Over the summer, Oberlin Hillel moved locations from Wilder Hall to 21 W. College St., right between Gibson’s Bakery and Taco Flavored Kisses. The location was formerly a hair salon and has been converted into a student lounge and meeting space for Hillel.

According to Yaffa Muhlbaum, associate director of Oberlin Hillel, this is the first time Hillel has had a standalone space at Oberlin. The organization used to have a space in Wilder Hall for small programs and community gatherings, but most of their events have taken place around campus rather than in a centralized location.

Hillel’s administration has been in active consultation with students about the location, and the student body involved with Hillel has been involved in making the new space a home for the Jewish community. 

Micah Margolis, College third-year and president of Oberlin Hillel, said they had been on the lookout for a new location for a significant period of time. The old space was a small room in Wilder Hall that could fit about seven or eight people. With this new location, Hillel aims to be the center of Jewish life on campus.

“For an organization that aims to serve 20–25 percent of the campus, we’ve wanted a change for a long time,” said Margolis. “I think it was made very clear to the staff at Hillel long before they made the decision that any upgrade was a big upgrade for us.”

The new location was chosen based on numerous factors, including its location near the heart of campus and its space which can house the majority of Hillel’s programs and events. Margolis said that he hopes moving to a larger centralized location will encourage more people to be involved and active with Hillel.

There are Shabbat services and dinners organized in the space every week. Other than that, the location is used for events like bagel brunches, religious services, text studies, and Mario Kart games.

“Hillel is a student-centered organization. We believe that student passion should guide our offerings and that students should feel empowered and safe in this community,” said Muhlbaum. “We are a space that connects with all kinds of Jewish students. We are a space that is inclusive and welcoming and where students are key in shaping the culture and community norms.”

The organization’s old space is being renovated as part of a five-phase construction project in Wilder Hall, with the second phase slated to end in the summer of 2026.

Muhlbaum emphasized that the new location is designed to be a place where students feel safe, courageous, and have the tools to form their own Jewish identities. 

The first event hosted in the new space was an open house for first-year students and their parents on Aug. 22.