Sweet challah bread with honey was the snack of choice for students sitting down to a kosher meal Wednesday, following the first Rosh Hashana services in the two-day Jewish holiday.
Some students at the Texas Hillel met each other with Hebrew greetings while others grabbed yamakas from an entrance table. The students joined millions of people around the world in celebrating the Jewish new year and the beginning of the High Holy Days.
"It's a home here," Sara Ostrosky said, who organized the conservative services for the evening.
The Texas Hillel offered orthodox, conservative and reform services Wednesday.
One student said she was surprised upon entering the room when she noticed that her psychology professor Art Markman was leading the night's service. It was Markman's fourth year leading the service.
Chabad House, a UT Jewish organization, also held Rosh Hashana services and a gourmet dinner Wednesday. The organization will continue their celebrations again today and Friday.
Rabbi Zev Johnson says that members of Chabad House will be visiting Jewish fraternities and sororities, as well as University Towers, to celebrate the new year with students unable to attend Wednesday's services. Johnson said he will sound the shofar, a simple ram's horn that is blown 100 times on each day of Rosh Hashana.
Rabbinical student Shalom Charytan said that Rosh Hashana begins on the sixth day of creation when God created man and woman "to remind us that it is us who are going to make a difference in this world, for good or for bad."
Though Jewish students get to enjoy the festivities of Rosh Hashana, Jews will soon be reflecting and repenting in preparation for Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, which begins at sunset on Sept. 21.
"This is like the World Series of repentance," said Rabbi David Komerofsky, executive director of the Texas Hillel. "But you have to still play ball the rest of the year."
Both Chabad House and the Texas Hillel will also be holding services for Yom Kippur.
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