Jewish Life at VCU

05/10/2026

Graduation Shabbat 🎓✨

A beautiful and meaningful evening, right before everyone heads off for a refreshing summer break.

Dozens of guests, a warm atmosphere, and a special moment honoring our graduating students. Each graduate received a meaningful gift: a Chitas — Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya — the foundations of Jewish life and learning.

Wishing everyone a healthy, restful summer. We can’t wait to welcome you back next year!

Now we need you! our campaign is live. Please consider taking part and helping us continue building Jewish life at VCU.

05/06/2026

50% reached.
Halfway to building an even bigger home for Jewish students at VCU. 🧡

Every chair filled, every Shabbat table expanded, every student welcomed, happens because of you.

Thank you to everyone who believes in this mission and helps us create a place where Jewish students feel proud, connected, and at home.

Let’s keep going.
Help us reach the next 50%: raisethon.com/jvcu

05/06/2026

30% - and counting.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible 🙏
Let’s keep filling the seats.

Donate: raisethon.com/jvcu

05/05/2026

05/04/2026

You all know the table.
You’ve been there.
The laughter, the friendships, the Shabbat dinners, the moments that stay with you.

This is what Jewish Life at VCU is all about.

Now we’re building the next chapter.
From one student to the next. From one year to the next.

This is the moment to step in.
To be part of it.
To help make sure every Jewish student has a place at the table.

Join us. Be part of the story.

05/04/2026

Hundreds of students came out to relax and recharge during finals, with animals, smiles, and an amazing atmosphere all around. It was truly special to see so many people take a moment to breathe.

We hope it gave you a little boost for your exams 💪
Wishing everyone lots of success on finals, and a relaxing, well-deserved break after! ✨

🐾

05/03/2026

Graduation Season is here, and we’re celebrating together! 🎓

Whether you’re graduating, supporting a graduate, or simply part of our Jewish Life family,
this celebration is for YOU.

Join us for a beautiful Shabbat weekend filled with pride, community, and joy as we honor our graduates and celebrate the entire community that helped them grow.

Because at Jewish Life at VCU, every milestone belongs to all of us.

✨ Everyone is welcome, students, friends, parents, alumni, and community members.

Friday: Family Shabbat Dinner
Saturday: Open-House Shabbat Lunch
Come celebrate, connect, and share in the moment together.

Let’s fill the room with simcha, gratitude, and Jewish pride, just like we always do.

RSVP required: Text GRAD to 804-735-1070

04/30/2026

What a busy and special week we had at Jewish Life at VCU! 💙

This past Shabbat, we had the honor of hosting Mrs. Helina Zimm, a Holocaust survivor who shared her powerful and moving story with our students.
The atmosphere was truly meaningful, and it was a privilege to listen, learn, and remember together. What a special Shabbat it was.

We also celebrated a very special birthday for Nathan with a fun night out at Topgolf 🎉
Lots of laughs, great energy, and beautiful moments of friendship, exactly what community is all about.

And we wrapped up the week with a wonderful bowling event together with our friends from the Friendship Circle, celebrating inclusion, kindness, and joy.
It was beautiful to see everyone smiling, supporting one another, and sharing happiness together.

Grateful for these moments and proud to continue building a warm and welcoming home for every Jewish student at VCU.

04/26/2026

Take a break from finals… and come smile with us! 🐐🐰

Finals can be stressful, so we’re bringing a little joy to campus.
Join us for a Petting Zoo Day at Jewish Life at VCU!

Come relax, cuddle some friendly animals, enjoy cold drinks and snacks, and recharge with friends.
It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s the perfect break in the middle of exams.

Everyone is welcome, bring a friend!

📅 April 30
⏰ 12:00–3:00 PM
📍 Jewish VCU | 1003 Grove Ave

We can’t wait to see you there!

CampusLife TakeABreak

04/21/2026

A Living Legacy.

This Friday, we are honored to welcome Mrs. Helina Zimm, a Holocaust survivor, who will share her powerful story of survival, strength, and resilience.

For our students, this is more than a Shabbat dinner.
It is a chance to hear living history — and to continue the Jewish story together.

Join us for a meaningful and unforgettable evening.

🕯️ Friday | April 24
🍽️ Dinner at 6:30 PM
📍 1003 Grove Ave

Text “shabbat” to 804-735-1070 to RSVP

04/19/2026

We Got Scholars! 🎓📚

Last week, we proudly celebrated the completion of our Sinai Scholars course, the flagship Jewish learning experience at Jewish Life at VCU.

These incredible students didn’t just attend classes.
They showed up week after week, asked big questions, challenged ideas, and explored what it truly means to think, live, and grow as Jews in today’s world.

They learned about Jewish values.
They discovered how Judaism approaches life’s biggest questions.
And most importantly, they invested in their own Jewish journey.

On a personal note, this was an incredible opportunity for us — Menachem and Daniela — to get to know the remarkable qualities of our students.
To see how thoughtful, intelligent, and talented they are is truly inspiring.
Their curiosity, commitment, and openness left us deeply impressed and filled with hope for the future of the Jewish people.

Watching each of them receive their certificates was more than a ceremony.
It was a moment of pride, growth, and commitment to Jewish identity and leadership.

We are so proud of this group of scholars, the future leaders of our community.

At Jewish Life at VCU, this is what Never Again looks like:
Young Jews learning, growing, and standing proudly as Jews. ✡️

Mazal tov to our newest Sinai Scholars!
You earned it. 💙