For the past few years, Bianca Nachmani celebrated the Jewish new year with her family in Philadelphia.
Every Fall, the UF political science freshman and her family would celebrate Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, where they would come together to celebrate and reflect.
But this year, Nachmani,18, prayed and celebrated nearly 1,000 miles away from home.
She was one of several freshmen who joined the celebration at Lubavitch-Chabad, a Jewish community center on Northwest Fifth Avenue, looking to celebrate the holiday and find a new Jewish community in Gainesville.
"I heard it was welcoming here," she said. "I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things."
Several groups of friends stood together before services began.
Brad Lazar, a 19-year-old UF computer science sophomore, said his sister went to Lubavitch-Chabad when she was a student at UF, and he was hoping to find the same community she did.
"I grew up in Tampa and didn’t really know any Jewish people," he said. "It’s easier to meet more here in a more established community."
A large group of girls stood to his left. Almost all of them were from New York and couldn’t return home to celebrate.
"I’m looking forward to feeling like we’re home," said Jamie Goldstein, an 18-year-old UF finance freshman celebrating her first Rosh Hashana without her family.
About 450 people sat in the synagogue for services, with boys on one side of the room and girls on the other.
Boys wore orange-and-blue kippahs on their heads and button-down shirts and ties. Girls wore dresses.
Rabbi Berl Goldman led the sermon, referencing important passages in the Torah as he spoke. A rabbi beside him rocked backward and forward, leading the room in song.
"We pray for a better time for the whole world," he said after the services. "Rosh Hashana is a good time to pray for that — personal things, health, relationships and needs for the whole year."
The men and women then mingled for dinner.
The dinner cost about $10,000, Goldman said. Funding comes from alumni and other supporters, and Lubavitch-Chabad raises close to $1 million per year for its programs.
At UF Hillel, Rabbi Adam Grossman said between dinner and services, more than 400 community members celebrated as one.
The UF Hillel staff took a new approach, hosting a dinner before busing attendees to one of two synagogues: B’nai Israel, a conservative denomination, and Shir Shalom, a Reform denomination.
Grossman said he hoped this approach would inspire unity within Gainesville’s Jewish community.
"You have this student population and this general population that exists, and they don’t typically interact," he said. "We want to give an opportunity to bridge that space so students and community members can come together as one to worship together."
Brett Dembrow, a UF business freshman, celebrated Rosh Hashana at UF Hillel for the first time.
Dembrow, 18, said he was excited for the opportunity to attend the service at Shir Shalom.
"I think it’s good they’re trying to integrate the young community with the rest of Gainesville," he said.
Both centers will continue to hold observations of the holidays today and Tuesday and will also hold Yom Kippur services next week for anyone interested.
"Just like the doors to heaven are open to all," Goldman said, "our doors are open to all."
Contact Brooke Baitinger at bbaitinger@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @BaitingerBrooke
Students and community members gather at Lubavitch-Chabad Jewish Student & Community Center for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, on Sept. 13, 2015. About 450 people celebrated together with apples and honey, a traditional part of Rosh Hashanah.
