Rutgers Hillel Breaks Ground on College Ave

[RUseaweed]

90 College Ave, anticipated completion of Fall '15. Pretty ambitious construction schedule methinks. Looks like a pretty sweet place though.

As a side note, does anyone know the difference between Hillel and Chabad house (next to the Barn)? From what I've been told, Chabad is for more Orthodox Jews while Hillel is more progressive. It's cool that Rutgers has a large enough Jewish population to support two of these types of organizations.

Article

 

[retired711]

Chabad represents one faction of orthodox Judaism. The group derives from the Lubavitchers, who are one branch of Hasidism, an 18th century revival movement that stressed that scholarship was not essential for being a good Jew. It has oodles of money thanks to excellent fund-raising from Jews nostalgic about their religious parents or grandparents. Hillel is much more secular and the services it sponsors tend to be middle-of-the road (what Jews call "conservative.") Chabad is more "evangelical" if I may use that term: it prosletyezes to all Jews just as Billy Graham long did to Christians. At some campuses, Chabad and Hillel have had profound conflicts.

Chabad is conspicuous for its belief that the Messiah will come soon, and at least some Chabad followers think that the group's late rebbe (chief rabbi) will return as the Messiah.

This post was edited on 11/24 9:57 AM by camdenlawprof

 

[Scarlet Craig]

Looks nice...this is going across College Ave. from the new Seminary? I assume old houses but it seems like this is near or on the corner with Mine Street. Isn't there a frat there now?

 

[Leonard23]

That looks sweet. Reminds me of a Colorado or Tahoe house or a ski lodge.
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[Korbermeister]

looks like this lot is finally going away

Originally posted by Scarlet Craig:
Looks nice...this is going across College Ave. from the new Seminary? I assume old houses but it seems like this is near or on the corner with Mine Street. Isn't there a frat there now?

 

[e5fdny]

Not reading the link or knowing much about the project, is it safe to say this was all done with private money and nothing (cash or a tax break) from RU, NB, Middlesex County or NJ?

 

[retired711]

The only tax break I know of is that Hillel, like any religious organization, is tax-exempt. Perhaps others know of other breaks or subsidies, but I don't know of any.

 

[kennyschiano]

the Wilf's have quite a hand in it



wilfs lead donor

 

[Scarlet16E]

Originally posted by e5fdny:


Not reading the link or knowing much about the project, is it safe to say this was all done with private money and nothing (cash or a tax break) from RU, NB, Middlesex County or NJ?

The location is the result of a land swap with Rutgers / Devco. Hillell had been planning to build on the site of the former Sig-Ep then KDR then FIJI house (Bishop & George across from Clothier Hall). Rutgers gave up some parking lot land on College Ave and that lot is now where the great Lawn will be next to the new Honors College.

 

[RUseaweed]

Here's a new article about some additional money that was raised for a kosher dining facility.

They also mention a completion time frame of Spring '16, which is a change from the original Fall '15 mentioned previously. That sounds much more reasonable - they haven't even started pouring foundations yet.

New Jersey Jewish News Article