Jewish students at Harvard were largely unawareof the Holocaust going on in Europe, Frost says.

"We did not know anything about the Holocaust,"he says. "We were wrapped up in Harvard, and thenwe got drafted."

After the war, however, Hillel grew quickly.

By 1946, the Jewish organization had gotten itssecond director, Rabbi Maurice L. Zigmund, andmoved to a house on Bryant Street, near theDivinity School. In the late 1970s, theorganization moved to 74 Mt. Auburn St.--which hadpreviously housed the Iroquois final club--whereit remained until April of this year.

Today, the group begun 50 years ago stillfulfills many of the same purposes the wartimefounders intended, students say.

Officers and members of Hillel cite itsimportance today as a gathering place and centerof learning about Jewish culture.

"When there is a crisis, like during the GulfWar, and during times of personal crisis, thebuilding is open and people are praying," saysDaniel Lipstein '94, who has held several Hilleloffices in his four years. "On an organizationallevel, Hillel is here to support people and be asafety net."

While Hillel's mission has remained the sameover the last 50 years, the University'srecognition and support of Hillel has grown.

"We have a very good life here," Lipstein says."And that's partly because the Hillel is strong,and purely because the administrationrecognizes...it's the right thing to do."