Kedma

KEDMA is a campus student organization for Orthodox Judaism on many secular college and university campuses and in many Hillels in the United States.

The group strives to create an atmosphere on U.S. college campuses that is comfortable for Orthodox students, many of whom require the availability of regular daily and Shabbat services and kosher food on campus. The group also provides opportunities for Jewish learning, charity and social justice, and social events.

These efforts can help to mainstream Orthodox students who would otherwise be forced to commute and live at home, or to attend a university designed for an Orthodox student population such as Yeshiva University, Touro College, or Hebrew Theological College.

Many Orthodox student organizations operate under different names but with the same purposes. Many are members of the Orthodox Campus Coalition, founded in 2005.

Also, the Orthodox Union created the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) at many colleges. A Jewish couple lives on campus and provides classes for the students in an Orthodox setting, often in conjunction with the Hillel or KEDMA.