News

Six Amazing Hillel Sukkahs

Author

Hillel International

Date

October 6, 2023

Sukkot is a harvest festival commemorating the 40 years the ancient Israelites spent wandering in the desert, searching for the land of Israel. The weeklong festival is observed by building and spending time in a sukkah, a temporary outdoor structure, where families, friends, and communities gather, eat, and sometimes even sleep. At campus Hillels this year, students created beautiful sukkahs, hosted meaningful and fun programs, and used them as hubs for service projects. Read more:

Eckerd College

On a predictably hot Wednesday afternoon, twelve Eckerd Hillel students gathered on campus to build a sukkah — the first in ten years! Throughout the week, the sukkah was in high demand, for Shabbat and Havdalah services, a “Pizza in the Hut” dinner, and plenty of hang-outs and study sessions. As Mindy Rosenthal, Program Director at Eckerd Hillel, described, “With little know-how but a great deal of fortitude, the sukkah arose – with students somewhat surprised, but proud and overjoyed by their accomplishment.” She added that, “Come the end of the holiday, the sukkah will be placed in storage until the next Sukkot in St. Pete. A new Eckerd College tradition has been born.”

University of Rochester

UR Hillel kicked off Sukkot with a bagel brunch and candy sukkah-making event. Students and staff were joined by Sasha the therapy dog for cuddles as they enjoyed bagels and schmear. Brunch was followed by a candy sukkah bar, where students made tiny sukkahs that, according to Sarah Walters, Director of Student Life at UR Hillel, “were as adorable as they were tasty!”

Florida International University

As part of Hillel at FIU’s Social Justice Sukkah, students packed 50 “blessing bags” to distribute to the unhoused population in communities near the University. In more food justice work, Hillel at FIU also partnered with Repair the World to pack over 100 food baskets for the Kosher Food Pantry hosted by the local Jewish Community Services.

Ithaca College

Hillel at Ithaca’s “Shuka in the Sukkah” brought Israel to Ithaca, New York, turning their sukkah into an open-air market meets Aroma cafe. Over 100 students stopped by to shake the lulav and etrog, sip on ice Aromas, and pick up some sweet Hillel swag, all while jamming to an Israeli playlist.

Northeastern University

Northeastern Hillel hosted a “Hang in the Hut with Hillel (Staff),” where students could swing by the sukkah, shake the lulav, and take a study break, as well as a “Sushi in the Sukkah with the FYSH” for first-year and transfer students. In addition to providing opportunities to relax, Hillel also hosted learning opportunities, bringing their Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) courses and a special session on wellbeing in Judaism to the sukkah.

University of Wisconsin

“Shakshuka in the Sukkah” was the Sukkot edition of one of UW Hillel’s programs, Be’Teavon (Hebrew for “bon appetit”) – which was created by their Israel Fellow, Gefen. Students had the opportunity to gather in Hillel’s rooftop sukkah to cook shakshuka, as well as learn about the unique origins of this delicious Israeli dish. Afterward, the students-turned-chefs had the opportunity to enjoy their meal in the sukkah, along with great company.

“The senior class also gathered at Greg and Andrea Steinberger’s house for their first Kabbalah for Seniors night,” shared Sophie Shapiro, Director of Student Life at UW Hillel. “They engaged in meaningful conversations about the holiday and Jewish life after college. Plus, they were treated to a delicious dinner, handmade by our one and only Rabbi Andrea Steinberger!”

The post Six Amazing Hillel Sukkahs appeared first on Hillel International.

News

What’s Happening on Campus: Welcome Week Edition

Author

Hillel International

Date

September 12, 2023

Colleges and universities across the country welcomed new and returning students to campus this month. Enjoy this snapshot of programming for first-year students and beyond at Hillels all the way from Florida to Arizona.

Florida State University

When Hurricane Idalia disrupted move-in and welcome plans for students beginning and returning to Florida State University (FSU), FSU Hillel provided a safe and dry space for students to meet each other and settle into the semester. At FSU Hillel’s spontaneous Kvetch Sesh, complete with bagels and snacks, students had the opportunity to share excitement for the new school year, worries about the impact of the storm, and overall, had fun getting to know each other. 

University of Connecticut

University of Connecticut Hillel’s (UConn Hillel) annual FYSH (First Year Students of Hillel) program pairs first-year UConn students with an upper-class mentor to help them adjust to college life. This year’s FYSH Fest welcomed 22 first-year students to campus before the semester began. In addition to fun at Six Flags, roller skating, and a scavenger hunt, students dove into deep discussions on Judaism, academic goals, and life in general. Edina Oestreicher, Executive Director of UConn Hillel, shared, “We’re so excited that we could give them a taste of the fun, warm, and welcoming community Hillel has to offer, and most importantly, introduce them to their home away from home in Storrs.”

Syracuse University

FreshFest at Syracuse Hillel, a pre-orientation program that helps first-year students connect with each other and settle in on campus, welcomed almost 300 students this year, making it the largest pre-orientation program on the University’s campus. As the High Holidays approach, the energy from FreshFest carries through into programming and services, such as delicious holiday meals, social justice programs like Reverse Tashlich, and more, designed to make Syracuse Hillel feel like a home away from home for all Jewish students. 

Binghamton University

In addition to also hosting their own FreshFest, Hillel at Binghamton welcomed students from all years to a week of fun that included charcuterie making, a barbecue, a birthday party for all the summer birthdays, and a welcome-back Shabbat. As Emi, Class of 2024 shared, “We kicked off the school year in style. I can’t wait to see what Hillel at Binghamton has in store!”

Arizona State University

To welcome first-year students to campus, Arizona State University Hillel (ASU Hillel) hosted over 130 guests for a Welcome Brunch that included delicious food and opportunities to  learn about all that ASU Hillel has to offer, including Shabbat programming, weekly snacks and chats with Hillel staff members, and High Holiday meals and services. Parents and students attended respective welcome Q & A sessions. Rabbi Suzy Stone, the Senior Jewish Educator and Campus Rabbi, spent time with the students so they could start to get to know her from day one! 

Later in the week, over 200 students filled the ASU Hillel building for the first Shabbat of the year, which featured musical services, communal Shabbat meals, and time to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones. 

The post What’s Happening on Campus: Welcome Week Edition appeared first on Hillel International.