Spiritual Communities

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Reform Community

The Reform Community at BU, Kehilah Kedosha, is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Services are held every Friday night as well as on holidays.

Our dynamic services provide a sense of community and celebration through music and minyan participation. Prayers and songs during services are largely in Hebrew (transliterations are provided) and also include responsive readings that can be found in our siddur, Mishkan T’filah.  Song melodies and prayer choices may be centered on a theme, anything from a particular musician to favorite childhood songs.  Prayer services will sometimes be accompanied by an instrument, creating a lively musical environment. We also host several social action, educational, and social events that are open to the entire BU community.  The aim of the Reform Minyan is to be an accepting community that is open to all.

For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page, or contact our student representative, Linnea Smith at smithlc@bu.edu. You may also contact our rabbinical intern currently pursuing her Smicha degree from Hebrew College, Rachel Kaplan at racheltalikaplan@gmail.com.

Conservative Minyan (C-Crew)

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The Conservative Minyan (C-Crew!) at Boston University Hillel is a traditional egalitarian prayer group.  We have Friday night services every Shabbat and Saturday morning services twice as well as services for all of the Jewish holidays.  These services are conducted in mostly Hebrew with some English using Siddur Sim Shalom (Hebrew, English) and Siddur Hadash’s (Hebrew, English, Transliteration) books according to the participant’s preference.  

We hope to create an inclusive and engaging community environment in which everyone is welcome to share and strengthen their religious experiences. Try leading a service, bring in a new tune, come to fun events, and share your smiles!  Conservative Minyan, along with the Religious Life Committee (RLC), Orthodox Minyan Group (OMG) and the Reform Minyan (Kehilah Kedosha), holds fun events, such as holiday themed event, , Minyan Potlucks,, movie nights, and more.

We are a student led group, supported by BU’s campus Rabbi, Elie Lehmann. We offer students opportunities to learn how to lead a service, to bring in and teach a new tune, to read Torah and/or Haftorah, and to give a D’var Torah.  

For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page (search Conservative Minyan at Boston University), or contact Bari Spector, SED class of 2020, at bspector@bu.edu., or Rabbi Elie at elie@bu.edu.

Orthodox Minyan Group

11058645_427043007494613_5531175253539933552_oThe Orthodox Minyan Group (OMG) at Boston University is a very diverse community and has members from both Sephardic and Ashkenazic backgrounds. The student-led group runs weekly Shabbat services as well as holiday services, Shabbat meals, and Jewish learning opportunities. Some include Kabbalat Shabbat on Fridaynights, Havdalah, and a semi-annual Shabbat potluck.

In addition to religious opportunities, OMG offers a wide range of social events, such as breakfast and ice skating, apple picking, and March Madness tournaments.
For more information on how to build community with other students in the BU Orthodox community, visit the group’s facebook page or contact us at omg@bu.edu or President Miriam Yifrach, myifrach@bu.edu. We look forward to getting to know you!

Which Community is Right for You?

Not sure where you’ll fit in?  Rabbi YD or Chava Schwartz, Hillel’s own OU-JLIC Rabbinic Couple, can help you figure it out:

Rabbi YD Schwartz, OU-JLIC Rabbi-Educator
(617) 358-7430
rabbiyd@bu.edu

Chava Schwartz , OU-JLIC Educator 
(617) 358-7431
chava@bu.edu