Construction begins on Cornell’s new $30 million Jewish life center
By Daniel Curren
Published: Mar. 17, 2026 at 5:14 PM CDT
ITHACA, N.Y. (WBNG) -- Members of the Grinspoon Hillel Center at Cornell University recently broke ground on Harkavy Hall, the future home for Jewish life on the Cornell campus. Rabbi Ari Weiss said this project has been in the works for several decades.
“This has been a dream for generations of Jewish students, alumni, and stakeholders at Cornell,” Weiss said. “Cornell Hillel was founded in 1929, just about 100 years ago.”
The $30 million project will be located at 722 University Avenue on the west end of campus. Students and campus officials say a building like this is long overdue.
“We have not had our own space. In fact, we are the only Ivy League Hillel or Hillel at an Ivy League university that does not have its own space,” Weiss said. “We are proud to be part of Cornell United Religious Works and work with all the other religions, but we’ve heard for generations of students that they just want a home on campus.”
The 24,000 square foot building will hold a kitchen, study space, and several community lounges for students to hang out and practice their faith.
“Students just want a place where they can go, hang out with their friends, study, grab some great food,” said Senior and former Grinspoon Hillel President Maya Weisberg. “And just get to celebrate their culture, their religion, their identity, and just really to have like a building that’s their home on campus, their home away from home.”
Construction on the project is now underway, and completion is expected in the fall of 2027.
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