The sixth annual Shabbat dinner held last Friday exceeded organizer expectations.
The free event featured a traditional meal of soup, chicken, wine and challah. Shabbat 806, as it was called, also welcomed the Jewish a cappella group, the Mazel Tones.
“Students are away from their families so this dinner is a way to bring together the university community as a family,” said Hillel’s director of Programming and Marketing, Tammy Cohen.
While it was predominantly a Jewish event, many non-Jewish friends, roommates and guests attended. “Everyone was welcome and everyone who went enjoyed themselves,” Cohen said.
The dinner was well attended. “It went above and beyond the level of participation we were expecting,” Cohen said.
Why was it 806? In the Hebrew language, Cohen explained, numbers correspond to letters. The number 806 loosely translates to “The Great Shabbat.”
The dinner was co-sponsored by AEP and Chabbad. The “food was terrific,” Cohen added.
Rush Rhees to be full of frights
For those who long to see the view from the top of the Rush Rhees tower, and do not mind a few frights along the way, next Thursday’s annual Scare Fair is just the thing.
From 2:30-5 p.m. Halloween day, the library will be the place for a cappella singing, entertainment, “stack stalkings”, cider, food and, of course, tower tours. This is one of the few days of the year the tower is open to students.
Groups scheduled to perform include After Hours, Mazel Tones and the Strong Jugglers. There will also be fright-inducing readings by university faculty. A student costume contest will also be featured.
Poet Carl Phillips to read from work
As part of the University’s Plutzik Memorial Series, lauded poet Carl Phillips will read his work Wednesday, Oct. 30 in the Welles-Brown Room of Rush Rhees Library.
The National Book Award finalist and winner of numerous prizes is the author of ‘Rock Harbor,” “Pastoral” and “From the Devotions.”
“Carl is a wonderful teacher, a learned man, and a tremendously gifted poet who already has established an unmistakable voice and subject, rhythm and cadence,” Robert Pinsky, former U.S. poet laureate and last year’s Plutzik speaker said, according to university public relations.
The 8 p.m. reading, sponsored by the Department of English, is free. More information is available by calling x5-4092.
Thelion Society wins the “Big Red Royal Rumble”
The Thelion Society, UR’s quiz bowl team, won its first tournament on Oct. 12 at Cornell Universtiy.
Commenting on the team’s goals, Coach George Flevares said, “We want to continue to make a name for ourself.”
“We’re a budding team that’s growing,” Flevares said.
The team’s next tournament will be on Nov. 2 at Case Western Reserve University.
Reporting by Dan Bobkoff and Chadwick Schnee.
