On a weeknight in downtown Manhattan, a group of NYU JLIC students gather around tables filled with sefarim, food, and conversation. They come from different backgrounds and levels of learning, but they share one commitment: to make Torah learning a real and consistent part of their college lives.
This is the NYU JLIC Kollel, a program that gives students structure, accountability, and community around serious Torah learning throughout the semester.
The NYU JLIC Kollel is built around commitment. At the start of the semester, students pair up with a chavruta and commit to learning together on their own during the week. In addition to their independent learning, the group comes together once a week for a shared learning night that includes group study, discussion, and time to connect as a community.
For many students, this structure fills a real gap.
“When I came from yeshiva to NYU, I noticed a big hole in my Torah learning,” one student shared. “Having the framework to keep learning during the week has been really fulfilling.”
College life is busy and largely unstructured, and without intention, Torah learning can easily fall to the side. The Kollel creates a rhythm that helps students prioritize learning while balancing classes, internships, and social life. Students are not just showing up to learn. They are building habits that carry into the rest of their lives.
Another student described the experience simply: “You take these small pieces of learning and unpack them, and it really carries into day-to-day life.”
Beyond the learning itself, the NYU Kollel creates something just as important: a sense of belonging. Students come not only to learn, but to be part of a group that values growth, curiosity, and connection.
“It’s not just about the learning,” one student explained. “It’s the people, the conversations, the feeling that you belong.”
“I’m really grateful for the atmosphere that we’ve created here at JLIC of warmth, discovery, and curiosity,” said Elyanna Rosenthal, Co-Director NYU JLIC
That sense of belonging is central to JLIC’s presence on campus. Led by Rabbi Z and Elyanna Rosenthal, JLIC NYU provides students with mentorship, warmth, and a welcoming environment where questions are encouraged and every student feels comfortable showing up as they are. Students consistently describe JLIC as a place that feels like home, even in the middle of a fast-paced city.
“They’ve really made New York feel like my second home,” one student said. “It’s a place where people of all backgrounds can come and learn.”
The NYU Kollel reflects what JLIC does best on campus. It creates opportunities for serious Torah learning while remaining accessible, relational, and student-centered. It meets students where they are and helps them grow from there.
On a campus as large and demanding as NYU, JLIC is not a nice extra. It is a need-to-have. Programs like the NYU Kollel ensure that students who want to continue meaningful Torah learning in college have the support, structure, and community to do so.
Week after week, students show up. They learn, they talk, they eat together, and they build something lasting. In the heart of downtown New York City, the NYU Kollel shows what is possible when Torah, commitment, and community come together on campus.
Reach out to any of our Directors to learn more about JLIC and to support our programming.
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