On Friday, October 4, Stevens Hillel hosted a Shabbat dinner in celebration of the Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. While the Gregorian calendar marks the year as 2024, Rosh Hashanah falls on the first and second day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar that coincides with September-October, and this year’s celebration ushered in the year 5785. In the Old Testament, Rosh Hashanah marks both the beginning of humanity and the day God judges the actions of mankind. The two days of Rosh Hashanah mark a time for personal reflection and renewal while beginning the Ten Days of Repentance that culminates with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
The holiday is associated with symbols and traditions to commence the New Year; blowing the shofar, a ram’s horn, announces the commencement of the New Year, dipping apples in honey to bring sweetness into the new year, round challah bread represents the circularity of the year, and pomegranates that are said to have 613 seeds corresponding to the 613 commandments of the Torah.
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, Wednesday, October 2, Hillel hosted an Apples and Honey tabling event in between the UCC Towers where members handed out apples to students passing by. The event served to bolster the familiarity between Hillel members while also answering questions about the event and the following Shabbat dinner for students who were interested in learning about the holiday.
Hillel celebrated the last night of the holiday in the UCC Commons by catering kosher Greek food and serving honey cake homemade by the E-Board. Sophia Donskoy, Outreach Coordinator for Stevens Hillel and ¾ Biomedical Engineering student, emphasized the cultural link Hillel offers to bring family tradition to campus. “Unfortunately, being so busy the week of Rosh Hashanah had made it really difficult for me to go back home. While Hillel gatherings are more cultural than religious, I still feel that I am able to embrace and celebrate the tradition of the holidays despite not being with my family for the time being,” she said.
Shabbat is recognized as the Jewish day of rest and worship that takes place every week from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday. The tradition commemorates the creation story in the Torah that states God rested on the seventh day after creating the world in six days. On Shabbat, traditionally, Jews don’t work or attend school on this day and commit the 24 hours to rest. Every Friday night, members often say a prayer over lighting the Shabbat candles, pour grape juice as a substitution for wine, and cut the challah, a soft, sweet braided bread that symbolizes the intertwined communal bonds. After the traditional sequence, a dinner spread of kosher items is served.
The Rosh Hashanah Shabbat was celebratory and introspective as Donskoy says, “In addition to lighting the candles, saying the prayers, and enjoying the food, we also wrote down our goals for the New Year, sort of like New Year’s resolutions, as well as things we want to let go of.”
Shabbat dinners are Hillel’s most popular event, and they reserve time for community and friends to come together after a long week to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Hillel welcomes students from diverse backgrounds and religious beliefs to take part in the tradition of gathering to reflect on the previous week as a community.
Donsoky reflects, “Being Jewish is so much more than just following a religion. Many of us come from diverse cultures and experiences, each coming with a new and unique perspective on Jewish customs. Being a part of Hillel is truly a learning experience for me, as I’m able to get insight into how everyone honors their Jewish tradition and identity in a myriad of ways.”
