Jewish Student Organizations

Jewish communal organizations are a major part of American Jewish life. Often, however, general organizations do not reflect the needs, desires, and interests of Jewish young adults. In both the past and present, Jewish youth have formed their own student organizations to help meet their particular needs as young-adult, student Jews. These organizations have provided students not only with opportunities to practice Judaism on campus but with opportunities to explore their Jewish identity in the wider world. Many organizations produced publications both for their membership and to publicize organizational activities to the wider campus (both Jewish and gentile). In these publications, students explored what being a Jew meant to them; discussed politics and current events, often from a Jewish ethical perspective; organized events; and raised funds. 1

In the 1960s, student organizations grew significantly in number and scope as students found themselves highly dissatisfied with existing Jewish organizational life. Jewish student publications took on a strong counter-culture stance in these years and often espoused liberal and radical viewpoints, mirroring the shifts in larger student culture. 2

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