For Jewish KU students, local Rosh Hashana celebrations make Lawrence feel like home

Rosh Hashana celebrations in Lawrence

KU Chabad, Kansas Room, sixth floor of Kansas Union, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd.

• Wednesday at 7 p.m.: Service followed by dinner.

• Thursday at 10 a.m.: Morning service

• Thursday at 11 a.m.: Children’s program

• Thursday at 11:45 a.m.: Blowing of shofar

• Thursday at 1 p.m.: Holiday lunch

• Thursday at 3 p.m.: Tashlich at Potters Lake, north of Memorial Drive

• Thursday at 8:30 p.m.: Dinner

• Friday at 10 a.m.: Morning service

• Friday at 11 a.m.: Children’s program

• Friday at 11:45 a.m.: Shofar sounding

• Friday at 1 p.m.: Holiday lunch

Services and meals are open to the community but RSVPs are requested at RSVP at www.jewishku.com/holidays/rosh-hashana. There is no charge, but donations are welcome.

KU Hillel, 722 New Hampshire St.

• Wednesday at 7 p.m.: Erev Rosh Hashana services and reception

Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation, 917 Highland Drive

• Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.: Erev Rosh Hashana service

• Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Rosh Hashana service

• Thursday at 2:15 p.m.: Children’s service at Burcham Park, 200 Indiana St.

• Thursday at 2:45 p.m.: Tashlich at Burcham Park

• Thursday at 7:30 p.m.: Evening service

• Friday at 9:30 a.m.: Second day of Rosh Hashana service

Kansas University sophomore Rebeka Luttinger says one of the main reasons she chose to come to KU was its large, active Jewish community. The Dallas native knew the university would, in a sense, be like a home away from home.

“When you come to college, everybody is questioning what clubs they’re going to belong to, or what organizations they’re going to like, or what they’re going to be involved in,” said Luttinger, a 19-year-old journalism major. “Coming to KU, I knew there was a large Jewish population, and I knew there were two Jewish organizations on campus that I was going to be involved in.”

KU’s roughly 2,000 Jewish students, as well as the Jewish community in Lawrence as a whole, will have plenty of opportunities to celebrate Rosh Hashana later this week. KU Chabad, KU Hillel and the Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation are all having activities to kick off the Jewish new year, which is Thursday.

“We believe that in the Jewish tradition it is not only the start of the year, it’s also called the head of the year,” said Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel of KU Chabad. “We believe that this 48-hour period actually captures within itself the entire potential of the year. That’s why it’s a very special time to gather together with family and friends and the community to celebrate, through prayer and reflection and eating and celebration. It’s a very powerful, spiritually charged day.”

Annabella Zighelboim, a sophomore applied sciences major, said the local celebration makes her feel like she’s back home with family in Eau Claire, Wis.

“Rosh Hashana in Lawrence is so special because you’re surrounded by so many Jewish college students who share the same love for Judaism and passion toward the holidays,” she said. “Everybody celebrates together and makes it as ‘homey’ as possible, with a delicious homemade brisket dinner and good company.”