An immersive experience program offers to teach students Jewish values and skills through activities rather then through theory and lectures. The purpose is to take students out of their normal comfort zones and give them unique and meaningful Jewish experiences. Immersive experiences span across various different interest areas including: political, Israel, tzedek, Jewish identity, spiritual, arts and culture and social. These immersive experiences may be local projects that students commit to or international trips that allow students to see the world; opening their eyes to other cultures and different ways of thinking. Furthermore it creates connections amongst like minded students. Hillel can capitalize on this by encouraging students to create programs that interest them and thus they will bring in their peers, creating an environment for idea exchange and learning. The importance of peer influence on educational experiences cannot be overemphasized.
While it is important to focus on those students who are partially or already engaged in order to build leadership skills, it is also imperative to get onto campus and find those students who identify as Jews but are questioning various aspects of their Judaism. Given the diversity of the staff at Hillel, the Immersive portfolio can offer students a multitude of meaningful Jewish experiences to answer questions and spark Jewish identity. Ultimately through student empowerment students will be able to explore their Judaism through their personal interest.