Frequently Asked Questions

On this page, you'll find answers to all of your questions about Jewish life at Chatham University.

Campus Life

From our inception based on access, equality, and opportunity, Chatham has been inspired to respect and promote diversity and inclusion amongst our community members. Chatham provides academic, personal, social, and cultural support to students of all backgrounds and faiths to promote an environment that understands and embraces multiculturalism, including culturally rich experiences through events and programs on campus and within the Pittsburgh community.

Chatham Jewish Student Association (JSA), Hillel Jewish University Center (JUC), and Chabad House at Chatham. To learn more about the JSA at Chatham and to stay updated on their events, follow their Instagram: @jsa.chathamu.

Chabad House at Chatham provides an array of programs and services to educate, inspire, and uplift Jewish students from all walks of life. Chabad at Chatham offers a variety of social and learning opportunities for the campus community.

Chatham University food service is provided by Parkhurst dining services. While Chatham does not keep kosher on campus, students do have many different dietary options available. Parkhurst partners with numerous kosher catering services and will work with students directly to manage their meal plan.

Explore Dining at Chatham

There are so many ways to get involved in the local Jewish community in and around Chatham’s campus. Not only can students connect through the Jewish Student Association, but organizations such as the Jewish Community Center, Repair the World, (both located just 1 mile from campus!), Moishe House, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh are just a few of the community based organizations that offer opportunities to engage and get involved.

Religious Community

Chatham University’s campus is located in the heart of Squirrel Hill, home to Pittsburgh’s largest Jewish population, providing students with a wide range of congregational options. 

Find a Synagogue

Students are invited to be actively involved in the Jewish Student Association, or to be involved in the Hillel student association which serves the Chatham community.

Chatham has an active Multi-Faith Council on campus, with representatives from Hillel, Chabad, and local synagogues active on campus.

As a non-religious/non-denomination University, Chatham does not track denomination affiliation. However, students have an array of synagogues to choose from in the Pittsburgh region which serve all Jewish Denominations including Haredi (ultra-Orthodox), Dati (religious), Masorti (traditional) and Hiloni (secular).

Academics

Chatham University recognizes that each student possesses a unique background, maintains commitments outside of school, and that outside circumstances sometimes affect a student’s ability to be present in class (regardless of the delivery method). Every student enrolled at Chatham accepts the responsibility to attend all required class meetings and participate fully. This implies attending regularly, engaging in course activity, completing work on time, and making up work missed because of an emergency absence.

Chatham University will make reasonable efforts to accommodate students who must be absent from class due to religious observances, personal and family emergencies, and other commitments outside the classroom. It is the student’s responsibility to let the course instructor know within the add/drop period if they will have to miss class for religious reasons or athletics, and to communicate emergencies or other unexpected circumstances as soon as they are able. Final decisions about all absences are at the discretion of the instructor.

Chatham offers two minors that specifically align with Judaic studies interest. Students can select the Jewish Studies minor or the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Studies minor.

In addition, through the Pittsburgh Consortium of Higher Education (PCHE) partnership, students can select courses from eleven different colleges and universities in Pittsburgh to round out their interest in Judaic studies.

There are numerous community-based scholarships available for Jewish students attending Chatham. Some of the ones we are familiar with include:

Chatham students have the opportunity to participate in Birthright Israel or Onward Israel: Pittsburgh through our partnership with Hillel JUC in Pittsburgh. In addition, students may choose to complete an international internship, or to study abroad through formal partnerships that exist with many other international programs. Visit our International Programs page to learn more about study abroad options (and funding!) at Chatham.