About
Mission
To enhance the lives of our Jewish students; to build a Jewish community on campus that will serve as an inspiration and model for what students can contribute to their Jewish communities after college; to provide experiences that will strengthen Jewish students’ identification with, and celebration of, their Jewish heritage; to act as the Jewish resource to the general campus community; to represent and advocate for Jewish causes and concerns, now and in the future, on campus and beyond.
History
Hillel at Davis and Sacramento was established in 1965 to provide a home away from home for the few hundred Jewish college students studying in the area at the time. From the mid-1960s until 2012, our Hillel operated from a small bungalow located across the street from UC Davis. In 2012, we replaced the bungalow with a beautiful new building, fulfilling a long-held dream.
Today, our Hillel serves thousands of students in the Davis and Sacramento area. We also love to welcome alumni, parents, grandparents, and community members.
Our Hillel is a warm, vibrant place that hums with activity from morning to night. We offer a wide range of educational, social, spiritual, cultural, and tzedek programs, and no membership is required. Just come by and see what’s happening!
Rest assured - all food served at Hillel is kosher, delicious, and plentiful! During the academic year, we offer Shabbat dinner on Friday evenings, a free lunch on Tuesdays at noon, and free snacks Monday - Friday.
You can read more about us and branches of Hillel operating on other campuses on Hillel International’s College Guide.
Joseph Pedott
Joseph Pedott’s z”l relationship with our Hillel dates back to 1967 when he was asked to make a donation to our fledgling organization. At the time, Joe was a young advertising agent working in San Francisco, earning approximately $4,000 annually. While Joe did not have much money to spare, he did want to lend his support. Thus, he made a promise to give the proceeds from his next sale to Hillel. Remarkably, his next sale garnered $25,000. True to his word, Joe donated the entire amount to Hillel. This generous gift helped us provide a home away from home for the Jewish college students in our area for many years.
Joe went on to become a renowned inventor, entrepreneur, and manufacturer of famous products such as the Chia Pet. Joe reconnected with our Hillel in 2007 and made another promise – to help build a new Hillel House on this very spot. Through his tremendous generosity and vision, Joe became a vital partner and enabled us to realize our dream of a new home.
On May 4, 2012, we celebrated Joe’s 80th birthday and our first Shabbat in this beautiful building. Joe told the crowd of over three hundred people: “Investing in Hillel was the best investment I ever made.” We couldn’t agree more. We are forever grateful for Joe’s love, support, and belief in our Hillel.
Bobbie and Sam Len
Bobbie and Sam Len z"l were long-time, generous supporters of our Hillel. They were the early visionaries of building a state-of-the-art facility so our students would have a beautiful, comfortable place to call "home" during their college years. Bobbie and Sam also endowed our Tuesday lunch program, thereby enabling us to provide free kosher meals to students each week. In appreciation and recognition of Bobbie and Sam's many contributions, this plaque hangs in our foyer.
Bobbie and Sam Len, together with members of their devoted family, were present at the groundbreaking of our new facility in 2011. Tragically, Sam passed away just a few months before the building's completion in 2012. In tribute to him, our building is named The Sam Len Hillel House. Shortly after Sam's passing, former Executive Director, Chani Oppenheim, wrote the following in the local Jewish newspaper, The Voice.