Queens, NY— Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) joined Queens Hillel for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the organization's new student hub at 80-15 188th Street in Jamaica, aptly named: Queens Hillel 188th.

Rozic allocated $195,000 in state funding for the Hillel International Foundation, Inc. to support the creation of an off-campus Hillel centrally located to serve Jewish students from St. John’s University, Queens College, and Queensborough Community College (QCC).

Hillels serve to enrich and support Jewish students with resources, mentorship, and a sense of belonging and community. The funding will support staffing at the new hub, including a mental health social worker, as well as staff at participating universities to expand outreach, raise awareness of Hillel's resources, and connect more students with its services.

“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,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. “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, reaching an estimated 4,000-6,000 students across St. John’s, Queens College, and QCC. The new hub offers a dedicated, borough-wide Jewish space for college students, providing a central location where students from any Queens institutions–not just the aforementioned– can connect with resources, programming, and one another.

“We are incredibly grateful to Assemblywoman Nily Rozic for her ongoing commitment to life-changing programming and services for Jewish students in Queens. 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,” said Jenna Citron Schwab, executive director of Queens Hillel.

“A Hillel is more than a building; it is a home away from home for students seeking connection, purpose, and community,” said St. John's University Institutional Advancement Special Advisor, Nancy Kaplan. The opening of this beautiful new center creates an inspiring space where students can gather, celebrate, learn, and lead. 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, said “I have had the pleasure of working at Queens College for more than 30 years, nine of them as provost, and have always enjoyed a great relationship with Queens Hillel. Hillel in Queens has a distinguished history of supporting the religious and cultural identities of tens of thousands of Jewish students, many of whom became leaders in their professions and their communities. Now more students from across Queens can be part of this thriving community.”

“Congratulations to Queens Hillel on the opening of its new home,” said Queensborough President Christine Mangino. "Spaces like these enrich the student experience and help create pathways for connection outside of the classroom, and I'm grateful that Queensborough students have the opportunity to participate in the sense of community Queens Hillel offers.”

St. John’s University is a private university serving approximately 500 -1000 Jewish students annually. Queens College and Queensboro Community College are colleges within the City University of New York system serving 1,000 - 4,000 Jewish students annually. Hillel is a global community and a movement with a promise to empower every Jewish student along their journey. Its mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.

Additional community investments recently announced by Rozic include $250,000 to the Queens Public Library’s Hillcrest Branch to remodel the Children’s Area and Meeting Room, $25,000 in new funding 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.