When Hal Grossman, 22, arrived at Montclair State University, there was almost no Jewish presence on campus. There were no Hebrew language classes. There was no major or minor in Jewish studies. Classes were held on Yom Kippur. The campus Hillel was tiny and barely active.

"Hillel did not even have a table at orientation. I found out about it through flyers and found their Web site on-line," he said.

Now a senior and president of Hillel, the Bayonne native sees tremendous changes in MSU's Jewish community. Faculty members are taking notice and point to a growing Jewish vibrancy, both socially and academically, on campus.

The university, New Jersey's second-largest, began offering Hebrew language classes in September 2006 and is about to announce a Jewish studies minor. And Hillel has grown enough to merit a rise in its official status on campus.

In a 2006 survey conducted by the university, 4.1 percent of students identified themselves as Jewish — out of a total university population of over 16,000, an estimated 640 are Jewish. This number reflects an increase from 2002, when just 2.8 percent of the students identified as Jewish.

Currently Hillel has 50 members and attracts up to 90 students at a time to its events. The Hebrew language classes regularly fill to capacity.

Tentatively called Jewish American Studies, the new minor will be offered in the fall of 2008. Minne Ho, a university spokesperson, confirmed that the minor is expected to be approved by December.

Jaime Grinberg, professor of educational foundations and Hillel faculty adviser, and Michael Kogan, chair of the philosophy and religion department, will serve as faculty coordinators.

Grossman of Hillel called the new minor "a really big breakthrough."

Three years ago, anti-Semitic activity on campus galvanized the Jewish community. Swastikas and other graffiti were discovered in a dormitory in October 2004. A few months later, Wheels of Justice, devoted to publicizing a decidedly anti-Israel view of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, rolled through campus. As the dust settled, students and faculty took action to change what they then called an environment on campus hostile to Israel and to Jews.

"Some of us decided that a positive response to the general anti-Semitic climate on American campuses and to the particular context of Montclair State was to develop and establish an academic program in Jewish studies and to support a stronger Hillel," said Grinberg.

Jewish faculty members drafted a statement of principles for the university community and began meeting regularly. Etzion Neuer, NJ regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, met with faculty and administrators. Hillel began holding events more regularly.

In fall 2005, Hillel students coauthored a resolution to suspend classes on Yom Kippur that passed in the Student Government Association. The effort failed, however, in the university senate. Classes remain in session on Yom Kippur.

As its title implies, the new Jewish studies discipline will focus on the American-Jewish experience.

"We will try to tackle a bit more slowly the experience of the immigrant, 150 years ago in New Jersey, the early settlers, how American Judaism shaped its cultural milieu, and how the cultural/political/economical milieu shaped Judaism in America," said Grinberg.

The minor will be multi-disciplinary, with courses in music and theater (Jews and Broadway, Klezmer Music in America, for example), journalism, and more, he said. He also envisions a program that involves not only academic courses but also cultural offerings, including guest speakers, film screenings, art exhibits, and poetry readings.

The Hebrew language classes began as a Hillel effort. "Some students from Hillel organized themselves and requested classes," said Lois Oppenheim, chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at MSU. At first she was skeptical. "I didn't know if there would be enough demand, but I decided we had nothing to lose by trying," she said.

The Hebrew class — with Yaffa Malashok, who also teaches Arabic at MSU and Hebrew at Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union in West Orange — took off the first day of registration last fall. "It was the first class in my department to fill up," Oppenheim said.

Students are so excited about Hebrew, according to Malashok, that they have asked her to help them form a Hebrew club. She said she envisions them watching Hebrew-language movies and conducting conversations in Hebrew over meals in local restaurants.

The availability of Hebrew classes clinched Tara Perchuk's decision to attend Montclair State. "I have friends in Israel. I want to go back there and be able to work at a camp where Americans and Israeli counselors work together. It helps to know the language," said the 18-year-old freshman from Manalapan. "This was the deciding factor for my coming here...."

Student Jennifer Cobuzzi, 21, of Asbury Park finished her language requirement but couldn't resist signing up for Hebrew. "In my temple we only learned block letters — we never learned script. And we learned how to read, but we had no idea what we were saying. I want to be able to communicate with people from Israel. I really want to go to Israel," she said.

A member of Monmouth Reform Temple in Tinton Falls, she said she has noticed a growing Jewish presence on campus, particularly with regard to Hillel, even though, she said, she hasn't really had time to participate in its activities. "The Hillel is getting a lot bigger. I've noticed the frequency of e-mails is increasing, and the activities are more socially oriented." She has also noticed more general changes on campus. "I think the atmosphere has become more accepting to say, ‘Yes, I'm Jewish.'"

Still, she said, she enjoys the camaraderie of the Hebrew class, where she has become friendly with at least six other students, and has received invitations to celebrate Sukkot and Shabbat at the home of a classmate. She said she hopes things will grow even more open on campus. "I hope it becomes more mainstream to talk about differences between religions. I love that kind of exchange."

Celines Marmolejos, 24, of Guttenberg is one of the few students taking Hebrew who is not Jewish. Her church recently sponsored a trip to Israel; while she did not go, it inspired her to take the language. The class has opened an unexpected window for her into Judaism. "It's a completely different culture. I like interacting with people from different cultures — you learn different things about them. Now that I have met the people and learned to write the language, it keeps me wanting to come back to class even more."

Oppenheim, who is Jewish, said she hopes the department will be able to hire a full-time faculty member and establish Hebrew language as a major. She said she believes that offering Hebrew language and Jewish studies courses will attract more Jewish students from surrounding communities.

But she has a larger goal.

"With the globalization of education and the world, it's extremely important that the languages of the Middle East be taught. A great many students are now going into international relations, international business, and international areas of the political sector. They need to know these languages," she said.

To that end, her department has also begun offering classes in Arabic and has created a minor in that language.

The MSU Hillel, rechartered in 2004 and affiliated with the national organization as a "small and mighty" campus, had enough students for the first time this year to hold elections for officers. Its Student Government Organization designation, determined by the number of activities held and number of students attending, went from Class III to Class II, which entitles it to a larger budget from the student government ($1,500 plus $500 in matching dollars, as compared with $750 previously) as well as an office and a computer.

Major events, like last year's Passover seder, attract 80-90 students. Smaller events like Shabbat services, held several times each semester, attract 35-40 students, and Hillel meetings regularly draw 15-25 students. Hillel also holds a Purim carnival, Rosh Hashana events, and social functions, and this year has begun attending open events sponsored by Hillels at other institutions, like New York University, and holding joint events with them, including Rutgers University. Faculty members pitch in, providing hallah for the dinners, financial donations, and volunteer hours.

Grinberg said a growing number of parents of potential students call him to ask about Jewish activity on campus.

From Grossman's perspective, getting involved in Hillel remains critical for Jewish students.

"Anyone I know who is Jewish, I met through Hillel. It's good to have friends of the same background, because it gives you a different perspective," he said. "In my social circles, I'm the only Jew. If you have other people, it gives you a break, especially around the holidays. There's someone to be with on Shabbat or to celebrate Hanukkah with. The little things make a difference."

He thinks adding the Jewish studies minor can only improve things. "It's something that will entice more Jewish students to come to Montclair and get involved," he said.