After a stressful week of cramming for exams and staying up late writing essays, celebrating Shabbat offers students an opportunity to relax and feel welcomed by members of a community. The services give Tufts' 1,200 students of the Jewish faith, roughly 25 percent of the student body, the ability to observe this weekly holiday. But Shabbat services and dinners at Tufts are open to more than just Jewish Jumbos. Students from all walks of life take advantage of this opportunity to meet new people.
Students are given two options to celebrate the weekly holiday as Shabbat is held at both Hillel and the Chabad House. Every Friday evening and Saturday morning, Hillel provides prayer services in addition to a meal after the services end.
"Honestly, I started going because [my friend] went all the time," junior Chloe Dillaway said. "I enjoy the atmosphere and learning about the Jewish culture and the food is really great. It's a very warm environment, especially on a Friday night before your busy weekend and it's just a lot of fun."
Each week, the Chabad House also hosts a Friday evening service with a home−cooked meal that follows and a Saturday lunch. Rabbi Tzvi Backman leads the services, which include various traditions from lighting candles to signal the start of Shabbat to singing prayers for the food presented after services.
"Candle lighting takes place at different time every week and usually takes place 18 minutes before sunset. Because of daylight savings time, candle lighting starts much earlier in the day and now occurs at around four," Backman said. When asked whether students usually attend this ritual, he said that "students have come by in lesser numbers" due to the increasingly early time.
While the candle lighting may not be a crowded event, many students arrive at 6:45 for the prayer service. Beginning the Friday night service, the prayer "Kabbalat Shabbat," (meaning "the welcoming of Shabbat") is chanted by the congregants. During the typical service, "an assortment of tunes are sung and there is a strong presence of joy and fun times in the air," Backman said.
Food is another custom at Chabad, as each kosher meal is cooked by Rabbi Backman's wife Chanie.
"She even asks students to cook with her, which adds to a sense of community that the Chabad exudes," Backman said. "The two Jewish houses provide students with the opportunity to gather different types of people from around campus that you would otherwise not have the chance to meet."
Backman's main goal is to allow students to explore Judaism in a relaxed way and encourage Jews to be more actively involved in their religion.
"Creating an environment that is not pressured and judgmental and does not have any expectations allows for a rich experience. We have been quite successful in constructing a relaxing place. The consistence and growing attendance of the usual Friday night service is quite amazing," he said.
On average, about 50−60 students come every week for Shabbat. Backman said that the students that come to services are not usually the same and not everybody does Shabbat every week, adding that this means students are "always meeting new people every week." According to Backman, the number of students attending Shabbat has increased each year since he has been at Tufts.
"Over the past years there has absolutely been an increase in number of students that attend and will hopefully continue to grow," Backman said.
Freshman Daniel Bleiberg said that he usually goes to Hillel to celebrate Shabbat, but also has visited Chabad.
"I like to switch it up. The Chabad had a warm and welcoming atmosphere; they accept all types of Judaism, whether you are reform or conservative," he said.
Jewish Jumbos note that the welcoming atmosphere at Shabbat is extended to students of all faiths.
"I feel like there are a lot of non−Jews who go [to Hillel] every week and the rabbi is really welcoming of everyone," Dillaway, who is not Jewish, said. "I'm not really sure about people who sit at other tables, but my friends go that aren't Jewish and maybe 20 percent of my table is always non−Jewish. if not more."
This past September, freshman Ard Ardalan accompanied Bleiberg for Sushi Night at the Chabad House. Ardalan described himself as a Shiite Muslim by birth who has identified as an atheist his whole life. His experience at the Chabad was different from Shabbat dinners he has had in the past, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy it.
"I must admit that it was a pretty remarkable time. The host family was very nice and hospitable and seemed to be pretty close to many of the students present," Ardalan said. "I didn't quite know what to expect from a religious group offering free food, but I soon realized that Shabbat was about much more than that. The food was there to complement family−style guidance and celebration that students of faith find useful."
Although Chabad attracts a mainly Jewish following, Rabbi Backman said that the house has opened its doors to people of all faiths.
"The students that are not Jewish who come are curious and want to know what Shabbat is like. The Chabad presents a comforting environment that is also welcoming to all who want to join in our festivities," he said.
