Hillel offers celebration for Rosh Hashana

The Jewish High Holidays have begun, and Hillel, CSU’s Jewish

student organization, is celebrating with a series of dinners and

religious services.

The 10-day holy period began with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New

Year, at sunset on Friday. It will conclude on Yom Kippur, the Day

of Atonement, which ends at sunset on Oct. 6.

These holidays are the holiest days of the year for Jewish

people, said Hillel President Rachel Raizen.

The 10 days are a time for Jewish people to reflect on the past

year, to evaluate their actions and to ask forgiveness for any

wrongs they have committed, said Hillel Director Hedy Berman.

“Unlike other new year celebrations, (Rosh Hashana) is not

marked by big parties and revelry,” Berman said. “It’s marked by

serious introspection, prayer and forgiveness.”

Berman explained that the words ‘sin’ and ‘repent’ do not exist

in the Hebrew language. Rather, the words are ‘chet,’ meaning to

miss the mark, and ‘t’shuva,’ implying a return to “the path of

righteousness,” Berman said.

“One returns not just by making resolutions, (but through)

changing your actions,” she said.

Yom Kippur is traditionally observed by fasting so that one can

focus on the serious nature of the day.

“I think of it as, you know nobody’s perfect, and that’s okay as

long as you realize it and ask for forgiveness,” said Raizen, a

sophomore psychology major.

For Aaron Matzkin, a sophomore sociology major, the High

Holidays represent new beginnings, and he considers that a

refreshing break during the middle of the semester. “I’ll be doing

just a lot of reflecting and thinking back over the past year, and

thinking about what I want to change for the next year,” he

said.

Hillel’s celebrations began with a traditional Rosh Hashana

dinner Friday evening at the Lory Student Center. The dinner was

followed by services led by Nina Rubin, past president of

Congregation Har Shalom.

Rubin will also lead Yom Kippur services 6 p.m. on Oct. 6, in

the Longs Peak room of the student center. After the services,

Hillel and Rocky Mountain Bagel Works are hosting a Break-the-Fast

Dinner.

“Part of Hillel’s purpose is to be able to provide a sense of

community and even a sense of family (for Jewish students),

especially during the High Holidays,” Berman said. “For some

students, this might be the first time they are celebrating the

holidays away from their home and family.”

Matzkin, from Berkeley, Calif., is one of these students.

“(Hillel) is like my home away from home. It’s my Jewish

community,” he said. “I can’t be going home to California every

time there’s a Jewish holiday.”

BOX:

High Holiday Services and Celebrations

Kol Nidre Service: Sunday at 6:30 p.m., Congregation Har

Shalom

Yom Kippur Service: Oct. 6 at 9 a.m., Congregation Har

Shalom

Yom Kippur Service: Oct. 6 at 6 p.m., Longs Peak room, Lory

Student Center

Break-the-Fast Dinner: Oct. 6 at 7:17 p.m., Rocky Mountain Bagel

Works, Campus West

Congregation Har Shalom is located at 725 W. Drake Road. A

Hillel carpool will leave from the north entrance to the Lory

Student Center 20 minutes before each service.