dessert on plate

Chapman Hillel welcomes a sweet Rosh Hashanah with apples and honey

Chapman University’s Hillel satisfied a sweet tooth and rung in the Jewish New Year Wednesday evening with their “Apples and Honey” event to celebrate the beginning of Rosh Hashanah

Chapman University’s Hillel satisfied a sweet tooth and rung in the Jewish New Year on Wednesday evening with “Apples and Honey,” an event to celebrate the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the first of the Jewish High Holy Days that occur in the fall. Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, completes the period and this year begins on Oct. 3.

Students enjoy challah bread and decorate apples with sweet toppings during Hillel's Rosh Hashanah party.
Students enjoy challah bread and decorate apples with sweet toppings during Hillel’s Rosh Hashanah celebration.

Hillel students and others decorated apples with honey, chocolate chips, frosting, nuts and even Oreo cookie crumbles. These decadent treats represented the traditional apples and honey that are served on Rosh Hashanah.

“We dip apples in honey to signify a sweet new year,” said Ashley Kaplan ’15, director of Jewish Living for Holidays for Chapman Hillel.

Nicole Blitstein ’16 was particularly grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate the holiday on campus.

“Rosh Hashanah is a time when you celebrate with your family and friends. At Chapman, with Hillel, I feel comforted and at home,” Blitstein said.

Though the celebration was relocated at the last minute to Argyros Forum because of a gas leak near the Fish Interfaith Center, the evening started off smoothly with a get-acquainted ice breaker and was followed by a short service with prayers facilitated by Kaplan and other members of the executive board for Chapman Hillel.

Students shared their favorite Rosh Hashanah songs and proceeded to tuck into the apples and toppings. The event attracted many Chapman students, and even some from the nearby University of California, Irvine, and California State University, Fullerton. Kaplan explained the large turnout, saying, “As a Jewish community, we don’t close our door to anyone.”

Chapman Hillel is also planning events for Yom Kippur, which begins the evening of Friday, Oct. 3, as well as Sukkot, which begins the evening of Oct. 8. To learn more, visit the Fish Interfaith Center website.

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