Jewish services help rebuild hope

Monday evening marked the beginning of Rosh Hashana for Jewish students throughout campus. The holiday, along with Yom Kippur, focuses on asking forgiveness for wrongdoings committed during the previous Hebrew year before the start of the new one. The prayer services conducted by the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center and the Chabad House reflected the nationwide concern over last week's terrorist attacks.\nMany students welcomed Rosh Hashana Monday night by attending dinners at Hillel and McNutt Quad. They were asked to donate to an emergency relief fund in response to last Tuesday's tragic events. \n"It's a mitzvah (commandment) to give tzedekah (money for charity) before the holiday," Hillel assistant director Josh Stein told dinner guests.\nFreshman Michael Tanney, who attended dinner at Hillel, said he felt the experience was a positive one.\n"The High Holiday period is where you start over," he said. "It's great that people had the opportunity to meet other students at dinner and cultivate new friendships for the new year."\nAfter dinner, an IU bus picked up students at every residence hall and transported them to and from St. Paul's Catholic Center, 1413 E. 17th St. \nProfessor of Jewish Studies Michael Morgan, who has led Reform services through Hillel for 22 years, opened the service by expressing sorrow about the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. \n"We've had experiences this past week that none of us will ever forget," Morgan said. "I can't think of a time when starting anew meant so much"