It’s a new school year, which calls for plenty of new over at KU Hillel.
The biggest change is a brand-new location, moving Hillel from downtown Lawrence to merely feet from KU’s campus. This move makes a substantial positive impact on the Jewish experiences of Hillel students, with easy access to their home away from home.
Throughout the pandemic, KU Hillel turned to the word “hineni,” meaning here. It signified that KU Hillel is here for their students, for their community, and for Jewish life as a whole at KU. Now, with their new location at the HERE apartments, it feels “beshert,” meant to be.
This change in location — merely steps away from the Kansas Union — represents the needs of the next generation of KU Hillel students, Suzy Sostrin, executive director, said of Hillel’s new home at 1101 Indiana St.
“Our students will be able to drop by Hillel for snacks or studying just as easily as they can come to a Shabbat dinner,” Sostrin said. “This location gives us the opportunity to build upon the thriving Jewish community we have, just closer to campus.”
“KU Hillel continues to be the ‘home away from home’ for hundreds of Jewish students every year, and now we can engage even more,” she continued.
The first week back is never dull and sets the stage for the rest of the semester to come.
Kicking off the week are special welcome gifts for freshmen and treats for upperclassmen. If you know a Jewish freshman at KU, email Ally Fabes, Hillel program director, at so they get on the list.
August 25 is KU Hillel’s Block Party, an event with climbing walls, inflatable games, crafts, music and food, all on campus. This is a great way for new and returning students to meet friends and catch up with people they haven’t seen in months.
Later, students can swing by Hillel’s brand new space on August 26 at noon for a bite to eat and check out the new home.
The week concludes with Hillel’s Welcome Back Shabbat, a large Shabbat experience to kick off each semester. This on-campus hello provides students with a relaxed dinner and services, much needed after a hectic first week.
Just two weeks after that marks the start of the High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur planning is well underway for these outdoor gatherings — something KU Hillel is keeping in light of the increase of the delta variant of COVID-19 in the area.
Additionally, care packages to surprise your Jayhawk are still available forthe whole year or for Rosh Hashanah. Each care package (curated by Hillel) will be delivered before the holiday so students can enjoy the sweet treats and Jewish activities for the new year. Order one for the students in your life at www.linktr.ee/kansashillel.
