What is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. The Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the New Year.

The shofar is a ram's horn that is blown somewhat like a trumpet. One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue. A total of 100 notes are sounded each day. There are four different types of shofar notes: tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts (I think) 10 seconds minimum. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat.

No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. In fact, there is a special prayer book called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays.

Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year.  We also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason.

Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("casting off"). We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins. This practice is not discussed in the Bible, but is a long-standing custom.

The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ("for a good year"). This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

Judaism has several different "new years.  Here are the cliff notes version:  Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time).

What is the JCSC's role during Rosh Hashanah?

At Hillel, there is a great influx of students that enter the building during High Holiday time.  There are several services that are staggered throughout the day to accommodate the number of students and their religious preferences.  Although you will be working many hours during the High Holidays, it is a great engagement opportunity.  I suggest positioning yourself at the door greeting people or inside making sure that everyone has a Machzor.  Remember that the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (in fact any holidays) you will experience at work are very different than those you have experienced in the past.  There is a great benefit of helping others have the opportunity to celebrate a Jewish holiday, just remember to take a bit of time for your self to celebrate. 

This year it falls on the weekend so it might not be a big deal this year.  Many students will probably go home, if they live in state.  Be aware (during all family centered holidays Yom Kippur and Passover specifically) of those out of state students who do not go home and are looking for a comfortable place.  They miss being around their families most around holiday time.   

What is Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day. Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th day of Tishri.

The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of Atonement.  It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends.

Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath; no work can be performed on that day. It is well known that you are supposed to refrain from eating and drinking (even water) on Yom Kippur. It is a complete, 25-hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. The Talmud also specifies additional restrictions that are less well-known: washing and bathing, anointing one's body (with cosmetics, deodorants, etc.), wearing leather shoes, and engaging in sexual relations are all prohibited on Yom Kippur.

As always, any of these restrictions can be lifted where a threat to life or health is involved. In fact, children under the age of nine and women in childbirth (from the time labor begins until three days after birth) are not permitted to fast, even if they want to. Older children and women from the third to the seventh day after childbirth are permitted to fast, but are permitted to break the fast if they feel the need to do so. People with other illnesses should consult a physician and a rabbi for advice.

Most of the holiday is spent in the synagogue, in prayer. The services end at nightfall, with the blowing of the tekiah gedolah, a long blast on the shofar.  At the completion of the Holiday, people generally break the fast together. 

What is the JCSC's role during Yom Kippur?

Your role is quite similar to what was done on Rosh Hashanah.  Usually we have the Caterer here to help set up the Break Fast as services are concluding, so your job will be to mingle with students as they wait in line for food.  Beware that the students at Hillel rush outside to stuff their faces, they havent eaten in a day after all.  So make sure that you will be ok to wait until the lines calm down a bit.  We sometimes do a lottery to win something for the people who come. 

IMPORTANT NOTE---Student will probably ask you for notes or permission slips to skip class.  Hillel will have the Its The Law form out for the students to take.  They need to give their professors ADVANCE NOTICE if they will be missing class.  Some students will ask for this afterwards and you know they just wanted an excuse for missing class, and they were not in services praying.  Be real with the students- it isnt Hillels job to help them skip class, we are here to make Jewish life on campus better, more fun and accommodating for the students. 

What is Sukkot?

Sukkot is the festival of booths - the sukkah we build during Sukkot is to remind us of the temporary dwellings the Jewish people built for their 40-year journey through the desert to the Promised Land. Sukkot is a harvest festival, like Passover and Shavuot. Sukkot begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri.

We are commanded to dwell in a sukkah for the seven days during Sukkot. Dwelling can mean eating, gathering, or sleeping in a sukkah (we had students who did all three!). The other mitzvah associated with Sukkot is the shaking of the lulav and the etrogthe lulav is a palm branch (lulav), myrtle branch (hadas), and willow branch (aravah), and the etrog is a fruit also known as the citron. The lulav and the etrog are the four species of plants described in the Torah. By saying a blessing and shaking the lulav and the etrog in every direction, we symbolize G-ds presence everywhere.

What is the JCSC's role during Sukkot?

The JCSC Fellow can take time off or work during the Yom Tov (holiday part) of Sukkot. The primary role of the Fellow is to bring a Sukkot experience to students on campus. We had different Sukkot activities during the day and evenings.  Chabbad Usually puts a Sukkah On the West Mall, so I brought out a lulav and Esrog and we asked students to help make decorations to put up.   Betsy and I decorated the Hillel Sukkah in a special festive way complete with rope lights and a paper chain. 

Samplings of Sukkot activities are:  Pizza in the Hut, Hookah in the Sukkah (but we have to call it something different), environmental program, womans group program and some more.  Get Creative!

The JCSC's role is also to support Jewish student life, so you can visit any sukkahs that students build. Bring a camera!

What is Chanukah?

Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, is a celebration of the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. It also commemorates the miracle of the oil that burned for 8 days. Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.

During Chanukah, we light a candle in a menorah for each of the 8 nights. We make and eat potato pancakes, or latkes, and other foods cooked in oil (like jelly donuts - sufganiot!). We play the game of dreidel and exchange gifts.

What is the JCSC's role during Chanukah?

Chanukah was over winter break this year, so we tried to have a party before finals with a Chanukah theme.  Chanukah is a family-oriented holiday, and students do miss their families at this point in the year. Its important to organize some kind of community celebration. Hillel organizes a Chanukah party (this past years was a dj party at a downtown club).

What is Purim?

Purim commemorates a Jewish victory over oppression with the telling of the story of Esther, a Jewish woman living in Persia who had a unique opportunity to save her people. Purim takes place on the 14th and 15th days of the Hebrew month of Adar.

Esther's story is told through the reading of the Megillah, or the Scroll or Book of Esther. Purim is a festive celebration - we dress in costumes and shake groggers and other noisemakers during the Megillah reading. It is traditional to bake triangular cookies, or hamentaschen, representative of the villain Hamans three-cornered hat.

What is the JCSC's role during Purim?

There is so much that can be done during Purim! Baking hamentaschen in the residence halls, dressing up and tabling, organizing an interactive Megillah reading, having conversations about the truth about Esther and Vashti, delivering Purim baskets (mishloach manot) to the Greek Houses, donating money or gifts to the poor (matanot le-evionim). Jewish themes abound in Purim are giving tzedakah, telling a story, Jewish resilience being just a few.

Have fun! Purim is an excuse to act silly.

In 2002-03 Hillel had a Purim foam party.  Another thing that wasnt good was the company we used for the foam.  PartyMachines.com (Greg Gordon) didnt calculate how much foam we needed- or that we needed 2 machines, so the foam really low and kept blowing away.  I DO NOT RECOMMEND using this company again.  He had originally told me he would do it for free and then went back on his word.  In 2003-04 we did a very low-key magilliah reading and that was about it.

What is Passover?

Or Pesach commemorates the Jewish journey away from slavery in Egypt. We celebrate Passover by retelling the story of the Exodus at the Seder meal. We remember when the Jewish people were slaves in Egypt and tell the story of their Exodus as a celebration of freedom. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan.

What is the JCSC's role during Passover?

Passover is the second-busiest time of year at Hillel, the High Holidays being the first. In the past Hillel tabled with matzah and different matzah toppings for a matzah taste test (Jelly, cream cheese, or butter? Egg, traditional, or wheat?) During Passover, I tried to eat as many meals at Hillel with students (plus it was free food and I didnt have to buy it).  But since I have never kept Passover over before, I was not about to start now and I quickly got sick of the food.  Hillel offers first and second night sedarim - the first usually draws a bigger crowd than the second.  A JCSC can have sedarim throughout the holiday like a chocolate seder or a womans seder.  Even though I was very busy planning the Greek sender for night two, I ended up leading a seder with Ben the first night.  Mine was an abbreviated seder, it was only about an hour long total (including dinner) I had so much fun leading this seder and I think my enthusiasm kept the students attention.  My seder was followed by the NCAA basketball championship game.  We also had tow longer seders as well as a Graduate Seder that Betsy led.

What is TuB'shvat?

Tu B'Shevat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat, is a holiday also known as the New Year for Trees. Tu B'Shevat is the new year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing.  Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu B'Shevat.

Tu B'Shevat is not mentioned in the Torah. Only one reference to it has been found in the Mishnah, and the only thing said there is that it is the new year for trees, and there is a dispute as to the proper date for the holiday (Beit Shammai said the proper day was the first of Shevat; Beit Hillel said the proper day was the 15th of Shevat. As usual, we follow Beit Hillel. GO HILLEL!)

There are few customs or observances related to this holiday. One custom is to eat a new fruit on this day. Some people plant trees on this day. A lot of people go around collecting money to buy trees in Israel.  Also, some partake in a TuBshvat Seder. 

A Seder resource online: http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/festivls/tubish/seder.html

What is Yom Ha'Atzmaut?

Israel's independence was declared on the 5th of Iyar, 5708, (of the Jewish calendar) which fell out on May 14th, 1948. Five neighboring Arab states attacked the fledgling state that very night. Miraculously, the newly formed Israel Defense Force (IDF) managed to push them back and gain territory. This was known as the War of Independence, and Israel paid a high price in terms of soldier and civilian casualties, and in financial terms.

Yom Ha'Atzmaut falls on the 5th of the Jewish calendar month of Iyar.

Yom Ha'Atzmaut begins the moment that Yom HaZikaron (Day of Remembrance) ends, and in Israel, there is a drastic change in mood as people go from mourning for those fallen for the state to rejoicing and celebrating Israel's statehood. On Independence Eve, towns all over Israel teem with revelers, partying, dancing, spraying shaving cream and streamers, bopping passers-by with toy hammers and enjoying live concerts in the town squares and parks. The entire country is decked out in blue and white, and Israeli flags fly from every car. Yom Ha'Atzmaut is a public holiday in Israel, and the parks and beaches (and even the nature strips along the highways) overflow with families and groups of friends, relaxing, rejoicing and enjoying their barbecue picnics. Often the Israeli Navy and Air Force put on special shows for the public.

In the Diaspora, parties, BBQs, special programs and Israeli dancing at the local synagogues and community centers often mark Yom HaAtzmaut. Many wear blue and white (the colors of the Israeli flag).

School Holidays:

The holidays for fiscal year 2004-05 will be observed on the University of Texas, Austin campus as follows:

Friday, July 4, 2004

 Independence Day

Monday, September 1, 2004

 Labor Day

Thursday, November 27, 2004   

 Thanksgiving Day

Friday, November 28, 2004

 Day After Thanksgiving (Designated)

Wednesday, December 24, 2004

 One-half Day Gift Day (p.m.)*

Thursday, December 25, 2004

 Christmas Day

Friday, December 26, 2004

 Day after Christmas (Designated)

Thursday, January 1, 2005

 New Year's Day

Monday, January 19, 2005

 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Monday, May 31, 2005

 Memorial Day