Jewish Medical Students' Association at UC College of Medicine

Hello and welcome to UCCOM JMSA, the Jewish Medical Students' Association at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Here are some resources for Jewish life near the medical campus, in the neighborhoods of Clifton, Northside, University Heights, Corryville, and downtown. Cincinnati has many synagogues from all movements, kosher shopping, etc., but most (not all) of this is in the suburbs.

Questions? Broken links? Email me, Sarah Beck, at beckse@gmail.com. I've graduated and moved away from Cincinnati, but I'll do my best to help you out.

Last updated in May 2020, though I'm not sure which eateries will survive quarantine. :(


Sabbath Services & Meals

Chabad at UC (FB) (map)

  • Usually there are at least a couple of grad students at Friday night dinner, and sometimes quite a few as the evening progresses.

Cincinnati Hillel (FB) (map)

Havayah (FB)

    • First and third Fridays of every month in Northside.

    • Egalitarian services and strictly kosher dinner.

    • Contact Katie Vogel, havayahcommunity@gmail.com.

Plum Street Temple (map)

    • Gorgeous historic Reform synagogue downtown, within (daytime) walking distance of Clifton.

    • Branch of the Isaac M. Wise Temple.

    • B'nai mitzvah on shabbat morning; see calendar and inquire at the office at (513) 793-2556.

    • Their Selichot are not to be missed.

Other Graduate Student/Young Professional Groups (not in Clifton)

Other Resources

Jewish Family Service Heldman Family Food Pantry at the Barbash Family Vital Support Center

    • This is a food pantry on the Hebrew Union College campus, across Clifton Ave. from UC's main campus.

    • Call (513) 469-1188 to pick up some food.

    • Contact Beth Kotzin, Volunteer Programs Manager, at (513) 766-3322 or bkotzin@jfscinti.org to volunteer.

Queen City Kitchen (formerly the Over-the-Rhine Kitchen)

    • This is a long-standing soup kitchen in Over-the-Rhine that is staffed on the weekends by a rotation of local synagogues and churches. I volunteered with Adath Israel and had a great time.

Hebrew Union College Library

    • World-famous Judaica library open to the public. Public events about once every two months.

    • Contact Abigail Bacon, Head of Public Services, abacon@huc.edu, to be added to their email list.

    • (513) 487-3276

Skirball Museum

    • Small museum of Judaica holding occasional public events.

    • Contact Abby Schwartz, Director, aschwartz@huc.edu, to be added to their email list.

    • (513) 487-3098

UC Department of Judaic Studies

    • Occasionally hosts talks open to the public.

Clifton Jewish Cemetery (map)

    • There is a small Jewish cemetery right off Ludlow Ave. in the middle of Clifton. If you're taking a walk, why not pay a visit? If you're historically minded, the Chestnut St. Cemetery, the oldest Jewish cemetery west of the Alleghenies, is located downtown right across from the Freestore Foodbank (another great place to volunteer).

Jewish and Israeli Film Festival

    • Every year in February, three weeks of movies. Some showings at the Esquire Theater on Ludlow (map), among other farther-flung venues. Sign up for their newsletter here.

Kosher and/or Vegetarian Food

Cincinnati has extensive kosher grocery shopping, mostly at Blue Ash Kroger (map) and Remke Hyde Park (scroll down) (map). If you have a car, you are well-served for kosher food. The below is for people who want to grab something nearby or who don't have a car.

Note that the Blue Ash Kroger is accessible by a UC shuttle from main campus if you want to buy meat and can't find a ride. It's about ¾ mile from the shuttle stop (approach from the back of the parking lot to save steps), but a nice driver will often let you out at the intersection near the Kroger.

At UCCOM Itself

    • The bookstore on the main floor of MSB (E-level) has Sabra hummus, Kraft string cheese (OU or "K"), yogurt, and frozen Amy's meals, in addition to various snacks.

    • The UC and Children's hospital cafeterias have a decent selection of vegetarian items and a salad bar, but nothing with supervision except for yogurt, hummus, and the like.

    • Visit Kosher Starbucks to see what is and is not OK at the Starbucks by the UC hospital cafeteria...more than you'd think, including food.

Clifton/Gaslight/Ludlow Ave.

(513) 861-3000

Take the North Route shuttle from outside the coroner's office, or walk 1.3 miles from campus. Their inventory is constantly changing, but they even had kosher wine (Manischewitz) last I checked.

    • Jagdeep's Indian Grocery (map)

(513) 961-2699

Well-stocked with basic produce, eggs, milk, yogurt, and many staples (rice, lentils...) that either have or do not require supervision. Many varieties of Krinos naan (OU).

(513) 961-6111

Health food/gourmet store with many national brands with supervision (Tofurky, etc.).

Certified pareve (vegan) cookies in the gluten-free section.

Old World brand pita.

(513) 281-4749

Many ice cream flavors are kosher, including ice cream cakes to take out, but the store is not under supervision.

    • United Dairy Farmers (map)

(513) 751-5132

Open 24 hours.

It's not Graeter's, but many of the ice cream flavors are OU.

(513) 751-2695

Takeout window with vegetarian food (not kosher, no supervision).

(513) 872-1500

Large, newly renovated Kroger with a small kosher section (no cheeses or meats other than Cabot and Hebrew National).

Main (Undergraduate) Campus

    • Main Street ExpressMart (scroll down) Same inventory as the MSB bookstore, in the Tangeman University Center, clock tower building.

    • Market on Main (scroll down) Same inventory as the MSB bookstore, near the gym/rec center.

    • Mt. Olive Market (map) 513-221-4040. Middle Eastern grocery on Short Vine, very friendly, many products with supervision.

Vegetarian or Vegan Restaurants Outside Clifton (Not Kosher, No Supervision)

    • Happy Chicks (map) 513-386-7990. Vegan bakery in Northside with light lunches.

    • Rooted Juicery (map) 513-381-2876. Juice and light food downtown, with other locations.

    • Brij Mohan (map) 513-769-4549. Strictly vegetarian (dairy) Indian in Springdale, well worth the drive.

    • Loving Hut (map) 513-731-2233. Vegan.

Miscellaneous Info for Those New in Town