By Senaya Savir, staff writer, @SenayaSavir
Earlier this semester, seniors Max Cohen and Nathan Wasserman organized a Hunger Games-themed Shabbat meal. They hoped to begin a trend of seniors hosting monthly dinners to enhance the Hillel Shabbat experience.
“We wanted to spice up the classic Hillel dinners,” said Cohen, a computer engineering major. “We wanted to do something that would attract new people and shake up the atmosphere a little bit.”
More than 150 students attended the dinner, exceeding both Cohen and Wasserman’s expectations.
“It was packed, we originally had 13 large tables and ended up having to add more throughout the night,” Cohen said.
Cohen is confident that he as well as other seniors will be able to “pull off another dinner for this semester.”
Lindsay Goldman, Hillel’s Jewish experience associate, said she is working with a group to plan another senior-hosted Shabbat dinner this semester, and they are currently trying to find the right date.
Wasserman, who originally had the idea of Seniors Host Shabbat Dinner, approached Goldman to help him turn the vision into a reality.
Goldman described the event as a complete success.
“We engaged a population that doesn’t typically have Shabbat dinner at Hillel,” she said. “Not only was the room overflowing with students, but there was so much energy, participation and excitement.”
The dinner received a lot of positive feedback. People were excited about Hillel’s new take on a typical Shabbat dinner, and it left students and staff members curious as to when the next one will be.
“Sometimes dinners at Hillel can get a little repetitive, but this dinner was a great way to enjoy an exciting meal with friends,” said Craig Wasserman. “I really hope something like this is done again, I would absolutely come.”
Nathan Wasserman, an aerospace engineering major, said he believes the tradition is definitely worth keeping.
“The idea is that each dinner will be hosted by a different group of seniors to give each event its own flavor,” he said.
Cohen said the event was a great experience for everyone involved. After the first dinner, they discussed future plans and decided who would be good candidates for hosting the next dinner.
Wasserman revealed no details about the potential plan of another event, saying that it would ruin the excitement.
Cohen is confident that he as well as other seniors will be able to “pull off another dinner for this semester.”
Goldman said she is working with a group to plan another senior-hosted Shabbat dinner this semester, and they are currently trying to find the right date.
“Max and Nathan have a lot of ideas of fun themes to try, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next,” Goldman said.
