Binghamton University has a undergraduate population of over 11,000 students and there are approximately 3,200 Jewish Students at Binghamton. This allows Binghamton University to offer a Kosher Kitchen, a Judaic Studies Department, and a strong Hillel. The Jewish students at Binghamton University have a distinct advantage over other universities because it is university policy for classes to recess for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Passover Seders.

In addition to all the programs that Hillel offers which is geared to all the Jewish students on campus, there are specific programs just for first year students at Binghamton. The first way to get involved is participating in FreshFest. FreshFest is a retreat for freshmen and transfers to meet each other by moving in to dorms a day early and spending the night in a nearby Pennsylvania Camp. This allows the students to learn about the Jewish life at Binghamton and form bonds with the other Jewish students on campus. Also, throughout the year, there are FYSH (First Year Students of Hillel) programs such as Target and Friendlys and Apple Picking to get orientated to Binghamton.

Most of the kosher food available is found in the Kosher Kitchen, which is run by Sodexo, Binghamton University Dining services. The Kosher Kitchen provides three all- you-can eat meals a day with breakfast and lunch being dairy and weekday dinners being meat. The Kosher Kitchen is also opened during the weekend for a dairy brunch and dinner. Saturday night there is a cold meat meal due to Shabbat. Binghamton University is unique because the food plan gives students spending money, which can be used at any dining hall, food court, and the Kosher Kitchen. The food at the kosher kitchen can be purchased using the regular meal plans and if a student becomes a member allows students to receive a discounted price. To become a member, a student must purchase a Resident Dining Plan, which is required for any student living on campus. Then the student can sign up at the Kosher Kitchen, pay an additional Mashgiach (kosher supervision) fee each semester, and commit to work one 2-hour shift each week. In return, Sodexo commits to offer delicious, attractive foods, all in accordance with the Laws of Kashruth. Jewish Students can be a member of the Kosher Kitchen and still be able to purchase food items from the residential dining halls. The Kosher Kitchen also becomes Kosher for Passover if the school is open for the majority of the holiday. The Kosher Kitchen is supervised by Rabbi Aminadav Adamit, a local Orthodox Rabbi.

Hillel at Binghamton is a pluralistic Jewish organization and all types of Jews are active in the organization. There are three student groups that represent the major movements in Judaism:
       Kesher is Hebrew for connection, and the Kesher committee tries to connect all Reform Jews on campus. Reform services are student lead every Friday night in the Hillel lounge, and Kesher also runs a variety of programming that is not religious in nature.
       KOACH is Hillel's Conservative group on campus. KOACH has Shabbat services every Friday night and Saturday morning services two times per month. Besides the Shabbat activities, KOACH runs many programs that are aimed to help Conservative Jews on campus become more involved.
       Shammai is Hillels Orthodox group on campus. They run the daily mincha and ma'ariv minyan, which is held in the Hillel Lounge. Shammai plans activities and Jewish learning throughout the year including the weekly peer learning class lead by fellow students.

Since Binghamton has such a large Jewish population the school recesses for these two holidays, as well as at least the first two days of Pesach. As long as the dorms stay open (sometimes the dorms close for longer holidays attached to weekends), Hillel has a complete schedule of services and meals for Yom Kippur and some years for Rosh Hashana. Hillel has also formed relationship with the local synagogues in the area that love to have students attend their holiday services.

Hillel sends approximately 80 students to Israel each year. Hillel at Binghamton and Hillel International have several sponsored trips to Israel. Hillel at Binghamton usually sponsors Birthright trips to Israel during winter and summer break. Students are eligible to participate in Birthright if they are Jewish between the ages of 18-26 and have not been on peer Israel trip since their bar or bat mitzvah. Hillel International has annual Israel Programs during the winter break for students who have already been to Israel and are interested in making a difference in Israel. Hillel also bring Israel to campus with the annual carnival on Israels birthday in early May.

There are no membership fees for Hillel at Binghamton. We consider every Jewish student on campus (all 3200!) to be "members" of Hillel and the Jewish community on campus.

Binghamton Hillel is home to more than 15 sub-organizations such as Hillel intramural teams and Bearcats for Israel. On an average week Hillel will have multiple programs including study breaks in the residence halls, on-campus volunteer opportunities and informal Jewish learning. There are also annual programs such as the Hillels Yom Haatzmaut Israel Celebration, Mitzvah Marathon on September 11th and many more. Hillel also hosts weekly Reform and Conservative Services along with free Shabbat Dinners. Students are welcomed to attend any of the programs and are encouraged to get involved in running them.

In addition to student-lead services, Hillel provides free Kosher meals to over 250 students each week. The seating arrangement is long rows of tables that allow significant interactions with other students. A typical Shabbat dinner has the blessings over the wine and challah along with words of thoughts from the Hillel Rabbi before the E-board chooses tables to go and eat. There are usually salad and soup in the winter, in addition to chicken schnitzel and a vegetarian option. Side dishes include vegetables, rice, and kugal. Desserts are yummy bake goods of brownies, cookies, and rugallah. After dessert, there is singing and benching after the meals. On several occasion there is an Oneg after the meal where students are encouraged to stay afterwards for more desserts and singing.

Shalom Kantor is the first full time KOACH-Hillel Campus Rabbi at Binghamton University. The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and Hillel jointly fund this position in an effort to provide the first ever-liberal observant rabbinic presence on the Binghamton University campus. He is a resource for any student who is interested in any individual Jewish Learning, a mentor to Binghamtons student leaders, and imparts Torah knowledge during Shabbat dinner.

Hillels main office near the M&T Bank is a haven for students who are waiting in between classes and want to socialize with the Hillel staff and other Jewish students. Hillel also has a student lounge on the third floor of the new union, which is where some Hillel events take place. It has many amenities such as computers for student use, TV and VCR, Israeli music CDs, board games, arts and crafts, and much more. The Hillel lounge also contains a Beit Midrash (house of study and prayer) with Jewish books and literature on various subjects and students are encouraged to find books that pertain to their interests.

Hillel sends approximately 40 students on Alternative Break trips each year. Hillel at Binghamton organizes exciting and unique alternative trips, which takes place during Binghamton Universitys vacations. International Hillel has made a 10-year commitment to send the Jewish students from multiple universities to travel to New Orleans and spend their winter and spring breaks rebuilding homes, learning about the history of Hurricane Katrina, and bearing witness to the revitalization of a city. Since Winter 2006, Hillel at Binghamton has sent students to the gulf coast to do their part in helping the victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, and Gustav. In addition to disaster relief, Binghamton offers a unique experience to combat poverty in the nation. During January 2008, Hillel brought 15 students to West Virginia for an eye opening experience in mentoring elementary school students and local teenagers as well as cleared abandoned housing in Beard Fork, which is one of the poorest cities in the US.

Much like any franchise, Hillel at Binghamton is one of over 200 Hillels around the world. Hillel International exists to help individual Hillels with programmatic support, provide accreditation and standards for all Hillels and opportunities for Hillel staff to learn from each other. Hillel at Binghamton receives less than 1% of its budget from Hillel International for specific Hillel initiatives.