Assemblywoman Nily Rozic allocated $195,000 in state funding to expand Jewish student services and programming across Queens
Queens, NY—Queens Hillel has opened a new student hub at 80-15 188th Street in Jamaica, creating a dedicated space for Jewish college students from across the borough.
The new center, called Queens Hillel 188th, was supported by $195,000 in state funding allocated by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D, WF-Fresh Meadows). The funding will help expand Jewish student services and programming, including staffing at the hub and the addition of a mental health social worker.
The off-campus location is designed to serve students from St. John’s University, Queens College and Queensborough Community College (QCC), while providing a gathering place open to Jewish students attending institutions throughout Queens.
“Queens is one of the most diverse places in the world, and our college students deserve spaces where they can celebrate their identity, build community, and know that they are supported,” Rozic said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening. “As students navigate the challenges of college life, spaces like 188th Street are essential in providing access to resources that promote well-being and connections.”
Queens Hillel serves one of the country’s most diverse Jewish student populations, including Sephardic, Mizrahi, Bukharian, Persian, queer, multifaith and biracial students. The organization reaches an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 Jewish students across St. John’s, Queens College and QCC, including more than 1,000 Bukharian students.
The new hub provides a central location where students can gather for programming, connect with resources and meet Jewish students from other colleges and universities across the borough.
“We are incredibly grateful to Assemblywoman Nily Rozic for her ongoing commitment to life-changing programming and services for Jewish students in Queens,” said Jenna Citron Schwab, executive director of Queens Hillel. “With her additional support for Queens Hillel, we will be able to reach more students in our efforts to provide holistic support including mental health services, career guidance, and joy-filled Jewish life experiences for our students wishing to further explore and connect with their Jewish identity.”
Nancy Kaplan, special advisor for institutional advancement at St. John’s University, described a Hillel as “more than a building” and “a home away from home for students seeking connection, purpose, and community.”
“The opening of this beautiful new center creates an inspiring space where students can gather, celebrate, learn, and lead,” Kaplan said. “I am excited to see the many ways this new home will enrich student life and strengthen the fabric of our Queens community.”
Queens College Interim President Betsy Hendrey, who has worked at the college for more than 30 years, said Queens Hillel has a long history of supporting the religious and cultural identities of Jewish students.
“Now more students from across Queens can be part of this thriving community,” Hendrey said.
Queensborough Community College President Christine Mangino also welcomed the opening, saying spaces such as Queens Hillel “enrich the student experience and help create pathways for connection outside of the classroom.”
“I’m grateful that Queensborough students have the opportunity to participate in the sense of community Queens Hillel offers,” Mangino said.
St. John’s University serves approximately 500 to 1,000 Jewish students annually, while Queens College and Queensborough Community College, both part of the City University of New York system, together serve an estimated 1,000 to 4,000 Jewish students annually.
The $195,000 allocation is among several recent Queens community investments announced by Rozic. They include $250,000 for renovations to the children’s area and meeting room at the Queens Public Library’s Hillcrest branch; $25,000 for Tomchei Shabbos of Queens; $125,000 for the new Queens Holocaust Memorial at Queens Borough Hall; $350,000 for Chevra Hatzalah; and $30,000 for a new STEM lab at Queens Hebrew Academy.
BY ERIN LEVI