Rabbinic Couple (Orthodox Rabbi) at Cohen Hillel at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Rabbinic Couple (Orthodox Rabbi) 

Hillel at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Role Overview

The Orthodox Campus Rabbi at Illini Hillel serves as a co-leader of Orthodox life at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The Rabbi acts as a community builder, teacher and Halachic authority for Orthodox and observant Jewish students and community members in Champaign-Urbana. The role is dual-faceted: providing high-level Torah education and Rabbinic leadership for students from Orthodox backgrounds, while simultaneously offering an accessible, warm entry point for any observant or Jewishly-curious students at UIUC. As an integral member of the Illini Hillel team, the Orthodox Rabbi ensures that the infrastructure of Orthodox life—including our Kosher dining, daily prayer services, the Eruv, and the Mikvah – is maintained and utilized to enhance the student experience. The salary range for this role is $75,000-$85,000.

Roles and Responsibilities 

• Mentorship and Rabbinical Care: Build substantial relationships with at least 120 undergraduate and graduate students (both Orthodox and non-Orthodox) through Rabbinical care, chevruta learning, teaching, and mentorship.
• Orthodox Minyan: Lead and promote daily and weekend prayer services at Hillel for the Orthodox minyan. Engage students to form a community around the minyan experience.
• Holiday Services and Meals: Lead and facilitate Jewish holiday services including but limited to the High Holidays, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, and Tisha B’av. Host and facilitate holiday meals at the Hillel building or at a home location.
• cRc Kosher Hashgacha: Serve as the cRc representative for Hillel’s Kosher kitchens, train students to be Mashgichim for Hillel’s kitchens and other Kosher opportunities in town.
• Bridge for Day School Graduates: Provide sophisticated, high-level learning opportunities tailored specifically for graduates of Orthodox day schools and those returning from a gap year in Israel, ensuring their religious growth continues during their university years.
• Halachic Guidance: Serve as the on-campus authority for Halachic questions, ranging from daily ritual practice to complex modern dilemmas faced by college students.
• Hospitality: Host students for Shabbat and Holiday meals in a warm, welcoming home environment.
• Recruitment & Networking: Proactively reach out to incoming freshmen and transfer students from Orthodox communities and youth movements (NCSY, Bnei Akiva, etc.) to recruit and integrate them into the Illini Hillel community.
• The Eruv: Monitor, maintain and communicate the status of the Champaign-Urbana Eruv, with help from students and community members, facilitate an annual visit from Rabbi Jachter from the OU to inspect the Eruv.
• The Mikvah: Be involved with the Champaign Urbana Mikvah Association in a leadership role whether as a board member, or part of the Rabbinical team of the Mikvah.

Additional Responsibilities

• Empower students to take leadership roles in Jewish life on campus including internships and board positions at Hillel and beyond.
• Work with staff on Shabbat dinners, holidays, and other large programs.
• Participate as a full member of The Hillels of Illinois Staff in local, regional and national Hillel programs and programs of the Jewish Federation as may be appropriate.
• Support JUF Campaign and mandatory campaign-related activities on an ongoing basis.

Qualifications

• A rabbinical ordination (smicha) from an orthodox institution.
• Ability to connect with Gen-Z students and understand the unique pressures of a high-achieving academic environment like UIUC.
• 1-2 years of post-college experience preferred.
• Passion for Jews, Judaism, and Israel and proud to be a Jewish role model.
• Strong public speaking, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be willing to work nights and occasional weekends.
• Recognition and respect of Hillel’s pluralist nature as a Jewish organization that serves Jewish students of all backgrounds, experiences, and genders.

About Jewish Life at UIUC

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is home to one of the largest and most active Jewish student populations in the country. Illini Hillel is the heart of this community, providing a state-of-the-art facility for prayer, study, and socializing. With a dedicated Kosher kitchen, a reliable Eruv, a Mikvah and a close-knit Orthodox community, UIUC is a premier destination for observant students in the Midwest.

Benefits

• Time off: 22 days of paid time off, 11 sick days, 8 paid federal holidays, up to 13 paid Jewish holidays. Time off is pro-rated for Jewish Educator.
• 6 weeks paid parental leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) plan with match and a 403(b) plan.
• Additional health and wellness benefits, financial benefits, professional training, tuition reimbursement, and much more.
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill-building opportunities as part of the global Hillel movement.
• Working with a great team of dedicated professionals who support one another.
• A dynamic and young environment in a fast growing micro-urban area.

About Hillel International

In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at nearly 1,000 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.

Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.