About : Frequently Asked Questions

We are happily one in the same. The Bronfman Center is the Hillel for New York University as well as the other schools located in lower Manhattan. We are somewhat unique in that we are actually part of New York University (go Violets!) where as many other Hillels are separate from their affiliated school. To make things a little more interesting there is also the Hillel@NYU student club. They make their home here at the BC and are the umbrella group for all our student clubs.

Students who attend New York University are fortunate to have many opportunities available to them. The best way to discover all that is available is to get to know us. Visit our staff page and email any one of us, or just stop by.

There is a kosher cafeteria (affectionately called the K-caf) located in the Weinstein Residence Hall. There are also some kosher restaurants in our neighborhood. Check out the Kosher Dining section under the Connect Tab to learn more.

You betcha! We have daily minyanim, Shabbat Services, seders and high holidays services. We host services for the Orthodox, Reform, Conservative communities. Check out the Bronfman Center Calendar tab and the religious services tab to get all the details. Interested in starting something new? Come talk to one of us.

Definitely. Students are welcome to hang out in the lounge on the 3rd floor (with a pretty nice flat screen TV), the library on the 2nd floor, and any other space that isn’t in use at the time. We hope that during your time at NYU, you will come to know the Bronfman Center as your home away from home.

Yup. We’ve got several of them. Rabbi Yehuda Sarna and Rabbi Dan Smokler are the Bronfman Center rabbis and are available to meet with students – just visit their section on our website for contact information. In addition to Rabbi Sarna and Rabbi Dan we also have four Rabbinic Fellows that are here for students. You can either email or call to set up a time to speak with any one of them – just visit the connect section of our spiffy new website.

Sure can, but you’ll need to request the space through the space rental section of our website and fees will apply.

Absolutely. We love to have visitors. Just call 212-998-4123 to let us know when you will be in the area and we’ll make sure a staff member or student is available to be your tour guide.

The Bronfman Center is the place to be for Jewish Holidays at NYU. In addition to traditional services, we also offer new and creative ways to experience the chaggim (holidays). In order to find out more about holidays and meals, visit the holidays section of our website. You’ll like what you see.

Yes and no. We are lucky enough to have 4 iMacs in the lounge on the 3rd floor available for students to use at anytime. Unfortunately, we don’t have any printers for student use.

Ah yes, the money question… The Bronfman Center has limited funds available for grants to students (specifically for leadership opportunities and work with Israel). Students interested in requesting funds should contact Tracy Figueroa at tf34@nyu.edu. In addition, we also have many PAID internships and fellowships: Jewish Learning Fellowship, Campus Entrepreneur Internship, Jewish Life Liasons, Collegiate Leadership Internship Program and the list goes on and on. Check out the connect section of the site to learn more and to apply.

The Bronfman Center is located at 7 East 10th Street between University and 5th Ave. You can get here by taking the 4,5,6, N,R,Q to Union Square and walking south to 10th Street. You can also take the 1,2,3 to 14th Street Station and walk two avenues East and four blocks south.

Between 4,000-6,000 undergraduate students are enrolled at NYU. In addition, the Bronfman Center welcomes the participation of students from other local campuses, including Cooper Union, the New School, and many others. The Bronfman Center has an annual involvement of 3,000 people, most of which are NYU students.

NYU has a vibrant and dynamic Jewish campus community that encompasses the spectrum of expressions of Jewish life. At the Bronfman Center, students socialize, learn, pray, explore the arts, and take action in the community. Browse around our main site to get more of an idea of the variety we offer!

Most first-year students who frequent the Kosher Cafeteria enjoy living in Weinstein because of the proximity to the Kosher Caf. Otherwise, all residence halls for first-year students are located close to Washington Square. Housing for transfer students is notoriously difficult at NYU – very often, finding an apartment is the best way to secure housing close to Washington Square.

No. We can discuss the matter with NYU Housing. Housing is understanding of all the issues Jewish students confront, but space is very limited. We cannot make any guarantees aside from working closely with Housing. Some of our student groups try to connect incoming first-year students, and incoming students should contact directly the student group they identify with most. The best thing to do is to view housing posts on the Bronfman Center Classifieds page and to post one’s own.

Shabbat at NYU is one of the most vibrant communal experiences for Jewish students! Every week we host full services, several FREE dinners, entertainment, guest speakers, a tish, lunch at Rabbi Sarna’s home, and a spiritual havdalah service. We offer weekly student-run Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox services on Friday nights, followed by a complete Shabbat Dinner. The Conservative community hosts monthly Saturday morning services, and the Orthodox community hosts weekly Saturday morning services.

NYU has a kosher dinning facility on campus called the Kosher Eatery. The Kosher Eatery is located in the Weinstein residence hall, 5-11 University Place. One does not need an NYU ID to enter. It is open daily from 11:30am-7:30pm and is an option on the campus meal plan. Students have the choice of either having a kosher meal plan, paying for an individual meal or using declining dollars. Meat days are Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday; dairy days are Tuesday and Thursday. For more information, call 212-995-3939.

The Village GAP (Grads and Young Professionals) offers a variety of programs and resources available to members of the community. Additionally, there are multiple ways to get involved in organizing for this community. For more information, please visit the grads and young professionals section of the website or contact.

The Bronfman Center offers a wide range of programs for students interested in arts and culture including: a gallery with student and community shows, an cappella group, a theatrical group, trips to New York City’s finest museums and performances, and a fellowship for jewish artists.

The Bronfman Center has many different kinds of opportunities to get involved if you are interested in Social Justice. There are alternative breaks and volunteer activities organized by the student clubs. Stop by and visit us to learn more!

High profile speakers frequently lecture about the current situation. Our Israel group, Gesher, hosts lectures, debates, and rallies. NYU students who have never been to Israel on an organized trip are eligible for an absolutely free trip through Birthright.

For a complete list of classes, click here.

Between 4000-6000 undergraduate students are enrolled at NYU. In addition, the Bronfman Center welcomes the participation of students from other local campuses, including Cooper Union, the New School, and many others. The Bronfman Center has an annual involvement of 3000 people, most of which are NYU students.

NYU has a strong pro-Israel presence which is committed to outreach, academic study and meaningful dialogue. The Bronfman Center and Islamic Center at NYU have ongoing intercultural exchanges. The Taub Center for Israel Studies provides accredited courses on the history of Modern Israel. NYU has a study abroad site in Tel Aviv. Gesher, the Israel club at NYU, explores and promotes Israel through cultural and educational initiatives. On occasion, some students feel uncomfortable in courses where professors express views critical of Israel, though students cannot be penalized for holding pro-Israel views.

Students must discuss anticipated absences with their professors at the beginning of each semester. Professors will work with students to figure out appropriate supplementary assignments to compensate for their absence. Professors must make accommodations for students when a test date is scheduled for a religious holiday.

Most first-year students who frequent the Kosher Cafeteria enjoy living in Weinstein because of the proximity to the Kosher Caf. Otherwise, all residence halls for first-year students are located close to Washington Square. Housing for transfer students is notoriously difficult at NYU – very often, finding an apartment is the best way to secure housing close to Washington Square.

No. We can discuss the matter with NYU Housing. Housing is understanding of all the issues Jewish students confront, but space is very limited. We cannot make any guarantees aside from working closely with Housing. Some of our student groups try to connect incoming first-year students, and incoming students should contact directly the student group they identify with most. The best thing to do is to view housing posts on the Bronfman Center Classifieds page and to post one’s own.

No.

Feel free to contact Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, David Rittberg or any of our staff. All conversations are kept confidential. It is important for parents to be aware that our staff cannot release confidential information to them about NYU students.

Every year, the Bronfman Center hosts “Shabbat for 2000”, a Shabbat dinner for close to 2000 students! Our high holiday services attract over 1700 people annually, and our monumental guest lectures can draw up to 1000 people.

Shabbat at NYU is one of the most vibrant communal experiences for Jewish students! Every week we host full services, several FREE dinners, entertainment, guest speakers, a tish, lunch at Rabbi Sarna’s home, and a spiritual havdalah service. The numbers of students attending each part of Shabbat varies:

Friday night services:
Conservative 25-60 students
Reform 15-40 students
Orthodox 150-250 students

Friday night dinner:
Bronfman Center 60-120 students
Special themed dinner 20-40 students
Kosher Cafeteria 100-250 students
Friday night entertainment 150-200 students

Shabbat day services
Orthodox 60-120 students
Conservative 10-20 students
Learner’s Service 10-20 students
Lunch at Rabbi Sarna 40-120 students
Seudah Shlishit and Havdalah 80-140 students

The Kosher Eatery is located in the Weinstein residence hall, 5-11 University Place, toward the back. One does not need an NYU ID to enter. It is open daily 11:30am-7:30pm and is an option on the campus meal plan. Meat days are Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday; dairy days are Tuesday and Thursday. For more information, call 212-995-3939.

There is a very active Chabad at NYU. We enjoy a warm relationship and co-sponsor events. A third organization, called Meor, offers classes (entitled G2G) and subsidized trips to Israel.

Yes. Please see the services schedule here. There are several local synagogues which are accessible to students as well.