Colleges nationwide offering kosher dining services

ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—The options for Orthodox-Jewish students looking for colleges outside the New York metropolitan area are greater than they have ever been before, according to an independent educational consultant.

“Many schools with historically low numbers of Jews are actively working to recruit more by building Jewish student centers and creating kosher dining options as part of their recruitment strategy,” says David Twersky, founder of College Link Consulting, a professional practice that assists students and parents in the college selection, application, and admission process.

He recognizes that Shomer Shabbat students who observe kashruth and would like other observant Jews for company have traditionally preferred large, urban universities. Increasingly, he says, they are turning to smaller, rural schools and colleges without large Jewish populations.  According to Hillel International, nearly 25 percent of Jewish college students in North America attend schools with small numbers of Jewish students and limited Jewish resources.