The Shofar in September

The shofar sounded throughout the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life and Hendricks Chapel Thursday morning. It marked the beginning of the holiest two weeks of the Jewish Calendar. It started with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. No champaign was served at this year's services, though. Apples and honey signify the sweet new year. What might sour that new year, though, is that classes are in session. The holiday fell on a weekend last year, but this year it's during the week. This has been a problem for many students, as they must endure the tough task of balancing school and religion, Lowell Lustig, Executive Director Hillel, said.

"I think it's an ongoing challenge that begins in college when students are making decisions on their own," he said. "It will be part of the choices they make and the values they hold for the rest of their lives."

Enough people are making the decision to come to Hillel for holiday meals that the staff had to ask Shaw Dining Hall to make more food, Lustig said. He estimated that over 250 students came to dinner at the center Wednesday night.