<p>OSU also has large AEPhi and AEPi, D has friends there.</p>
<p>University of Miami</p>
<p>Great and active Hillel on campus. Many activities going on. You can google Hillel and u Miami for the link.</p>
<p>Many Jewish students at the university. Jewish studies major.</p>
<p>AEPi fraternity.</p>
<p>Wisconsin has a brand new Hillel house and they sell the UW gear in Hebrew.</p>
<p>[eStore</a> - Hillel Foundation University of Wisconsin](<a href=“http://www.uwhillel.org/site/apps/ka/ec/catalog.asp?c=ceIGKTMHF&b=256176&en=itJLJYPKKjJPI4NULfLKL5OULrITI2PMKeIWKiO2G&CategoryID=55994]eStore”>http://www.uwhillel.org/site/apps/ka/ec/catalog.asp?c=ceIGKTMHF&b=256176&en=itJLJYPKKjJPI4NULfLKL5OULrITI2PMKeIWKiO2G&CategoryID=55994)</p>
<p>Just another comment about Goucher – S is a new freshman there – the Hillel is still located very centrally, across from a main dining hall. On move-in day, we met the young rabbi and a full-time staff member. As already mentioned, there is a very sizeable, active group of Jewish students. S was not involved in Jewish youth groups in high school. When we walked by the Hillel later, on our way to the bookstore, S was addressed by name from within the Hillel by the staff member, and he smiled.</p>
<p>I am helping my niece look for colleges. She lives in California and would like to find a smaller school with an active Hillel. She is hoping to find a private school in California, Oregon or Washington. I see Whitman was mentioned. Any more info on this school? Anyone know anything about Lewis and Clark? She is interested in Drama and Judaic studies. Right now, I see her as a fit for Goucher and Oberlin, but they are far from home. She is very interested in Brandeis but the distance factor is a problem. I should mention that she is what you would call crunchy, granola type. thanks…</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone’s mentioned Vanderbilt’s Hillel, which is an active part of campus life located in a beautiful new facility, the Schulman Center for Jewish Life. There’s a good kosher vegetarian deli (Grins Cafe) inside - if anyone’s touring, I recommend it for a quick lunch stop. It’s popular and included on the Vandy meal plan.</p>
<p>Here’s a link to the Vanderbilt Hillel website: [Shalom</a> Vanderbilt!](<a href=“http://www.vanderbilt.edu/hillel/index.php]Shalom”>http://www.vanderbilt.edu/hillel/index.php) . According to the site, about 15% of Vandy students are Jewish.</p>
<p>Yes, there was a bit of a stir when the former Vandy president said he wanted to recruit more Jewish students with the implication it would increase the quality of the student body whn it came to academics.</p>
<p>^^he wanted more students with, as they say, a “Yiddishe kopf” (Jewish head or smarts.) ;)</p>
<p>candace–your niece should consider American Jewish University, formerly University of Judaism. It seems to be the Brandeis of the West Coast. Great Jewish studies, of course, as well as other majors, an education school, a rabbinic school–the atmosphere should be very well-rounded and high level. It’s in Bel Air.</p>
<p>When my D and I toured Juniata this fall I asked about the hillel. They put me in touch with the young woman who is the current president of Hillel. I emailed her and she got back to me. She said that the Jewish population at Juniata is very small, but that they have an active Hillel. They have bagel brunches, shabbat dinners (rare), and help sponsor a freedom seder with other groups. My d has absolutely no interest in connecting with other Jews at this point, but it I am interested in knowing that if she changes her mind there will be a supportive community at the school she ends up attending.</p>
<p>Candace: Here is link that might be helpful. You could always email the advisor for more details and specific questions [Fridays</a> at Five: community and more](<a href=“http://www.whitman.edu/content/profiles/fridays-at-five]Fridays”>http://www.whitman.edu/content/profiles/fridays-at-five)</p>
<p>thanks for all the responses…My niece wants a good drama department, Judaic studies and maybe early childhood classes. This is a tall order…</p>
<p>I can only speak to the Whitman options…but there is a great theater department, a lot of possibility for independent study, and a great developmental psych prof and an oncampus nursery school. So if she was motivated to make it all happen, it could happen, And the crunchy granola is definitely available…</p>
<p>Candace, Muhlenberg might fit many of her criteria except for the distance (Allentown, PA). It’s not super-crunchy, but opening activity for the Hillel this year was tie-dyeing shirts. Brandeis really does sound like something your niece would enjoy. </p>
<p>I have no idea if any of the Claremont colleges have drama programs. UCLA would offer the drama and Judaic studies, but it’s a huge public, not a small private. You might want to see what schools would fit everything except the Hillel piece and then check out the Hillel situation. </p>
<p>AJU doesn’t really strike me as the Brandeis of the West Coast. It’s a tiny, tiny school with a very small number of majors. The location is somewhat isolated, up on a hill between the west side of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Brandeis is nonsectarian with a huge Jewish presence. AJU is a Jewish institution. The Judaic studies are top-notch, but other offerings are slim. They do have a very nice gift shop :)</p>
<p>Believe it or not Trinity College in Hartford Conn has a beautiful Hillel in its own building with a lovely director and many participants. Also Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster PA–not far from Muhlenberg - has a brand new and very substantial hillel where they often get more than 100 students for Shabbat services and dinner.</p>
<p>UChicago has a very active AEPi chapter as well.</p>
<p>thanks for all the help…Whitman sounds like a very good fit. Brandeis is her top choice right now, but the distance might be a problem. She doesn’t know what else is out there closer to home.</p>
<p>My D has a crunchy granola friend who is majoring in Judaic Studies. I know this is not the west coast but she is happy as a clam at UPitt. I think that they have a active Hillel.</p>
<p>candace, D is a freshman at Brandeis (from OH). My guess is she has friends at Brandeis from CA - let me know if we can help you or your niece in any way. feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>thanks…I wish I could come up with my West coast schools. She wants Drama, Judaic Studies and possibly Early Childhood. And she wants a smaller school with an active Hillel. This seems much easier to find on the East Coast… And add in that she is a vegetarian and very down to earth…</p>
<p>Candace, why not start a new thread on the parents’ forum asking for small west coast schools that offer drama and early childhood education? You’ll get opinions from many more parents instead of “just” us Hillel-house-hunting types</p>