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Celebrating Shabbat and holidays at Tufts Hillel offers a unique opportunity to bring together many members of the community. Each Shabbat students join together for Reform or Conservative Services and a delicious Shabbat meal. Holiday celebrations are as varied as the backgrounds of the students, and there is always room for new and different traditions. Hillel has celebrations for all holidays during the year, fostering a warm community atmosphere.

Shabbat | Shabbat Dinner |Shabbat Your Way | Holidays and Festivals | Resources

Shabbat

Every week, between 80 to 180 or more students and Tufts community members join together at the Granoff Family Hillel Center for student-led Reform and Conservative Friday evening Shabbat services followed by dinner. The Shabbat , Reform and Conservative Committees often plan special celebrations such Literacy Shabbat, Faculty Shabbat and Alumni Shabbat.

Hillel also hosts weekly Saturday morning services. All services are followed by a free lunch—no reservations required! Every other week, on Saturday afternoon/evening, a group of students come together for an informal se'udah shlishit ("Third meal") and havdallah.

For a schedule of services or to make a reservation for Friday night dinner (by Wednesday at 3:00 PM), please visit our calendar of events. For students who think that they will come to Shabbat dinner more often than not, they can join the permanent list.

For Upcoming Events and Programs, please click here.

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Friday Night Shabbat Dinners

Following most Friday Shabbat services at Hillel, students and Tufts community members join together for a delicious kosher meal (with vegetarian options). The dinner is served family-style with people seated at round tables complete with linen table cloths and flowers. Students and Tufts community members are welcome to attend only services, only dinner or both.

How to Make a Dinner Reservation
Dinner reservations must be made by the Wednesday preceding that week's Shabbat. Only reservations received before 3:00 PM can be guaranteed. To make a reservation, go to the "Shabbat Dinner" on the calendar of events or call 617-627-3242.

For those who think that they will come to dinner more often than not, students can join the Shabbat Permanent List . Rather than making a reservation each week, those on this list only need to inform Hillel if they will not attend during a particular week. For more information, contact Hillel or register for dinner on-line for the next Shabbat dinner and indicate that you would like to enroll in the List.

View the Shabbat Dinner Menus

Cost and Payment Options *

  • Tufts University Meal Plan. The plan will be charged for one meal.
  • Tufts University Points. The cost is equivalent to the cost of one meal on the University Meal Plan.
  • For those not using Points or the Meal Plan, the cost is $11.00 payable by cash, check or credit card .

* Special pricing and reservations may apply for some dinners, (e.g., Parents Weekend, and Graduation/Alumni Shabbat).

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Shabbat Your Way

Tufts Hillel is proud to introduce Shabbat Your Way, a program designed to provide upperclassmen with innovative and meaningful ways to celebrate Shabbat. See Shabbat Your Way to learn more about the choices available to you. From '"Be Our Guest" Shabbat dinnes to Shabbat to-go kits to Neighborhood shabbat, there are so many great ways to celebrate! Don't see anything that interests you? Want to participate in meditation services, a Shabbat discussion group or something else entirely? Email Lauren Estes or call 627-3242 to make it happen.

See Shabbat Your Way for more information

Saturday Morning at Hillel
Shabbat doesn't end on Friday night! Saturday morning's conservative egalitarian services are a relaxing way to continue your celebration of Shabbat. Everyone is invited to enjoy a free deli lunch after services.

First Friday
Click here for dates and times
Bring your friends for this monthly night of food, music and celebration. Choose from reform, conservative and Carlebach services or just join us for a delicious dinner. Stay to enjoy dessert, play board games, meet new friends, sing or just relax. The choice is yours.

Dinner costs one meal or $12.50. Please RSVP for dinner by Wednesday at 2PM .

Shabbat 101
Click here for dates and times
Everything you wanted to know about Shabbat but were afraid to ask. Come by Hillel at before services to discover more about the most important Jewish holiday. You'll learn why we celebrate Shabbat as well as the elements of the service and some basic prayers while relaxing and enjoying a pre-Shabbat snack. This event is open to all students regardless of religious background or identity.

Shabbat: My Place or Yours?
Enjoy Shabbat in the comfort of your own apartment. Hillel provides all the fixings for a fabulous Shabbat experience. You pick a date, invite your friends, cook dinner and celebrate your way. Please call 627-3242 to reserve a Shabbat kit.

Shabbat with Faculty
When was the last time you spent Friday night with a professor? Celebrate Shabbat with a home cooked meal and brilliant conversation with an intimate group of students at a professor's home. Look for more details on tuftslife.com if you want to participate. The choice is yours.

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Shabbat at Tufts.
The Choice is Yours.

Holidays & Festivals

Tufts Hillel runs a full program of services and meals for the High Holidays, Passover, and other festivals and holidays. During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, services are held for the Tufts community and tickets are available for dinners and lunches, plus pre-fast and break-fast dinners on Yom Kippur. During Passover, Hillel hosts a variety of seders on the first and second nights, and students may even purchase "Seder Kits to Go" for use in their dorm, off-campus apartment, or fraternity/sorority. Other holidays are celebrated with programs, services, and dinners depending on where they fall during the academic calendar. For more information, visit the Holidays Committee page and the calendar of events.

High Holidays

Passover

Resources

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