Students congregate for Yom Kippur

Between 500 and 1000 students are anticipated to attend each of the Yom Kippur services provided by the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center tonight and Thursday.\nAt 5 p.m. tonight, Hillel and McNutt Quad will begin the Yom Kippur holiday with a dinner before the fast begins. Students can attend a Conservative Jewish service or a Reform service at St. Paul Catholic Center, 1413 E. 17th St. Services are held at the Catholic center because more people attend the service than would fit in the Hillel Center.\n"We don't have enough room. It's one of the only places on campus that's big enough," said Rabbi Sue Shifron. "They've really been hospitable and welcoming and made it a really good experience to be there."\nShifron will be conducting the Conservative services while Michael Morgan will conduct the Reform services. Thursday morning, a combined service will be held. To end the holiday, Hillel will hold a closing service and a breaking of the fast dinner. \nFasting in Judaism is more than just refraining from drinking and eating; it is also no bathing, wearing ointments, wearing leather or having sexual relations, Shifron said.\nFreshman Josh Lorch said being away from home for the first year might make it more difficult to follow these restrictions considering the temptations of numerous food courts, but he still intends on following them.\n"It's a pretty serious day, and not doing that stuff helps you be more in a mood for spiritual reflection and repentance." Lorch said. "It will also be hard to fast with food courts and all that at a party school like Indiana." \nHowever, for experienced senior Andrew Goldfeder, fasting has not been difficult.\n"It's worth whatever sacrifice I need to make if it's only one time a year. So the benefits outweigh the costs," Goldfeder said. "Yom Kippur is the day of atonement so I look forward to starting a fresh new year with a clean mind, body and soul." \nOn Oct. 3, Rosh Hashana commenced a period of deep reflection leading to Yom Kippur. It is a time for faithful Jews to consider wrongs committed during the past year and make amends with those who were hurt by them. The period of reflection will end with a fast and prayer services on Yom Kippur for final atonement. \nFor Rosh Hashana, the Hillel Center conducted several services and a dinner.\n"I think people have appreciated (the Rosh Hashana events), and I think it's hard for students to be away from home, but overall I think we've had a pretty positive response," Shifron said.\nFreshman Inna Kolesnikova agreed that Rosh Hashana was a positive experience.\n"When I went to the services I got to see my friends there and the services were led really well. The service is a really good experience," Kolesnikova said. \nAny student is welcome to participate in Hillel's events if interested, though generally it is mainly Jewish students who attend. To find out more about times and dates of Hillel events, students can visit the Hillel Web site www.indiana.edu/~hillel.\n"You can sign up to be on our mailing list to see what's going on, or you can buy a discover Hillel card which can give you discounts at certain events and programs, but anyone's welcome to attend whether they're signed up or not," said Shifron.