Students, faculty, staff, their families and community members are invited to join Elon Hillel to observe the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which begins on Tuesday evening, September 25, and ends at sundown on Wednesday, September 26.
Yom Kippur is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this day by fasting.
Services will be led by Cantor Katy Claussen, who was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Services are free and do not require reservations or tickets.
Erev Yom Kippur dinner will be served at 6:00 pm in Oaks 212, on Tuesday, September 25, from 6:00 – 7:15 pm. The dinner is free, thanks to the generosity of the family of Melissa Kansky ’13. No reservations or tickets are required, but Hillel requests that you bring a canned or other non-perishable food item to donate to the hungry in our community.
Kol Nidre Yom Kippur services will be held on Tuesday, September 25, at 7:30 pm in Whitley Auditorium. The service will open with Sonia Berger ’15 chanting the traditional Kol Nidre prayer.
Yom Kippur services will continue on Wednesday, September 26, at 10:00am in Whitley Auditorium. As part of Yom Kippur services Rabbi Geoffrey Claussen, Diana Abrahams ’13, Caitlin Bryne ’14 and Jordan August’15 will will read from a Sefer Torah, a handwritten copy of the Torah, the holiest book within Judaism, containing the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Thank you to North Carolina Hillel for loaning a Torah to Elon University. A.J. (Adam) Kessler ’14 will be chanting Haftorah.
Yom Kippur observance continues at 1:30pm in Oaks 205. Chaplain Janet Fuller will lead a discussion on “The Questions We Have.”
Yom Kippur Yoga and Reflection will be offered from 4:00 – 5:00pm in Oaks 207, led by Ginny Vellani, Hillel Development and Jewish Life Associate.
The Yom Kippur afternoon services, including the Torah service, Closing, and Ne’ilah services will begin at 5:15pm and will continue until 7:30pm in Oaks 207. Diana Abrahams ’13 and Spencer Kaplan ’15 will blow the shofar to mark the end of Yom Kippur.
Elon Hillel is offering a traditional break-fast meal at the conclusion of services. Thank you to the family of Jessie Solender ’14 for helping host the break-fast meal.
During Yom Kippur, Elon Hillel will offer the opportunity to do good works (gemilut hasadim) and create justice (tzedek) in our community by collecting food for the hungry in our community. Canned and non-perishable food items will be collected at all Yom Kippur services and meals.
For more information, contact Nancy Luberoff, Elon University Hillel Director.