The Orthodox Union program announced the launch of the JLIC Student Center, a space built for young Anglo undergraduate students living and studying in Jerusalem. The center opened in the fall, building on JLIC’s existing programming across Israel, supporting students on campus and in surrounding communities.
Jerusalem has long been home to thousands of Anglo students, but until now, the city lacked a dedicated place built specifically for them. The JLIC Student Center fills that gap. It is not a dorm, not a café and not a program. It’s a home base students can make their own. Students already split their days between university classes and their apartments. What they have lacked is a space in between, somewhere to study, decompress and connect with peers with similar experiences.
The center is staffed full-time, with directors available every day to support students. The directors will also host regular programming, Torah learning and events for this Anglo student community throughout the year.
“For years, we’ve watched young Anglo students who made aliyah land in Jerusalem with nowhere that felt like theirs, no address, no community, no place just to be surrounded by people like them,” said Rabbi Josh Ross, executive director of JLIC. “The JLIC Student Center changes that. This is a real expansion of JLIC’s reach in Jerusalem and it means we’re no longer meeting students only on campus; we’re meeting them in the actual rhythm of their lives here. It’s a home base built around what this community genuinely needs: a place to study, to breathe and to be known. This is exactly where we should be and exactly who we should be serving.”
The JLIC Student Center opened thanks to the vision, generosity and partnership of the Shapiro family. Inspired by their own children’s experiences in Jerusalem, the Shapiros recognized a broader need for a dedicated home there for Anglo university students—a place where their children and others like them could gather, build relationships, strengthen their Jewish identities and find a community of their own. Their partnership with JLIC helped bring that vision to life.
The center’s first full-time directors are Yael Wertman and Rabbi Joe Wertman. Yael, originally from Los Angeles, Calif., and Joe, from West Hempstead, N.Y., each made aliyah on their own before meeting, marrying in August 2025 and building a life together in Jerusalem.
“We’re passionate about Israel and about building connected Jewish community life,” the Wertmans said. “We’re excited to blend our passions and talents in building the new JLIC Student Center.”
