Sara Rubinfeld, Development Manager
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Welcome to Spring! The flowers are blooming, the trees are flowering, and our semester is quickly coming to a close. Before the fun comes to an end, there are so many exciting things happening on campus!
Every year, our students excitedly look forward to Passover on campus. Whether it is their first time celebrating away from home, their first time at Hillel, or their first time celebrating Passover ever, it is a high-energy event with lots of singing, lively debate, and hundreds of hungry students waiting for a bowl of always-fresh and delicious matzah ball soup!
It begins with Sederim on both nights. It’s an incredible sight to behold so many people gathered together to perform the mitzvah of Maggid, to retell the story year after year, and remember the miracle.
“וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לִ֔י בְּצֵאתִ֖י מִמִּצְרָֽיִם”
“And you shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what GOD did for me when I went free from Egypt.’” (Exodus 13:8)
We gather around tables heaping with matzah, grape juice, hard-boiled eggs, charoset, and maror. One of the highlights of the Seder is Rabbi Jeremy, who dresses up as Moshe, in the tradition of our ancient sage, Hillel. Portions of the Haggadah are performed in live action. The Seder invites us to become Israelites, to see ourselves as coming out of Egypt, as a part of redemption.
Hillel is the place to be for all eight days as we feed our students’ souls and stomachs. In the past, our week of celebration has included Matzah House Making, Matzah Pizza Movie Night featuring the classic animated film Prince of Egypt (so appropriate), soulful Shabbat and Havdalah celebrations, and baking matzah toffee and kosher-for-Passover cookies with our Challah4Hunger student group.
The learning, fun, and excitement, this semester doesn’t end with Passover! There is so much more happening! The week of April 13th is Holocaust Education Week on campus. Students will put flags on the South Green to represent those we lost. The week is capped off on April 16th, when Hillel and Alpha Epsilon Pi will partner on the annual Walk to Remember, honoring victims of the Holocaust. Holocaust Education Week is followed by Israel Week, during which we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation on Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) and celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) by bringing together Jewish and non-Jewish students to celebrate all things Israel! In the past, we’ve celebrated with swag, bonfires, Krav Maga, candy from the shuk, Israeli food trucks, and capped off with an Israeli food-themed Shabbat.
Additionally, we are looking forward to I Heart UD Day, scheduled for Wednesday, April 29th! This is a university-wide giving day initiative and celebration of what makes UD great. We will have student volunteers reaching out to alumni, parents, grandparents, community members, and friends of Hillel. If your phone rings, please answer. We can’t wait to speak with you! This is your chance to help pay it forward.
