By Emma Way
Senior Writer
The Hillel House, a hidden gem on campus, celebrated Rosh Hashanah last Wednesday, Sept. 4 with a dinner. The Jewish community at Washington College rang in the Jewish New Year with lasagna, apples dipped in honey, and lots of good friends.
Located right next to Minta Martin Hall, the house is where Jewish students, faculty, and anyone curious about Jewish traditions is welcomed.
Starting Monday, Sept. 2 and ending on Sept. 5, the Hillel House opened their doors to all members of the campus community at various times throughout the week.
Sophomore Katie Wellington, Hillel media and communications chair, said “Our main goal for the open house this week is to … show … students how open WC Hillel is and how the house … can be such an asset to the students.”
According to sophomore Rebecca DiSantes, president of the Hillel House board, during these open houses a board member will always be available to answer any questions. “People can come in check out the house, learn about what we’re doing, eat some snacks,” she said.
The Jewish religious community is an ever-growing presence on campus, as is the non-Jewish students who are simply interested in learning about a new culture. Hillel plans to grow their club even more are with the multitude of events planned for the rest of the semester.
Every month Hillel will sponsor at least one event. Among those events include holiday parties and hosting Jewish speakers. Hillel’s biggest event of the year is by far the Hanukah party. Here, spin the dreidel is played and more challah bread is devoured.
Typically challah bread is served as most major Jewish celebrations and the dinner last Wednesday was no exception. The Hillel House also served lasagna to stick with their dairy-only meal. In the Jewish faith, in order to keep meals kosher, one cannot mix dairy and meat together in a meal. The importance of kosher meals is evident by looking at the house’s duplex kitchen. The Hillel House is complete with a kosher kitchen featuring essentially two separate, but identical kitchens – one side for meat and one side for dairy.
No seat was left empty at the Rosh Hashanah dinner where even President Mitchell Reiss and his wife made an appearance. “I think … [the Hillel House] gives an opportunity for Jewish students to celebrate their religion, their culture, and their history. It indicates the wonderful diversity we have here on campus and it allows non-Jewish students to learn more about Jewish life,” said Reiss.
DiSantes has been a member of Hillel since the second week of her freshman year so she has seen the house truly blossom into the wonderful space it has become.
Since spring semester 2012 the Hillel House has been expanded to feature a study space, dining room, living room, aforementioned kosher kitchen, and even a patio. Everything is furnished, making it a completely welcoming space for any member of the campus community to stop by.
When asked why she wanted to be the president of Hillel, DiSantes said, “I love Hillel. I love everything about it. I wanted to move Hillel in a good direction.”
Wellington agrees, as she said, “Even though I myself am not Jewish, I love coming to the Hillel House either just to hang out or to have a quiet place to do my work. Regardless, the Hillel House has always been my home away from home.”
It is Jewish tradition that on the New Year, Rosh Hashanah, people wish each other a good New Year by saying, “Have a sweet new year,” as they eat apples dipped in honey. From the Hillel House, have a sweet new year, WC.