1944 |
HARVARD-RADCLIFFE HILLEL: FOUNDING IN A TIME OF UPHEAVAL
In late 1944, as the war raged overseas and universities adjusted to a shifting world, a few Jewish students at Harvard and Radcliffe saw a gap in campus life. Among them was William L. Frost, class of 1947. They felt a deep need for connection and belonging. With the help of Hillel International, they rented a vacant room on Massachusetts Avenue, formerly the entrance to a movie theater. There, they held services, shared meals, and began forming a community.
On July 20, 1944, a letter signed by three Harvard students called for a meeting of Jewish students on July 25, under the sponsorship of B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation.
“Many Jewish students have expressed a desire to maintain their contact with Jewish affairs while at college and we are hoping that we shall be able to conduct regular meetings to provide the opportunity for such students to keep up with, and understand, contemporary Jewish issues.”
From the letter, signed by Harvard student organizers Dan Cohen, Eliezer Krumbein, and Fred Penn
In August of 1944, the first issue of the “Harvard Group” B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation BULLETIN was published. The one-page flyer informs the Harvard student community of upcoming talks and activities, the new Hillel office location and opening hours, and names of the students on the Hillel Committee.
A Space for All
From the start, their vision was inclusive. They were committed to creating a space for all Jewish students, whether Orthodox or Reform, Zionist or non-Zionist. That approach was rare at the time. Jewish identity at Harvard was fragmented, and disagreements were common. But the founders of Hillel chose not to take sides. Instead, they invited everyone in, no matter their background.
This decision proved powerful. Over time, students began showing up not only to practice their faith but to explore it. Some came for tradition, others for conversation, and many simply to feel at home. What began with four students grew into a center that would eventually welcome a quarter of the undergraduate population of the College. The foundation they built continues to guide Harvard Hillel to this day.
1958 |
A new form of leadership emerges
In 1958, Rabbi Ben-Zion Gold joined the Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel. A Holocaust survivor and scholar, he brought a unique moral and intellectual depth to the role, transforming Hillel from a student club into a full Jewish community on campus.
1958–1979: Rabbi Ben-Zion Gold and the transformation of Harvard Hillel
In 1958, Rabbi Ben-Zion Gold was appointed as the new director of Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel. Born in Poland in 1923 and a survivor of the Holocaust, Rabbi Gold had come to the United States to rebuild his life through faith, education, and community. He brought a deep sense of moral urgency and intellectual seriousness to Harvard Hillel, reshaping it for a new era.
When Rabbi Gold arrived, Hillel was primarily seen as a place for basic religious services and cultural events. But he envisioned something greater. Under his leadership, Hillel became a home for Jewish identity, a center for moral discourse, and a platform for pluralism. He expanded its mission to serve not only students, but also their families, local community members, and alumni. He invited professors, visiting scholars, and public intellectuals to engage in regular lectures, discussions, and panels on everything from ethics to Zionism to the legacy of the Holocaust.
As the 1960s unfolded and the Harvard campus was swept up in the Civil Rights Movement, anti-Vietnam War protests, and growing concern over the oppression of Soviet Jews, Hillel became a refuge. Students sought Rabbi Gold’s counsel not only for religious matters but also for existential and political questions. His sermons and discussions addressed the pressing issues of the day, urging Jewish students to see their tradition as a call to justice, thoughtfulness, and responsibility.
1979: Hillel moves closer to Harvard Yard
In 1979, after years of advocating for a more central presence on campus, Rabbi Gold oversaw the relocation of Hillel into the Riesman Center, just steps from Harvard Yard. This was a major victory. Until then, Hillel had operated in scattered and often marginal spaces. The new center signaled that Jewish life had a recognized, enduring place at Harvard.
Gold remained Hillel’s spiritual and intellectual guide well into the 1980s and beyond, even after his formal directorship ended. He officiated weddings, mentored future leaders, and continued to teach. His legacy is still visible in Hillel’s warm, inclusive culture and in its commitment to pluralism, moral reflection, and the blending of Jewish tradition with modern inquiry.
1994 |
ROSOVSKY HALL: Harvard Hillel’s Permanent Home for a Growing Community
By the early 1990s, Harvard Hillel had grown into a thriving center for Jewish student life. But its physical presence still reflected its modest origins. For decades, it had operated out of rented rooms and borrowed spaces. That changed on May 1, 1994, when Hillel moved into a new building: Rosovsky Hall.
Rosovsky Hall was named in honor of Henry Rosovsky, the first Jewish member of Harvard’s Corporation and a longtime supporter of Hillel. The building was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. At 19,500 square feet, it featured a circular courtyard, kosher dining facilities, multipurpose rooms, a library, and flexible worship areas. The project cost three million dollars and was supported by over two hundred donors.
This new building was more than an architectural achievement. It represented Hillel’s journey from the margins of campus to its center. Rabbi Ben-Zion Gold, who had guided Hillel since 1958, saw the move as a culmination of decades of work. What had started in an old movie theater lobby had become an enduring institution, grounded in the values of openness, learning, and spiritual life.
“The building’s centerpiece is a circular courtyard defined by three skylit, vaulted spaces that open onto Plympton Street. The versatile green space, enclosed by load-bearing steel columns, can accommodate a sukkah during festivals. On the building’s ground floor is a student lounge, dining hall, and a multi-purpose room. Upper floors feature a library, offices, and multi-purpose rooms for worship and meetings. Clad with brick and pre-cast concrete, the building has a leaded copper roof.”
From The Moshe Safdie Archives, McGill University
Rosovsky Hall gave Hillel a permanent home. It affirmed that Jewish life belonged not only within Harvard but at the heart of it.It’s not just religion or kosher food anymore, it’s community, identity, learning, and self‑expression. Open to anyone regardless of background, it’s where students go to belong.
Student groups including ApiChorus (Jewish a cappella), BAGELS (LGBTQ+‑friendly Jewish group), Challah for Charity, Kol Yisrael, and others run events year‑round.
By Ece Alkan, Harvard College ’26
References
- Rachel Gibian, Structures in Time & Place: Snapshots of the Harvard Hillel’s Construction, Fifteen Minutes, The Magazine of the Harvard Crimson, March 2012.
- Amanda C. Pustilnik, “Founded in ’44, Hillel Gave Jewish Students a `Home'”, Harvard Crimson, June 1994.
- Safdie Architects website.
- Susan K. Brown, Hillel Dedicates New Center on Mt. Auburn St.; Riesman Grant of $500,000 Supports Renovations, Harvard Crimson, September 1979.
- Harvard University Archives