American University’s Hillel held an end of semester Early Chanukah “Gelt-Together” on Dec. 5 as an opportunity for students to take a step back from finals and come together before the holiday break.
The “Gelt-Together,” which is part of AU Hillel’s week of Chanukah-themed programming, featured traditional dishes such as latkes and sufganiyot, a type of Israeli doughnut made during Chanukah. Fried foods such as potato latkes and sufganiyot doughnuts are served during Chanukah because of the connection between the oil used to fry the food during the holidays and the oil shortage in the story of the biblical miracle of Chanukah.
Festive activities such as Chanukah craft corners and a dreidel competition were also featured at decorated tables sprinkled with gelt. The event name for the early Chanukah celebration, “Gelt-Together” is a play on the word “gelt” which is the word for the chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, given to kids and enjoyed by all during Chanukah.
Students in AU Hillel came together for the event to enjoy time away from working on finals and to spend time with friends before holiday break.
“I really like how welcoming everybody is [at Hillel] and I love going to events, cause it’s so fun,” said Hannah Foster, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs. “I’ve made some of my closest friends came from Hillel. It got me out there and meeting people.”
Other students said they appreciated the programming created by AU Hillel leading up to finals week because it gave them an opportunity to intentionally take a break from studying, including Lea Wayne, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
“I’m sitting and coloring right now which is something I don’t typically do,” Wayne said. “Taking time to hang out with my friends and chill before I have to get into a lot of studying has been great.”
“I was working on my final all night until I went,” said Berit Rosenstiel, a freshman in SPA. “I think it was nice to have a reason to stop studying and to be with other people.”
Students at the event also said they think it is meaningful to connect with their community before leaving campus for the holidays and that it is important to take intentional breaks from academics and enjoy each other’s company.
AU Hillel’s week of Chanukah programming ended Dec. 6 with Shabbat. Services at the Kay Spiritual Life Center. This year Chanukah begins on the evening of Dec. 25 and will be celebrated until Jan. 2.
“A lot of people here [at AU Hillel] are very academically driven and passionate about doing well and so I feel like this is a good mandatory break,” Wayne said. “There’s this event happening, there’s free food for me, there’s activities. I get to see a few friends. Then I can go ‘lock in’ in the library.”
This article was edited by Payton Anderson, Tyler Davis and Abigail Turner. Copy Editing was done by Luna Jinks, Ella Rousseau and Sabine Kanter-Huchting.
