Hillel Global Giving Week 2025
Support Shabbat Programs at Duke
This Hillel Global Giving Week, from May 5-9, 2025, support Jewish Life at Duke! Help us reach our ambitious goal of raising $36,000 to fund Shabbat dinners at the Freeman Center for the fall semester!
About the Campaign
From May 5-9, your gift to Jewish Life at Duke empowers students to celebrate their Jewish identity with pride, grow into compassionate leaders, and build lifelong friendships.
We're proud to join Hillels around the world for the 6th annual Hillel Global Giving Week—and there's never been a better time to give. During this special week, the first $5,000 of gifts will be matched by Hillel International (with a generous match of up to $2,000 per gift).
NEW MATCH! We’re thrilled to announce that fellow Duke alumni and parents, Amy Saperstein Herman T'94, P'26 & Andrew Herman P'26, will match donations during Hillel Global Giving Week! For every $2 you give, they’ll add $1 — up to a total of $12,000. That means your gift goes even further, with $24,000 in donations eligible for matching!
Our goal? To raise $36,000 to fund Shabbat dinners at the Freeman Center for the start of the fall semester—nourishing bodies, souls, and community each week.
Give now. Make twice the impact. Shape a vibrant Jewish future at Duke.
Make an Impact
Sponsor a Shabbat Dinner Table
Provide a meaningful Friday night experience for a table of students to connect, reflect, and share in Jewish tradition.
Sponsor a Student's Shabbat Experience for the Semester
Give one student a full semester of Shabbat meals, offering ritual, warmth, and community each week at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life.
Sponsor a Full Shabbat Dinner
Share the joy of Shabbat with over 100 students who come together for a night of tradition, comfort, and connection at Duke’s weekly Shabbat dinner.
Your Support in Action
Duke students enjoy free kosher Shabbat meals every Friday night, providing ritual, tradition, and community for the Duke Jewish community. Following prayer services, Shabbat dinner is a cornerstone activity, allowing students an opportunity to break bread together, partake in the comfort of home, and build community.
Over the course of each academic year, JLD hosts 28-29 Shabbat dinners and serves over 1,000 unique students.
Shabbat is an interfaith initiative at Duke! Students from interfaith and intercultural backgrounds join for Shabbat dinner with their Jewish friends. For many of these students, Shabbat dinner at the Freeman Center is the first time they’ve engaged in a Jewish experience. Notably, one-quarter to one-half of students who attend Shabbat dinners are from non-Jewish faith traditions. As such, Shabbat at Duke has become an interfaith activity that crosses religious boundaries and brings students together from across the campus community.
"Shabbat is my time to put aside all the stress from the week, be with friends, enjoy good food and recognize the start of the weekend." — Sam Berlan, Class of 2025
"Shabbat dinner at Freeman — that is my Jewish moment once a week.” — Class of 2025 student
Ways to Give
Did you know Jewish Life at Duke is both an accredited Hillel and a department within Duke's Division of Student Affairs? Nearly 100% of our operating budget comes from donations from alumni, parents, and friends.
Giving Options
1) Online : Make your gift or pledge online by credit card, debit card, or e-check. This is the easiest and most secure option.
2) Mail in a check: Checks should be made payable to “Jewish Life at Duke” with memo “Fund Code: 399000531, Tech: JLDHGGW” and sent to the following address:
Alumni and Development Records
Duke University
Box 90581
Durham, NC 27708-0581
3) Donor-Advised Fund: Select "Duke University" as the grantee, Tax ID: 56-0532129. Copy and paste the following into the free text field to designate the funds accordingly: "Jewish Life at Duke Shabbat Fund Code 399000531, Tech Code JLDHGGW." Click here to email us to notify us of your gift so it can be counted toward our Hillel Global Giving Week match!
4) By phone: Call Duke Alumni and Development Records at (919) 684-2338, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Indicate your gift designation as Jewish Life at Duke Shabbat Fund, Fund Code 399000531, Tech Code JLDHGGW.
5) Donate stocks or other securities: visit www.stockgifts.duke.edu/.
Matching Gifts
Many companies and foundations will match the value of the charitable gifts made by employees and their spouses, board members, and retirees. Find out if your organization will match your gift.
Thank you to our donors!
- Peretz Alexander
- Alan & Daniele Baklor
- Lynn Baklor
- Ryan Bergamini
- Stephen Blaser
- Romy & Adam Block-Posner
- Mark Bookman
- Nina Caplin
- Erin Davis & Jonathan Etter
- David Feldman
- Eric & Lisa Friedman
- Mitch Garber
- Mara Geronemus
- Loren Gesinsky
- Zoe Gezelter
- Reena Glazer
- John & Marianne Golieb
- Jody Greenberg
- George Grody
- Jerold Grubman
- Amy & Andrew Herman
- Stephanie Hochman
- Pati & Daniel Jinich
- Cynthia Klein
- Andrew Layton
- Susie Lazerow
- Barry & Rachael Lichman
- Joshua Lowentritt
- Jessica & Josh Lutzker
- Laurie & Randy May
- Susan & Darryl May
- Carol McMichael
- Irene & Stephen Moff
- DAniel Mollin
- Alaina Pleatman
- Michael Portnoy
- Samuel Rabinowitz
- Andrew & Alisha Reiben
- Jennifer & Craig Saperstein
- Scott Scher
- Brian & Kathleen Schwartz
- Howard Seidel
- Jackie Sergent
- Dorit Rabbani & Jason Shames
- Justin Shapiro
- Scott Sherman
- Ann Sloane
- Debbie Snyder & Giorgio Kulp
- Kimberly & David Wachen
- Michael Yaeger
- Amir Yariv
- Madelyn Zelman
- Anonymous
- Add your name to the list!
About Jewish Life at Duke
Jewish Life at Duke (JLD) is the hub for all things Jewish on Duke’s campus. An accredited Hillel as well as a department within Duke University’s Division of Student Affairs, Jewish Life at Duke is guided by a mission to empower Jewish students to learn and grow intellectually and spiritually; to inspire and nurture personal paths to Jewish identity; and to cultivate community and friendship. Comprising the Freeman Center for Jewish Life and the Rubenstein-Silvers Hillel, JLD takes a pluralistic approach to Judaism to ensure that all Jewish students, regardless of affiliation, are welcome and included.
100% of JLD’s operating budget comes from donations from alumni, parents, and friends.
