Hillel celebrates Shabbat with food drive
All welcome to feast, bring canned goods for the less fortunate
A canned goods drive joins Hillel’s annual Shabbat festivities this year.
By Sarah Neff
Friday, October 19th, 2007
Jon Hurst-Sneh said he wanted to reach out to the community for tonight’s Rock Chalk Shabbat, so he partnered with a local food donation service.
For the past six years, Hillel has invited both Jewish and non-Jewish students, faculty, staff and community members to join them for a Friday night service followed by a free traditional Shabbat dinner.
Hurst-Sneh, Overland Park sophomore and co-chairman for Rock Chalk Shabbat, said he wanted to add another dimension to the annual event. He arranged a canned food drive with Harvesters Community Food Network in Kansas City, Mo. Hurst-Sneh also planned a raffle to encourage dinner guests to bring canned foods. All prizes were donated by local businesses.
“Bringing cans is such an easy thing to do,” Hurst-Sneh said. “So many people have cans of food in their pantries that they will never use, so why not bring it to help families across the community?”
Rachel Seliger, Seattle senior and Hillel intern, said last year the chancellor, vice provost and about 450 other people attended the event. She said they expected about 500 guests tonight. She said they would serve brisket, chicken and potatoes.
“Its just kind of a nice way to get the community eat together,” Seliger said.
Bringing cans is such an easy thing to do. So many people have cans of food in their pantries that they will never use, so why not bring it to help families across the community?
-Jon Hurst-Sneh, Overland Park sophomore
Carli Harber, Atlanta senior and co-chairwoman for Rock Chalk Shabbat, said she and Hurst-Sneh had been meeting at least once a week for the past month and a half to prepare for tonight’s event. She said the canned food drive fit well with this year’s theme, “Making a Difference, One Jayhawk at a Time.”
Services begin at 6 p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union, followed by a free dinner in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Several student speakers will participate in the service. The raffle will be held after the dinner.
Hurst-Sneh made a video about tonight’s event that can be viewed on YouTube, Facebook or on Hillel’s Web site, www.kuhillel.org.
— Edited by Amelia Freidline
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