Queens College enrolls 16,300 undergraduate students who pursue more than 100 different degrees. The New York Times ranks Queens as the No. 2 rated college in the US for “best bang for the buck.” There are 2,500-5,000 Jewish students at Queens College, and over 500 Orthodox students who attended Modern or Centrist Orthodox day schools–the second largest Orthodox Jewish student population in North America. There are also 900-1,100 students of Sephardi/Mizrahi descent at Queens College. Traditionally a commuter school, Queens College now has a strong Orthodox on-campus community comprised of hundreds of students living in The Summit, the new QC dormitory, and local apartments in the surrounding area. There are 270-360 students who live on or around campus. The college has a Jewish friendly academic calendar to accommodate the large number of Jewish students; school is not in session on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or Passover. Post-high school study in Israel is counted towards credits in college.
OU-JLIC at QC runs a slew of programs during the week, some weekly, some monthly, and some periodically. OU-JLIC events, shiurim, and chaburot are spread out over the course of the the day and week to accommodate as many students as possible. The OU-JLIC Torah educators teach 7-10 weekly chaburot (mini shiurim) each week on topics such as Chumash, halachah, hashkafah, and chagim, and a shiur klali on the parshah. JLIC at Queens College has three different student leadership teams that each offer their own unique events over the semester: JLIC Men’s Team, JLIC Women’s Team, and JLIC Coed Team. Each leadership team works closely with the JLIC educators to create innovative and dynamic programming for each subset of the Orthodox student population on campus. Programs include a monthly craft and shiur event for women, a monthly ‘Beer and Shiur’ for men, Thanksgive-a pie social, Hagaddah Round Robin, social and Torah oriented holiday events and various events for new students, including a Shabbaton.
Additionally, JLIC hosts a myriad of well-known speakers from across the Jewish world who teach Torah and cover relevant life topics such as genetic testing and mental health; the JLIC Ateret program offers a monthly Lunch and Learn for women with high profile speakers.
Rabbi Shlomo Brukier and Ruchie Brukier
Hillel runs four Shabbatonim per semester, including Orthodox services, drashot, and kiddush, special programming and large communal meals on campus, with anywhere between 80-300 students participating and there are many shuls in walking distance as well. Shabbat Potluck meals are organized in students’ apartments and a Shabbat Committee ensures that anyone who wants has a communal meal to attend. JLIC hosts a seudah shelishit every single week of the semester which draws between 20-80 students.