About the CJL
The Center for Jewish Living is an entirely student-run organization comprised of a residence hall and a programming board dedicated to running campus-wide religious, social and cultural events. Together with Cornell Dining, the CJL is proud to be a partner in the Kosher Dining program at Cornell. Most importantly, the CJL is a warm and inviting community that is a home away from home for countless students.
Our Mission
The mission of the Center for Jewish Living is to be a place where Jews of all levels of observance can live comfortably. In the House, this means that people are respectful of each other’s observance levels. Orthodox standards for Kashrut and Shabbat are maintained in the common areas, while individual residents are free to keep their own standards in their own rooms, provided they do not disturb others.
About the Beit Midrash
The OU Heshe and Harriet Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) is a program of the Orthodox Union in partnership with Hillel. In recognition that the overwhelming majority of Modern Orthodox college students are being educated at secular universities, the OU administers JLIC, a program that helps Orthodox students navigate the college environment, and balance their Jewish commitments with their desire to engage the secular world. In addition, JLIC provides avenues for spiritual development and exploration for Jewish students from varied backgrounds; JLIC presents a positive, sophisticated and welcoming face for Orthodox Judaism on campus. For more info about JLIC check out http://www.jliconline.org/index.php. Through the aid of this program, the students of our community are privileged to select and hire their own rabbi. The JLIC program at Cornell is funded jointly by Cornell Hillel, CJL, and CJL-F.
There are a myriad of different Jewish learning styles and opportunities available for Cornell students. Students can learn in a Chevruta or in group Shiurim (classes) with the JLIC couple, the mashgiach, or fellow students. Regular shiurim are given on Shabbat and throughout the week. Additionally, we regularly have visiting Scholars-in-residence throughout the academic year. Past guests have included the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yona Metzger Shlit”a, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, Rabbi Marc Angel, Wendy Amsellem, and Rabbi Zvi Leshem.
The Center for Jewish Living’s Beit Midrash is located in 104 West! above the Kosher dining hall. This is a place dedicated for students and community members to participate in Torah studies.
Since its inception, the CJL has been a place of Jewish Learning. However, the physical Beit Midrash was created by recent alum Andrew Marks with the aid of a past JLIC Rabbi, Rabbi Joshua Ross, and contributions of the Rothman Foundation and others. If you are interested in donating to the Beit Midrash, please fill out the donation form.
Can’t find a Sefer in our Beit Midrash? A great location in Ithaca to find Seforim is in Olin Library.
Kosher Dining
Cornell Dining is known as one of the best University Dining programs in the country, and this reputation extends to Kosher dining. The main kosher dining hall on Cornell’s campus is 104West!, located conveniently right next to the CJL. Hot Kosher meals are served twice daily (lunch and dinner) every day of the week. For freshman living on North Campus, 104West! maintains another kosher kitchen, It’s Kosher!, located in the Northstar Dining Room at Appel Commons. This location serves hot meals twice daily Sunday-Thursday of each week. All Cornell Kosher products are produced in the 104West! kitchens by Cornell Dining staff. The “hashgachah”, the kosher certification, is provided by the Star-K to Cornell Dining under the supervision of our full time Mashgiach.