Religious Holidays

Explore how we celebrate the Jewish holidays below. These celebrations may change from year-to-year at the discretion of the WCJA board.


Shabbat: 

  • Shabbat evenings are the heart of the Jewish community at Williams and allow the JRC to welcome many through its doors. Every Friday, students gather to cook Shabbat dinner. There are student-led services each week. We welcome the Williams community to our home-cooked kosher Shabbat dinner where we typically serve 80-120 people each week.
  • Friday night services (6pm, weekly)
  • Shabbat dinner (7:15pm, weekly)
  • Shabbat lunch (weekly)
  • Havdallah

High-Holiday Services:

  • 1st and 2nd day Rosh Hashanah services
  • Kol Nidre, Yom Kippur morning, Tashlich, and Maariv services
  • Catered meals for Erev Rosh Hashanah and Break-the-Fast in the Faculty House
    Our beautiful Sukkah!

Sukkot:

  • Building of the Sukkah
  • Dinner and other events throughout the week

Simchat Torah:

  • Service and party

Hanukkah:

  • All-day latke making
  • Hanukkah party with dreidels, latkes, apple sauce, and lots of good company
  • Candle-lighting all eight nights

Tu Bishvat:

  • Casual gathering with a wide-variety of fruits to eat

Purim:

  • Megillah reading
  • Brunch and spiel

Pesach (Passover):

  • Passover Seder 1st and 2nd night
  • Kosher-for-passover meals throughout the week of Pesach

Yom HaShoah:

  • Reading names of those lost at Paresky