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This weekend, as Rutgers University’s approximately 5,000 Jewish students arrive on campus, the school’s Hillel is gearing up for the new school year.

“There’s nothing more exciting than the beginning of the school year,” said Andrew Getraer, executive director of the Rutgers Hillel. “Meeting new students, learning about them, forming relationships with them is the core of what we do.”

Hilary Neher, president of the Hillel student board, said that the board has been working hard over the summer to prepare for the upcoming year and that she is “looking forward for the programming to come to fruition.”

Early move-in for Sabbath-observant students is Aug. 28, while regular move-in is Aug. 29. The Hillel will begin its weekly Shabbat schedule this weekend with services and meals.

On Monday, Aug. 31, Hillel will host the annual Welcome Back BBQ and Jewish Activities Fair, which, like the university-wide involvement fair, will feature various organizations with whom students can get involved. The fair will include a wide range of organizations including Jewish a capella, Israel groups, social events, religious communities, learning opportunities, federations, and Jewish-oriented fraternities and sororities, among other groups.

The fair will also include carnival games and free food. While the fair is primarily geared toward first-year students, returning students are also welcome to attend, catch up with friends, and learn about new opportunities to get involved. If past years are any indication, between 500-700 students will attend.

Rutgers Hillel is planning for a wide range of activities this fall in addition to the activities fair including Shabbat and holiday services, social programming, and interfaith initiatives.

“We want to meet them all and wherever they are personally, we want to meet them at their level and help them grow,” said Getraer, regarding the role that Hillel plays for Jewish students on campus.

According to Neher, Hillel provides students with a welcoming, diverse community, in which student can avoid being “lost in the sea” of the 25,000 undergraduate population.

“Hillel allows Jewish students to find a smaller and more comfortable community on campus,” Neher said.

Approximately 450 students attend Hillel’s weekly Shabbat services and dinner, according to Getraer. Each of the denominations hosts its own minyan, and the subsequent free kosher dinner is held collectively.

Among the initiatives for freshmen this year is the First Year Impact program, in which 10 undergraduates have been selected as First Year Impact Fellows, whose job is to help freshmen learn about opportunities for Jewish life on campus.

Hillel will also help organize several interfaith initiatives this upcoming year, including a Jewish-Catholic dialogue series that first began last fall.

“It’s been great -- students have found it very meaningful,” said Rabbi Esther Reed, the associate director for Jewish campus life at Rutgers Hillel, about the interfaith dialogue series.

The series featured a keynote speaker from each faith as well as small and large discussion groups.

In addition to the Jewish-Catholic series, Hillel will also help organize, along with the other chaplaincies, a Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue initiative. This project will feature students’ voices from a range of faith communities. The program will also include time for student discussion.