Every spring, Jewish families gather to celebrate the week of Passover, beginning on the 15th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. Sometimes, though, being at college can make celebrating Passover difficult.
In an effort to help students stay kosher for the Passover celebration, Hillel will be offering a week of kosher-friendly meals.
Risa Katz, a sophomore studying athletic training, approached Rabbi Danielle Leshaw, executive director of Hillel, with the idea of a kosher meal plan about a month ago.
“I have a lot of friends that go to other schools that have bigger Jewish populations, such as Ohio State and Indiana, and I heard that they offer a kosher meal plan for their students,” Katz said. “We (Hillel) aren’t funded by a big city, so if we (the students) want something to happen, we have to make it happen for ourselves.”
The meal plan costs $125 and comprises five lunches and five dinners, beginning on Monday. Lauren Goldberg, a staff member at Hillel who often cooks meals for the weekly Shabbat and helps coordinate social justice efforts, will prepare most, if not all, of the meals.
“I was familiar with the most typical dishes when I first started cooking meals for Hillel,” Goldberg said. “But I have learned so much as I’ve worked in this professional capacity, and this has helped with the menu planning.”
The meals will be served at Hillel, but if students want to take the food to go, they need only offer a heads up, Leshaw said.
A Passover Seder is also being held at Hillel on Friday for those who can’t make it home for the start of the Passover celebrations.
“We have 75 seats reserved,” said Leshaw. “Last year was 140, but because many students are going home to celebrate with family since Passover begins on Friday, we don’t anticipate those numbers this year.”
These kosher options are being offered not only because the dining hall can’t supply Passover-friendly food, but also to provide more options for those that would like to celebrate Passover in a traditional manner, Katz said.
“I’m excited because it broadens the horizons of our Hillel, because it offers more options for our students,” she said. “But I am also happy about it because some students don’t try to keep Passover so this can be a convenient option to help them feel like they aren’t missing out when not at home.”
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