Social Action

Interested in all things social justice, social action, community service, & organizing at Berkeley Hillel?  Read descriptions about all of our  offerings here! Questions? Reach out to Chance Reiniesch, our Social Action Associate at creiniesch@berkeleyhillel.org .

Student Groups

• Jews of Color Collective: A place for Jews of Color, multiracial, and mixed-race Jews to gather, process, and prioritize themselves.
• Ga’avah: A student run space for queer Jews, or those interested in learning more about queer Judaism. We aim to create a space where people are willing to ask questions, find friendship and support, and get tapped into the ways we can support our queer/Jewish community at large.
• Challah 4 Hunger: Enjoy braiding challah? Are you concerned about food insecurity on campus? Join Challah 4 Hunger every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. with 50-60 fellow students who come together to braid and bake Challah in a variety of flavors (chocolate chip, rosemary, and garlic, apple pie). The Challah is then sold to benefit causes around issues of hunger and food security.
• Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action: Join a cohort of students passionate about combating the climate crisis! The Dayenu Board meets every Tuesday evening.

Current Fellowship Offerings:

• The Repair the World Fellowship: The Berkeley Hillel-Repair the World Fellowship is a partnership that helps engage students in community service grounded in Jewish values and learning. Students will learn professional skills, gain issue-area education on topics of housing justice, food justice, environmental justice (and more), build bridges across lines of difference, and have meaningful Jewish experiences while serving alongside our neighbors in the East Bay.
• L’shomra: Jewish Responses to Climate Change: We are told in the creation story that God placed human beings in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it: l’ovda ul’shomra. In this fellowship, we will grapple with one of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change. Join as we explore our relationship with this world and our responsibility to protect it as we learn from contemporary sources and Jewish ancestral wisdom.

Current Service Opportunities:

• Sunday, March 17th, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm: Join Berkeley Hillel for a day of volunteering, Jewish learning and community building at GLIDE, San Francisco’s nationally recognized center for social justice – dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Find more information and sign-up here!