Lori Meadows
The University of Virginia has a long history of Jewish student life, with the earliest known Jewish student, Gratz Cohen of Savannah, attending the university from 1862 to 1864. While Jewish students attended the university in small numbers during the 19th century, the early 20th century saw a relative increase in Jewish student enrollment, leading to the establishment of Jewish fraternities and a Jewish Student Union on campus. Today, the university is home to a thriving Jewish community, with an estimated 1,000 Jewish undergraduate students and 400-600 Jewish graduate students.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Earliest known Jewish student | Gratz Cohen of Savannah (1862-1864) |
| Jewish student population in the 19th century | Small numbers |
| Notable Jewish alumni from the 19th century | Leo Levi, A. Leo Oberdorfer, Archie Oberdorfer |
| Jewish student population in the early 20th century | A relative increase |
| Jewish fraternities founded in the early 20th century | Zeta Beta Tau, Phi Epsilon Pi, Phi Alpha, Alpha Epsilon Pi |
| Current Jewish undergraduate student population | 1,000 (6% of the undergraduate student body) |
| Current Jewish graduate student population | 400-600 (7% of the graduate student body) |
| Jewish community and resources | Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVa, kosher dining, Birthright Israel trips, Jewish Studies Program |
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What You'll Learn
- The University of Virginia has a long history of Jewish student life, with the earliest known Jewish student, Gratz Cohen, attending from 1862 to 1864
- Jewish student enrollment increased in the early 20th century, leading to the establishment of Jewish fraternities and a Jewish Student Union
- Jewish students at UVA can access kosher dining, Birthright Israel trips, and Jewish studies programs
- The Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVA, provides a thriving Jewish community and diverse programs catering to a wide variety of interests
- While UVA has a large Jewish student body, some administrators in the early 20th century sought to restrict Jewish admissions
The University of Virginia has a long history of Jewish student life, with the earliest known Jewish student, Gratz Cohen, attending from 1862 to 1864
The University of Virginia has a long history of Jewish student life, with the earliest known Jewish student, Gratz Cohen of Savannah, attending the university from 1862 to 1864 after serving in the Confederate army. During the nineteenth century, Jewish students attended UVA in small numbers, but some notable Jewish alumni from this period include Leo Levi, who received his law degree at UVA and won the Jefferson Society medal for debate in 1876, and A. Leo Oberdorfer and his twin Archie, who received their law and medical degrees, respectively, from the university in 1899.
In the early twentieth century, there was a relative increase in the number of Jewish students at UVA. In 1915, Jewish students, who were formally or informally excluded from joining existing fraternities, organized their own chapters of two Jewish fraternities: Zeta Beta Tau and Phi Epsilon Pi. In 1922, Phi Alpha was established, and others, including Alpha Epsilon Pi, followed.
The growing Jewish student enrollment at the University in the early twentieth century was an issue of concern to some administrators. One survey of the nation's colleges and universities identified Virginia, along with Columbia, Cornell, Yale, and Johns Hopkins, as a school that accepted Jews but with restrictions as to numbers. At this time, many American universities, swamped with applications from the well-educated children of Jewish immigrants, set religious or regional quotas to limit numbers.
Today, the university is home to a thriving Jewish community, with an estimated 1,000 Jewish undergraduate students and 400-600 Jewish graduate students. The Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVA, offers a wide range of programs and resources for Jewish students, including kosher dining, social events, and academic support. The University of Virginia also offers a Jewish Studies Program, emphasizing Jewish civilization and community and providing funding opportunities for students and faculty members.
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Jewish student enrollment increased in the early 20th century, leading to the establishment of Jewish fraternities and a Jewish Student Union
Jewish students attended the University of Virginia in small numbers during the nineteenth century. However, in the early twentieth century, there was a notable increase in Jewish student enrollment. This trend was observed across several universities in the US, including Columbia, Cornell, Yale, and Johns Hopkins. The University of Virginia, with its Jeffersonian legacy, was expected to be an exception, but it too experienced a rise in Jewish student numbers.
During this time, many American universities, faced with a surge in applications from the well-educated children of Jewish immigrants, imposed religious or regional quotas to limit the number of Jewish students. A 1927 Report of the Dean of the College at the University of Virginia expressed similar concerns and suggested setting a limit on Jewish admissions, giving preference to citizens of Virginia.
Jewish students at the University of Virginia faced challenges in joining the existing fraternities, which were predominantly Christian. In response, they established their own fraternities to foster community and social connections. In 1915, chapters of two Jewish fraternities, Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) and Phi Epsilon Pi, were founded. Subsequently, in 1922, Phi Alpha was established, followed by Alpha Epsilon Pi and others. ZBT, as the first Jewish fraternity at the University of Virginia, played a significant role in the social life of Jewish students. Fraternity members socialized with young Jewish women from Charlottesville at dances and private events, and they also participated in community activities.
In 1939, a "Jewish Student Union" was established at the University of Virginia, with Rabbi Albert M. Lewis serving as its director. The Jewish Student Union joined forces with the Hillel Foundation, a program of B'nai B'rith, a national Jewish fraternal organization. The Hillel Foundation provided a space for Jewish students to gather, offering religious services, lectures, discussion groups, interfaith dialogue, and vocational guidance. This establishment further solidified the presence and community-building efforts of Jewish students at the University of Virginia.
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Jewish students at UVA can access kosher dining, Birthright Israel trips, and Jewish studies programs
The University of Virginia has an active Jewish community, with an estimated 1,000 Jewish undergraduates and 400 Jewish graduate students. Jewish students at the University of Virginia can access kosher dining, Birthright Israel trips, and Jewish studies programs.
Kosher Dining
In the early 20th century, Jewish students at the University of Virginia were catered to by Yuter's Restaurant, which served "real Jewish meals". Today, the Brody Jewish Center provides weekly Friday night dinners for more than 75 students.
Birthright Israel Trips
The Brody Jewish Center has sent more than 400 students to Israel in the past four years.
Jewish Studies Programs
The Brody Jewish Center is a registered nonprofit that offers resources and support for students. The Center is open to students who want to hang out, watch TV, or study, and it also has a quiet library with high-speed wireless internet. The Center is student-led, with more than 75 students holding leadership positions within the organization. The Jewish Leadership Council is the student governing body over the many groups at the Brody Jewish Center.
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The Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVA, provides a thriving Jewish community and diverse programs catering to a wide variety of interests
The University of Virginia has a long history of Jewish student life, with the earliest known Jewish student, Gratz Cohen of Savannah, attending the university from 1862 to 1864. During the nineteenth century, Jewish students attended UVA in small numbers, but in the early twentieth century, there was a relative increase in Jewish student enrollment, leading to the establishment of Jewish fraternities and a Jewish Student Union on campus.
Today, the Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVA, provides a thriving Jewish community and diverse programs catering to a wide variety of interests. The Center offers a range of programs and resources for Jewish students, including kosher dining, social events, Birthright Israel trips, and academic support. The Center has sent more than 400 students to Israel in the past four years and attracts over 75 students to its weekly Friday night dinners.
The University of Virginia also offers a Jewish Studies Program, which is an interdisciplinary program emphasising Jewish civilisation and community. The program involves coursework with over 25 faculty members from diverse departments, as well as extracurricular lectures, colloquia, and cultural programs. Students can examine various aspects of Jewish society, literature, language, culture, and history. The Jewish Studies Program also provides funding opportunities for students and faculty members, such as fellowships, scholarships, and research awards.
The Jewish community at the University of Virginia is very active, with more than 700 students participating in Jewish life. The University has the largest Jewish student body, with an estimated 1,000 Jewish undergraduate students and 400-600 Jewish graduate students. There are also 63 sororities and fraternities dedicated to philanthropy in some way, including the primarily Jewish fraternities Zeta Beta Tau ("ZBT") and Alpha Epsilon Pi ("A E Pi").
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While UVA has a large Jewish student body, some administrators in the early 20th century sought to restrict Jewish admissions
The University of Virginia (UVA) has a long history of Jewish student life, with the earliest known Jewish student, Gratz Cohen of Savannah, attending the university from 1862 to 1864. During the nineteenth century, Jewish students attended UVA in small numbers, but some notable Jewish alumni from this period include Leo Levi, who won the Jefferson Society medal for debate in 1876, and A. Leo Oberdorfer and his twin Archie, who received their law and medical degrees, respectively, in 1899.
The early twentieth century saw a relative increase in the number of Jewish students at UVA, which caused concern among some administrators. A 1927 Report of the Dean of the College expressed concern over the growing number of Jewish students and suggested setting a limit on the number of Jews admitted, giving preference to those who were citizens of Virginia. This was part of a broader trend at the time, as many American universities, facing an influx of applications from the well-educated children of Jewish immigrants, set religious or regional quotas to limit the number of Jewish students.
Despite these restrictions, the Jewish student population at UVA continued to grow, and in 1915, Jewish students established their own chapters of two Jewish fraternities, Zeta Beta Tau and Phi Epsilon Pi, followed by Phi Alpha in 1922 and Alpha Epsilon Pi in 1924. Today, Alpha Epsilon Pi is a primarily Jewish fraternity on campus, with a strong presence in the Greek community at UVA.
Currently, UVA is home to a thriving Jewish community, with an estimated 1,000 Jewish undergraduate students and 400-600 Jewish graduate students. The Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVA, offers a wide range of programs and resources for Jewish students, including kosher dining, social events, and academic support. The University of Virginia also offers a Jewish Studies Program, providing students with the opportunity to examine various aspects of Jewish society, literature, language, culture, and history.
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Frequently asked questions
The University of Virginia has a long history of Jewish student life, with the earliest known Jewish student, Gratz Cohen of Savannah, attending the university from 1862 to 1864. During the nineteenth century, Jewish students attended UVA in small numbers, but in the early twentieth century, there was a relative increase in Jewish student enrollment, leading to the establishment of Jewish fraternities and a Jewish Student Union on campus.
Recent estimates suggest that there are currently about 1,000 Jewish undergraduate students at UVA, comprising around 6% of the undergraduate student body. Additionally, there are about 400-600 Jewish graduate students, making up about 7% of the graduate student population.
The Brody Jewish Center, Hillel at UVA, provides a thriving Jewish community and diverse programs catering to a wide variety of interests. Jewish students at UVA can also take advantage of kosher dining options, Birthright Israel trips, and Jewish studies programs. There are also several Jewish fraternities and sororities on campus, including Alpha Epsilon Pi, Zeta Beta Tau, and Phi Epsilon Pi.
