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CORNELL HILLEL
ITHACA, NY · EIN 166068463 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · Micro (<$100K) · www.cornellhillel.org
revenue
$0
expenses
$4.3M
net assets
$0
employees
—
program ratio
62%
mission · from form 990

THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION SHALL BE THE FURTHERANCE OF THE SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER NEEDS OF JEWISH STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND OF THE CORNELL AND ITHACA COMMUNITIES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Cornell Hillel, now known as the Grinspoon Hillel Center for Jewish Community at Cornell, supports the spiritual, social, and educational needs of Jewish students, faculty, and staff at Cornell University. It offers Jewish learning programs, Shabbat and holiday observances, Israel engagement, and community-building initiatives. The organization serves the Ithaca and Cornell communities with a professional staff and student leadership.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $26K
    EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:CORNELL HILLEL'S MAIN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IS THE JEWISH LEARNING FELLOWSHIP. THIS IS A 10-WEEK FELLOWSHIP WHERE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, ALL THROUGH A JEWISH LENS. TAUGHT BY JEWISH EDUCATORS ON STAFF, THIS FELLOWSHIP IS DESIGNED TO RESONATE WITH STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS IN ORDER TO FOSTER A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO LEARN FROM AND CHALLENGE EACH OTHER.
  2. #2 $81K
    RELIGIOUS LIFE/HOLIDAYS:CAMPUS CELEBRATIONS OF WEEKLY SHABBAT SERVICES, MEALS AND PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SHABBAT ACROSS CORNELL. THIS PROGRAM SERVICE ALSO INCLUDES HIGH HOLIDAYS, SUKKOT, CHANUKAH, PURIM AND PASSOVER CELEBRATIONS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Birthright Israel Program Coordination
Partnership with Birthright Israel to offer free 10-day trips to Israel for Jewish Cornell students to strengthen Jewish identity and community connections
Jewish Learning Fellowship
10-week experiential seminar exploring Judaism through conversation and text study, offered in multiple tracks including Judaism 101, Sex/Love/Relationships, Law and Reason, and Senior Seminar; includes stipends and meals
Major Event Series
Hosts lectures and events featuring prominent Jewish figures such as B.J. Novak and Holocaust survivors, focusing on Jewish identity, history, and contemporary issues
Shabbat & Holiday Observance
Weekly Shabbat dinners and services (Kesher, Shevach, Kedma), High Holiday celebrations, Sukkot, Chanukah, Purim, and Passover events for students and community members
Yudowitz Center for Jewish Campus Life
Supports Jewish student engagement through programming, leadership development, and community events; funded by endowment from Bernard and Evelyn Yudowitz
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Jewish Holiday and Shabbat Community Events 2 activities
    • Facilitate student-led Jewish engagement programs
      Supports student-led initiatives including weekly challah baking and sales benefiting the local food bank, independent Shabbat and holiday gatherings, and outdoor events; fosters student ownership of Jewish life on campus.
    • Host Shabbat and holiday celebrations on campus
      Organizes weekly Shabbat dinners and holiday celebrations for Cornell students, including Passover Seders and Havdalah events, with thousands of meals served annually; events are free to attend due to institutional subsidization.
  • Holocaust and Genocide Remembrance Education 1 activity
    • Conduct commemorative and community solidarity events
      Organizes public memorials such as the placement of 1,000 white flags for Yom Hashoah and hosts candlelight vigils, such as one attended by approximately 750 students, to honor victims of antisemitic violence and foster communal solidarity.
  • Jewish Women's Spiritual & Social Circles 1 activity
    • Engage students in Jewish campus life through large-scale programs
      Organizes First-Year Fest for incoming students and hosts hundreds of annual programs—including clubs, gatherings, trips, and internships—to foster integration, belonging, and exploration of Jewish identity; engages over 2,000 students annually.
  • Financial Support for Rabbinical Students 1 activity
    • Fund student-hosted Shabbat and holiday meals
      Provides grants of up to $10 per person for students to host Shabbat meals and up to $15 per person for Passover Seders through the Hillel Across Cornell program, enabling decentralized Jewish community building.
  • Jewish Worship and Study Center 1 activity
    • Operate Hillel House as a Jewish student center
      Maintains Hillel House on North as a dedicated gathering space for Jewish students, providing ongoing programming, community activities, and support for identity development and belonging.
  • Structured Jewish Text Study Programs 1 activity
    • Operate Jewish Learning Fellowship program
      Runs a 10-week experiential and conversational seminar program where students explore contemporary issues through a Jewish lens; includes dinner and offers stipends of up to $300 to participants who complete the program.
  • Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 1 activity
    • Organize educational and cultural events with speakers and trips
      Hosts major speakers, including Jewish celebrities and thought leaders, and organizes free 10-day trips to Israel through partnership with Birthright Israel to deepen student engagement with Jewish identity and Israel.
  • Jewish Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Provide Jewish student leadership development programs
      Offers structured leadership development through the Campus Engagement Internship program and awards the Yudowitz Prize annually to recognize exemplary Jewish student leadership; equips graduating seniors with tools for post-college Jewish life through a senior seminar.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$0
Contributions & grants$0—
Program service revenue$0—
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$4.31M
Program expenses62%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising19%
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out$4.31M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$0
Cash$580K
Investments$3.68M
Liabilities$67K
Net assets$0
Liquid reserves11.8 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -100.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

board members · 11
  • ALEX SAGAN — TRUSTEE
  • BRIAN LEVEY — TRUSTEE
  • JIN KUPPERMAN — TRUSTEE
  • JOSHUA BERMAN — TRUSTEE
  • LARRY BLUME — TRUSTEE
  • LARRY RUSOFF — TRUSTEE
  • LAUREN LEVINE — TRUSTEE
  • MICHAEL BENN — TRUSTEE
  • TAL AKABAS — TRUSTEE
  • TAMAR DOLGEN — TRUSTEE
  • TRACY POROSOFF — TRUSTEE
relationships · 16

Who they work with

  • B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation Network — Member of the national Hillel network established under the B'nai B'rith umbrella.
  • Bernard Yudowitz Partner — Provided a legacy gift establishing the Yudowitz Center and supported Hillel programming and kosher food on campus.
  • Big Red Birthright Partner — Partners with Big Red Birthright to provide Israel travel opportunities for students.
  • Birthright Israel Partner — Collaborates with Grinspoon Hillel to offer free 10-day trips to Israel for Jewish students.
  • Chai Notes Partner — Jewish a cappella group at Cornell that contributes to campus and Jewish community life through themed musical performances.
  • Challah for Hunger Partner — Student group supported by Grinspoon Hillel at Cornell that bakes and sells challah to raise funds for the local food bank.
  • Cornell University Government — Requires compliance with the Cornell University Behavioral Compact for events.
  • Cornellians For Israel Partner — Co-hosted a candlelight vigil with Grinspoon Hillel to honor victims of Hamas attacks on Israel.
  • Cornellians for Israel Partner — Pro-Israel student organization at Cornell that promotes awareness of Israeli culture, politics, and current events through campus programming and advocacy.
  • Evelyn Yudowitz Partner — Co-donor of the legacy gift establishing the Yudowitz Center and supporter of Hillel programming and kosher food on campus.
  • Jewish Graduate Student Association Partner — Graduate student group that co-creates a Jewish community at Cornell through Shabbat meals, holiday events, and social gatherings.
  • Kedma Partner — Orthodox Minyan that holds daily and Shabbat services with a mechitza and hosts post-service Kiddush receptions.
  • Kesher Partner — Reform and Alternative prayer service that meets biweekly at Anabel Taylor Hall.
  • Sephardi & Mizrahi Student Council Partner — Student council representing Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish backgrounds that shares cultural traditions and values within the Cornell community.
  • Shevach Partner — Student-run Traditional-Egalitarian prayer group that hosts weekly Shabbat services at Anabel Taylor Hall.
  • Yudowitz Center for Jewish Campus Life Partner — Co-sponsors and powers the Jewish Learning Fellowships program.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Inclusive Belonging and Identity Development
    methodology: inclusive_community_building
    By cultivating a sense of home and belonging through inclusive community spaces and pluralistic programming, we deepen student engagement with Jewish life because students are more likely to explore and sustain identity when they feel welcomed regardless of background or observance level.
  • Peer-Based Experiential Engagement Model
    methodology: peer_based_experiential_learning
    By creating informal, peer-facilitated experiences centered around food and shared activities, we foster deeper exploration of Jewish identity and learning because students are more open to engagement in relaxed, relatable settings than in formal instruction.
  • Student Empowerment Through Leadership and Ownership
    methodology: student_empowerment
    By supporting student-led programming and providing resources for self-initiated Jewish experiences, we produce sustained engagement because ownership fosters personal meaning and leadership skills that deepen long-term connection to Jewish life.