About the CJL
The Center for Jewish Living is an entirely student-run organization comprised of a residence hall and a programming board dedicated to running campus-wide religious, social and cultural events. Together with Cornell Dining, the CJL is proud to be a partner in the fabulous Kosher Dining program at Cornell. Most importantly, the CJL is a warm and inviting community that has already become a home away from home for countless students.
As idealistic college students, we are building in the CJL our vision of what an ideal Jewish community should look like. Here, we avoid labels: we don’t see our fellow students as Orthodox, Conservative or Reform; we see them as David, Rachel or Adam – as who they are as individuals. This has fostered a fluid and tolerant community committed to tradition. The CJL is the Cornell Jewish community center in which students can comfortably grow socially, intellectually and spiritually.
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Our Mission
The mission of the Center for Jewish Living is to be “a place where Jews of all levels of observance can live comfortably”. In the Residence, or rather “The House”, this means that the male and female residents live on different floors, and that people are respectful of each other’s observance levels. Orthodox standards for Kashrut and Shabbat are maintained in the common areas, while individual residents may keep their own standards in their own rooms, provided they do not disturb others. For more information about the house, click here.
Membership
In addition to the twenty to thirty students of various denominations who live in the CJL every year, there are about fifty students who don’t live in the house, yet are CJL members. The CJL membership elects a board responsible for maintaining the house, working with our alumni, running programs, and generally contributing positively to Jewish Life on campus. Our membership is a warm and close-knit group, made up of individuals from different backgrounds and levels of observance. The point is that the CJL is not just a place for people to live; it is the social center of a vibrant and diverse community.
104 West!
The Center for Jewish Living is conveniently adjacent to 104 West!, the Kosher dining hall operated by Cornell Dining, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week. On weekdays, 104 West! is a warm and inviting environment – a social hub in which everyone knows each other. On Friday night and on Holidays, 104 West! comes alive as hundreds of students of all denominations come together in a traditional, family-like atmosphere. After a long day of classes, exams and problem sets, nothing beats coming home to the CJL and 104 West! For more information about Kosher dining, click here.
Programming
We may manage a house, but we’re still students, and, just like you, we want to have fun. Between running programs for campus and studying, we still find plenty of time to run programs for ourselves. From midnight BBQs, to the Hebrew Hangout, to classes taught by the CJL’s Rabbi, to Disney Thursdays, to Beer Tasting, and Canoeing on Beebe Lake, the CJL makes sure to provide an environment for its members to interact socially (and intellectually) – to relax, blow off steam, and get to know each other. More information about programs and other events run by the CJL can be found under Events or by clicking here.
Learning
Finally, what is a Jewish community without Jewish content and studies? The resources available for Torah studies at the CJL are extensive. Under the guidance of our JLI Rabinnic Couple, Chilik and Vered Frank, torah education is a strong part of Jewish life at Cornell. For more information about Chilik and Vered Frank click on Board and Staff, for further information about Jewish Learning at Cornell click on learning, and for more information about the JLI Program, click here.
Hillel?
The most common question we are asked is "What is the difference between the CJL and Cornell's Hillel?" The Primary difference between the Center for Jewish Living and Hillel is a matter of goals. Hillel's goal is to provide any kind of Jewish experience to the maximum number of people, such as organizing events like "Shabbat 1,000"--an event in which Hillel sponsors Friday night dinner for upwards of 1,000 Cornell students of all walks of life. In contrast, the Center for Jewish Living's goal is to cast a smaller net and provide deep impact programs such as the weekly Shabbat dinner which builds a vibrant Jewish Community. Nevertheless, the CJL is affiliated with Hillel as a member group of the Jewish Student Union, an assembly of the Jewish student groups on campus with each group's membership ranging anywhere from two to 200.
The Jewish Community Center
Cornell is far away from most students homes. Without a community, students at Cornell feel lonely. For this reason, the Center for Jewish Living exists as the community center for Jewish students. Coming to Cornell is a real opportunity for students to come into their own, mature as individuals, and develop a sense of their own community. We look forward to welcoming you into our community!