The Jewish Student Organization is hosting services for Rosh Hashana at the Mizzou Hillel this week.
Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, is a time for people to reflect on the past year and make new goals for themselves to become better people.
“I want to use my passion for social media to work with nonprofits and help them out,” said Liz Solomon, an MU student who traveled home to St. Louis for the holiday. “I already volunteer consistently, and I feel like this is just one more thing I can do to give back for all the amazing opportunities I’ve had.”
Some students go home to spend the celebration with their families while others are unable to leave Columbia. This is freshman Sydnie Merriman’s first year away from home for the holiday.
“It does feel very homey (here),” freshman Sydnie Merriman said. “I’m conservative, and this is a reform service so it’s different. I’m usually just sitting there next to my mom, and she does all the prayers but now I do all the prayers.”
Hillel is a national Jewish organization for college campuses, but services are open to students, teachers and community members.
“It’s whatever people are most comfortable with,” JSO President Jennifer Lask said.
Along with services at Hillel, a dinner is held at Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi every year during Rosh Hashana for students to feel more at home and celebrate together, Lask said.
“Everyone has a bit of a different service at home,“ she said. “We try and make it a more comfortable place.”
Hillel observes the tradition of eating apples and honey throughout the week to symbolize welcoming in a sweet new year. The Torah is also brought out during services in which prayers are led.
“Rosh Hashana leads into Yom Kippur, so it’s also a time for reflection on the past year,” Lask said. “There are fun parts about Rosh Hashana, but it also leads into a more serious aspect of the High Holy Days.”
Yom Kippur services will be held Sept. 26 at Hillel. The holiday is a time to atone for the sins of the past year while fasting and refraining from work in order to focus.