Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls and TABC hosted a “Jewish Life on Campus” college prep event for high school juniors and their parents on December 27. The informative evening, which took place at TABC, was designed to answer all questions about the ability to live a full religious life on a college campus.

The feature presentation by OU-JLIC addressed challenges Modern Orthodox students face on campus, and highlighted the organization’s crucial role in providing a vibrant religious life in secular campus environments. On 26 colleges across the U.S, Canada and Israel, young rabbinic Modern Orthodox couples who live on campus—referred to as OU-JLIC directors—serve as relatable role models, forging deep and meaningful relationships with students, while creating a sense of community and a warm home away from home.

“The OU-JLIC couple, Rav Azi and Atara Horvitch, they’re new this year, and they’re really incredible”, said a student currently studying at Princeton. “They’re super open and invite people into their homes for Shabbat meals. I just had coffee with Ravi Azi before I left campus last week.”

After the presentation, high school students and parents had a chance to meet and speak with student reps and Jewish educators from YU, Touro, Barnard/Columbia, NYU, Penn, Maryland, Princeton and a host of other colleges. Representatives provided a brief snapshot into observant Jewish student life on campus including OU-JLIC and other Jewish organizations on the ground, a typical Shabbat, kosher food, davening/minyanim, eruv, learning and social opportunities.

The event sparked important discussions among attendees. Michael Cohen, a parent in the audience, said “Just from the one night, for the first time my son realized what a disadvantage it would be, from a Jewish experience perspective, to attend a really out of town university that does not have a Jewish community presence on campus.”