HPU Students Celebrate Jewish Traditions This Holiday Season

High Point University’s Jewish students shared their faith and Hanukkah traditions with the HPU community during the annual Hanukkah Shabbat on Friday, Dec. 2.

This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Sunday, Dec. 18 and concludes on Dec. 26. The university holds the annual Hanukkah celebration for the entire campus community every year and lights a menorah on campus.

Per tradition, students, faculty and staff in the HPU Hillel community read the story of Hanukkah, recited prayers in Hebrew, learned to play the dreidel and served authentic Jewish food such as matzo ball soup, potato latkes and sufganiyot, which are jelly donuts.

“Hanukkah at HPU continues to be a highlight of the academic calendar,” said Amy Epstein, HPU’s Jewish Life Coordinator. “As a celebration of a miracle and having light in the world, this is a joyful time for us all. We try to include the favorites of the students, which are traditional foods, candle-lighting, playing dreidel, and we are always teaching friends and colleagues about the meaning of Hanukkah.”

Julia Staffin, president of Hillel, shared why this Jewish holiday is so important to share with the HPU community.

“Hanukkah to me is all about coming together with people, teaching people traditions and having amazing food,” said Staffin, a senior theater major. “When Hanukkah fell during the semester, we came together each night to light the Hanukkah menorah together. This was special to me because I grew up doing this and even though I was away from my family, our Hillel feels like family. We also have an incredible Hanukkah celebration and combine it with Shabbat on the Friday closest to Hanukkah.”

HPU’s Hillel also created a menorah out of hundreds of canned goods they are donating to the David Frazier Food Pantry at Jewish Family Services.