Hillel hosts first Seder dinner for Jewish students
By Alexis Ancel, Staff Writer //
In the Jewish religion, Passover is considered to be one of the more important holidays because of what it represents historically for the Hebrew people and their enslavement in Egypt. This year, High Point University took part in this holiday by hosting its first ever Seder dinner.
The Seder was put together by HPU Hillel, an organization for the Jewish community on campus, which also hosts various events throughout the year. The dinner was open to everyone and welcomed people of all different religions and cultures as a way for everyone to learn more about the Jewish culture and it’s history.
Because of this, the meal was a bit different from a traditional Seder and was much shorter with less of an emphasis on prayer. The goal for this event was to make the dinner more about the experience than the religious aspect.
Instead of saying each traditional prayer, the significant aspects of the meal were explained in historical and religious contexts so that everyone could participate while learning about the various Jewish traditions.
It was important to members of Hillel that the dinner be open to people of all different religions and cultures.
“I think that it’s so important for us to learn about the religion that surrounds us,” said Jacob Foster, president of Catholic Campus Ministries. “It is especially imperative that as a Christian, we partner with our friends from the Jewish community since they are the faith and tradition from which we come.”
Seder is traditionally on the first night of Passover, which falls in early spring according to the Jewish lunar calendar. Each of the six foods served on a traditional Seder plate symbolize something that relates back to the retelling of the Exodus and the freeing of the Jews from enslavement in Egypt.
For example, a simple vegetable such as parsley or celery is dipped in salt water, which represents the tears and the pain the Hebrew people felt while enslaved in Egypt.
“We were thrilled to have so many people attend our first Seder at HPU,” said Lindsay Katz, Hillel president and senior. “It was a really great experience to able to share our traditions and cultures with so many new faces.”
Another aspect of this holiday is giving back. Ron Yardenay, Jewish Life coordinator at HPU and leader of the event, discussed the different ways in which Jewish people use their ancestors’ experiences to give back to their communities today.
They accomplish this through things like feeding the hungry and providing shelter to the homeless as a way to remember their own enslavement and suffering, and to celebrate their freedom by giving back.
“We have a Seder every year so that no one forgets what happened,” Yardenay said.