Holidays
A common question interested students ask is: "What about Jewish Holidays when I can't go home?" These include the High Holidays, Passover, and Shabbat.
High Holidays
Jewish students meet and then walk or drive to any of the three synagogues (orthodox, conservative, and reform) in Troy. RPI has a policy that no student will be discriminated against for missing school for religious holidays. To take off, the student needs to contact professors for the classes that will be missed prior to those days. They need to inform the instructor why they will be out and arrange to make up the missed work. Hillel also acts as an advocate for Jewish students if professors have an issue with this policy. Contact hillel@rpi.edu if you need help or more information about the High Holidays.
Passover
Hillel holds two Passover seders each year. We also provide a full Kosher for Passover meal plan during the holiday that the student may purchase. If the student is on a school meal plan, he or she has the option of canceling it for that week and getting reimbursed for that week's cost. More information about the meal plan will be sent to students on our email list and parents on our newsletter list as Passover aproaches. Information will also be posted here, on our website. Contact hillel@rpi.edu if you need help or more information about Passover or the meal plan.
Shabbat
Hillel holds a Dinner & Service once every month. As with most of our events, all of the food is kosher and free. Weekly Shabbat services are held depending on demand. All services are student led. Morning services are usually available at the 3 synagogues in Troy.
Lighting Holiday Candles
Please note that no candles are allowed in dorms for safety reasons. If you do light candles anyway you will get in trouble, and possibly a visit from the fire department. Hillel provides opportunities for students to light Shabbat and holiday candles as a group. We do a group candle lighting all eight nights of Chanukah and everyone is invited to join us. More information about lighting candles will be available as Chanukah aproaches.
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