FEATURE
FAU’s Jewish Student Union is holding its largest Shabbat dinner to date — and by largest, they mean planning on about 365 hungry attendees.
For January’s Jewish Heritage Month, students are seeking to carry on this weekly weekend tradition by bringing it straight to campus.
“It was the start of a new year and the end of Jewish Heritage Month, so we decided 365 days of the year [as a theme] was a cool thing,” said Jewish Student Union President Lauren Heyman.
Heyman, a junior exercise science health promotion major, is working with Hillel, a worldwide Jewish student organization, to put on this first-of-its-kind dinner for FAU.
“Hillel tries to help out with Jewish Life on Campus…we provide social programs, religious programs, education programs; all different types of programs around the Jewish religion and the Jewish culture.” Said Briana Schwartz, Hillel’s Director of Operations and Program Associate.
“Last year we did a joint Shabbat dinner with the Black Student Union … but it was a smaller scale,” said Heyman.
The event went well, prompting the Jewish Student Union and Hillel to expand the event this year.
And no, you don’t have to be Jewish to attend the Shabbat. The idea behind this dinner is to show both Jewish and non-Jewish students what Shabbat and Jewish tradition are about.
“We could bring the entire campus together to show people that have never had the Jewish experience what it is to be Jewish,” said Heyman. “Shabbat is the day of rest for Jews, so ordinarily it’s a time when families come together and have a dinner together.”
Shabbat dinners have varied weekly menus, and this dinner will consist of baked ziti and salad. And it’s free to students.
“Hillel has funding … they were planning on having an event like this,” said Heyman. For the event, Hillel is paying $3,000 and the multicultural programming office is sponsoring $2,000.
And while groups are encouraged to sign up for a full table of eight, smaller parties and even singles are welcome.
“If a group can only find two or three students or [students] are not affiliated with anyone, they can just RSVP,” said Heyman.
Interested?
If you’re interested in attending the Jewish Student Union’s Shabbat dinner, RSVP with Lauren Heyman at
The dinner is being held on Jan. 28 in the Live Oak room A-D and 7pm on the Boca campus. There will also be Jewish Services held before the dinner at 6pm.
