. Whether through text study, thoughtful conversation, or shared experience, we create spaces where students can wrestle with big questions, deepen their understanding of Jewish tradition, and discover how ancient wisdom can shape their modern lives.
Tikkun Olam | Repairing the world
Tikkun olam—repairing the world—is a call to action rooted in our deepest Jewish values. At Charleston Hillel, we empower students to engage with the world around them through service, justice, and compassion. Whether responding to local needs or global challenges, our commitment to tikkun olam invites students to show up for others, build bridges across difference, and take meaningful steps toward a more just and caring society. Together, we learn that healing the world begins in community.
B'tzelem Elohim | In the Divine Image
We welcome every student as their whole self, honoring their unique Jewish journeys as we empower their growth as individuals and Jews.
Kehillah | Community
Jewish life at its core is a collective experience, encompassing the multifaceted connections that bind us together as a Jewish people. We are committed to creating supportive and sustaining communities, in which students and professionals can celebrate, explore, learn, take risks and grow. Our commitment to pluralism is strengthened when these communities are given space for active expression in respectful encounter with one another. Our journeys are personal, distinctive, and unique, but they are not solitary. They do not begin and end with us.
Israel
Israel holds a deep and complex place in Jewish identity, memory, and imagination. At Charleston Hillel, we provide space for students to explore their connections to Israel—historically, spiritually, and personally—with honesty, openness, and curiosity. Through dialogue, learning, travel, and cultural celebration, we encourage a multitude of perspectives and experiences. Our goal is not uniformity, but understanding—a community where students can ask questions, share stories, and build thoughtful, personal relationships with Israel.