Hillel at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) was founded in 1976 by Roberta Sabbath. Jewish Federation director Jerry Countess encouraged Sabbath to start a Hillel group and provided funding of $3,000 for the first year. Hillel is a national organization that engages Jewish students on university campuses and encourages them to stay involved in Judaism. It provides activities, a way for Jewish students to network, and an on-campus Jewish community. Hillel's programming includes social and holiday events, educational speakers, and Shabbat services and dinners.