For years Jewish students observing the High-holidays, which concluded Thursdsay with Yom Kippur, had one option to turn to for Jewish life ----the Hillel Jewish Student Union. Since the formation of the Chabad House four years ago, students have had two options and the number of students active in the Jewish community at the University has increased. This year has seen particularly strong turnout, according to the executive directors of both organizations.
Ironically, the addition of a second Jewish organization has boosted attendance at both Hillel and Chabad. It appears that the addition of the new organization has only helped to increase involvement with the Jewish community.
"I don't know what the Chabad House would say, but I think if you look at both organizations, attendance has only increased between the two ---- both of our overall attendance numbers as far as this year have increased," Hillel Executive Director Brian Cohen said. "More students are looking to connect with the Jewish community, some through Chabad, some through Hillel. There's a variety of options."
The organizations do not try to directly compete with each other, but each tries to contribute to Jewish life on Grounds.
"Anyone working to bring more Judaism to Charlottesville is doing good things," Chabad Executive Director Sholomo Mayer said.
The Hillel Jewish Student Union was founded in 1941 and is the original Jewish association at the University. The group seeks to offer a wide variety of Jewish activities to students.
Hillel "allows students to connect to Judaism in however they're most comfortable ---- community service work or different social programs that really have no religious association at all or different educational programs," Cohen said. "Students pick and choose from the things. It's like a good buffet."
Chabad House came to the University in 2002 and is sponsored by a few Jewish families in Charlottesville.
"There were a number of families who were interested four years ago in [having a Chabad House] come here," Mayer said. "In any good Ivy League or public university, there was a Chabad House. [The University] has a good reputation and was one of the few schools that did not have [a] Chabad House."
The group seeks to provide a family atmosphere different from that of Hillel.
"I believe the uniqueness that applies across the board [to Chabad House] is that we offer a family atmosphere," Mayer said. "Students who leave their houses in California, Florida, Minnesota or abroad, they come here and they need more than a rabbi but a friend. [At Chabad House] they can find a second home."
Channah Mayer, Sholomo's wife and Chabad House program director, said the group has been received positively by Jewish students and now routinely attracts 70 to 80 students a week for Shabbat dinners.
"Last year, with the help of a few students, we kind of exploded, and we have a lot of interest and participation in our events," Channah Mayer said.
Chabad House is a national organization with its main offices in Brooklyn, N.Y. About 80 college campuses nationwide host a chapter of the organization. Each is run by a married couple, two shluchims, or emissaries, who offer a family experience for college students.
First-year College student David Lewis said he appreciates the family feel of Chabad House.
"I like Chabad because it has a family feel to it ---- it makes you feel like you have a home there," Lewis said. "It's nice to feel like you have a familiarity when you are so far away from home, especially with something like a religion where you feel like you're in a family environment anyway."
For another first-year College student, Lauren Blackwell, Hillel offers a similar feeling.
"I love Hillel ---- it's like a second home," Blackwell said. "I just love being there. They offer religious services for me as well as allow [me to be a part of] a community with other Jews."
Some students take advantage of the benefits of both organizations. Danielle Feuerberg, a first-year visiting student from Tulane, is a member of both organizations.
"There are a lot of people that have a preference," Feuerberg said. "I came in sort of a transfer student, sort of a hurricane victim. I just thought to myself, 'Why should I pick one and only go to one when there's so many more people I can meet at both?'"
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