The Hillel Triangle
Hillel's mission in Israel is to “maximize the number of Jews doing Jewish from where they are”. The task is made up of several elements that are essential to the understanding of the way Hillel at the Hebrew University works.

To maximize the number of students:
Hillel identifies two student categories – those already committed– students who lead or are participants at Hillel - and those not yet engaged. In addition to working with the active students, Hillel does not give up on those not yet engaged. Hillel reaches out to where the students ‘are at’ and seeks to connect them with Jewish activity, however they may define it. While Hillel seeks to work with the leadership students we prefer to divide our resources among as many students as possible. In order to fulfill the mission of “maximizing the number of students” Hillel gears its many programs to specific target groups in order to meet the needs of students with a variety of “Jewish stories.”

The student is seen as a partner and a leader in the creation and preparation of programs while the staff member is responsible for encouraging student initiatives. The job of the Hillel professional is to act as mentor and guide to the students as they grow and take on more responsibility.

Doing Jewish
Hillel believes in the importance of expanding students’ Jewish knowledge. At the core of Hillel’s educational concept lies the understanding that identity is made up not only of knowledge but of experiences that one has acquired as well. Hillel motivates students to “take responsibility” for their Judaism by encouraging them to take action. This changes the student from a “consumer” to a “creator”, which is the heart of Hillel activity. The student defines what Judaism is to him/her and is and can act upon that as long as it receives sufficient definition in his/her program.

From Where They are At
Hillel listens to the students’ “Jewish Story” and encourages them to take ownership of their Jewish identity and expression both physically and ideologically.
Physically - Hillel does not sanctify its building but rather expands its activities to anywhere where there are students. Beit Hillel is the home of a movement and spirit that works both in the city and the dorms and in informal meetings with students. Ideologically – Hillel respects every student’s Jewish ideology. Hillel has no interest in changing the students’ perception of their Judaism, but rather empowers them to take ownership of their Judaism and discover what being a Jew means to them personally.

These 3 factors which make up Hillel’s mission statement create a triangle by which all Hillel programs are measured. At each point there is another factor –
- Doing – How involved is the student?
- Jewish – How Jewish is the program?
- Maximizing – How many Jewish stories and Spaces does the program encompass?
Every program must include these three factors but the balance between the three will differ depending on the program.