Center for Jewish Life, Princeton Hillel

Learning

I was inspired to take a learning fellowship at the CJL because it seemed like a safe and welcoming way to learn more about Judaism without having to prove any level of knowledge going in. In the two fellowships I have taken, each has been enriching both intellectually and emotionally; I felt like I could leave all the outside stressors at the door of the CJL and just sit, reflect, and listen in an incredibly moving way.

Ava ‘27

Princeton is known for intellectual rigor and the CJL is known for its national award-winning Jewish educational programs. Learning at CJL is where the personal, spiritual, ethical, and intellectual meet in a way meant to challenge and inspire. It’s not about gaining knowledge; it’s about gaining wisdom.

We have a team of educators on staff, including three rabbis from the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox denominations who are dedicated to providing diverse educational opportunities to all Jewish students on campus.

Programs

CJL Fellowships 

Our Fellowships allow you to immerse yourself deeply in a topic you find relevant and meaningful to your life.  JLF at Princeton seeks to create community as well as challenge participants with deep intellectual debate and conversation.

Some of our recent Fellowships include:

  • Jewish Law in the 21st Century: Technology, Economy, and Global Society
  • Judaism through a Queer Lens
  • Exploration of Israeli Society, Diversity and Culture
  • Bad Art/Good Torah 
  • Let Our People Go (Mass Incarceration)
  • Biomedical Ethics

One on One Learning

Rabbi Ari Bar-Shain and Noa Bar-Shain are OU-JLIC Torah educators at the Center for Jewish Life. They each teach a wide array of classes at the CJL ranging from a weekly Gemara class to classes on Tanach, Chassidut and Halacha. 

Lunch and Learn

Taught by the Rabbis on staff, professors or guest speakers, weekly lunch and learns are one-off sessions that often provide sushi or chinese food. Previous topics have included, How Conservative Judaism Determines if a Child Born from Surrogacy is Jewish, the Jewish Response to AI, Sephardi Intellectual History, Rabbinic Stories and more.

Peer-led Learning

The CJL actively promotes informal peer-led learning through programs such as TNT (Thursday Night Torah and Pizza), along with special lectures and guest scholars-in-residence.