Hillel is a safe space on campus for all Jewish students to practice the way they would like. We are committed to this mission and welcome any feedback and ideas for services and events around the holidays.

Shabbat

Hillel hosts Friday night services every week at 5 pm, followed by dinner at 6 pm. Our Religion and Culture team works very hard to plan our services, which are egalitarian, student led, and traditionally more reform. Everyone is encouraged to practice in the manner that best suits their beliefs and everyone is welcome to participate! Anyone is welcome to lead services, as well, if they would like to do so. The following dinner features catered meals from a range of local restaurants including Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean, Indian, and Mexican (dietary restrictions can be accommodated upon request).

A few times a semester, Hillel also hosts a Havdalah Service. These are times to wind down in the middle of a weekend and will typically have refreshments and snacks.

High Holidays

Hillel holds dinners for Erev Rosh Hashanah and Erev Yom Kippur, so all students can celebrate the high holidays together! These are highly popular events and open to the entire campus community. They feature a short prayer service (on Yom Kippur we have even had our own student Shofar blower!) followed by a traditional holiday meal. Lafayette Hillel also provides transportation to both the B’nai Shalom, a Reform temple in Easton, as well as Brith Shalom, a conservative temple in Bethlehem, throughout the duration of each holiday.

Passover

Every spring semester, we host an Interfaith Seder for the first night of Passover. It is a traditional Passover seder where all students and faculty are welcome to come and participate. Attendance has been over 100 in recent years! A smaller, second night seder is hosted at the Hillel House. Both seders have opportunities for students and faculty to contribute to the traditions, prayers, and readings presented to the community. Throughout the duration of Passover, kosher for Passover food is available at the Upper Farinon dining hall.

Other Holidays

In addition to our weekly Sabbath services, Hillel works to observe other major Jewish holidays throughout the school year. We light candles each night of Hanukkah (with latkes and sufganiyot too, of course), we build and decorate a Sukkah outside of the Hillel house complete with a lulav and etrog, make mishloach manot for Purim, and more!