Orthodox Campus Rabbi

Hillel at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illini Hillel)

Role Overview

Make your mark on Orthodox and observant Jewish students at the University of Illinois by join Illini Hillel's staff as the Orthodox Campus Rabbi!

The Orthodox Rabbi serves as a leader of Orthodox life at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). You will be a community builder, teacher and Halachic authority for Orthodox and observant Jewish students and community members in Champaign-Urbana. You will 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, you will ensure 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.

What You’ll Do

• Build substantial relationships with at least 120 undergraduate and graduate students (both Orthodox and non-Orthodox) through Rabbinical care, chevruta learning, teaching, and mentorship.
• Recruit for trips and Shabbatons available to Orthodox and non-Orthodox students.
• Lead and promote daily and weekend prayer services at Hillel for the Orthodox minyan.
• 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, JET house (Jewish Education Team), or at a home location.
• 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.

On a day to day basis you will

• 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.
• 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.
• Serve as the on-campus authority for Halachic questions, ranging from daily ritual practice to complex modern dilemmas faced by college students.
• Host students for Shabbat and Holiday meals in a warm, welcoming home environment.
• Offer pastoral counseling and religious guidance to students navigating the intersection of secular campus life and Orthodox commitment.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

What You’ve Accomplished

• A rabbinical ordination (smicha) from an orthodox institution
• Proven 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

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• 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, Shabbats and weekends

What You’ll Receive

• Salary Range of $75,000-90,000.
• Time off: 22 days of paid time off, 11 sick days, 8 paid federal holidays, up to 13 paid Jewish holidays, and 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.

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 and JET (Jewish Education Team) are 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.

Outside of campus life, our Jewish professionals enjoy the vibrant social life of the cities of Champaign and Urbana and the surrounding towns. University staff and Champaign's High Tech hub create a young vibrant community that meets and celebrates life in many ways. The Champaign Urbana Jewish Federation and Sinai Temple are our close partners in building a strong and welcoming Jewish community that serve over 2,000 Jewish community members beyond campus life. Additionally, Champaign-Urbana mark the perfect halfway point between some of the major cities in the Midwest - Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis.

About Hillel at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illini Hillel)

Illini Hillel is the first Hillel in the world. Established in 1923 by Rabbi Benjamin Frankel, Illini Hillel strengthens the Jewish identity of 3,500 Jewish students at the University of Illinois. With one of the largest fraternity and sorority populations and over 1,000 student organizations on campus, the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is one of the most soical campuses in the country. That alongside the tier 1 research work on our campus makes our University attractive to Jewish students of all background. At Illini Hillel, we embrace the work-hard-play-hard culture of our campus by creating the perfect mix of fun social and deep meaningful Jewish programming and engagement.

Hillel at the University of Illinois is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.