The Greek Jewish Council celebrated new beginnings at Nick’s English Hut on Tuesday night. Not only was the event in observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, but it was also the first time the council has celebrated the holiday with a social event.
Helene G. Simon Hillel Center employee Jess Goldblatt said Rosh Hashanah literally means “the head of the year” and includes the tradition of dipping an apple in honey as a symbol of sweetening the new year.
Although the members of the GJC ate pizza instead of apples, the leaders of the executive board each shared what the holiday meant to them.
“We’ve had social events for Hanukkah and other things like that, which have been at other chapter houses, but this is something that has been really great to celebrate Rosh Hashanah,” said Ashley Cohen, executive board member of the council. “Just as a way to get people from different chapters involved.”
Cohen said she first became involved in the organization because she wanted to be a part of the greek Jewish community.
“I’m involved with other affiliated groups on campus, but this was a place for me to partake in Jewish events, especially being in a non-Jewish affiliated house,” she said. “There aren’t as many Jewish students in my chapter, so it’s been a really fun time to have common things to celebrate and do them socially.”
Cohen said the GJC restarted just four years ago after a period of inactivity. Now a senior, Cohen said she has enjoyed watching the council grow.
“I was a liaison in the past for my sorority Phi Mu, so I would let all of the girls in my chapter know what events were going on so that was my primary role,” she said. “Some of the people have been involved in the organization since it started up again a few years ago, so it’s crazy that we’re seniors now and it’s pretty exciting stuff.”
Cohen said the GJC is one of our student board leaders within Hillel. She said she, along with Goldblatt, helped plan the event at Nick’s.
Goldblatt said he is excited to get to know the students in the organization and to become a part of the Jewish community in Bloomington. He said the goal of the GJC is to bolster participation in greek life.
“To see that regardless of what greek house they’re a part of, beneath that is their Jewish roots and we all have a commonality in that,” he said. “Students should be aware of that and the Greek Jewish Council provides those opportunities in a fun way.”
Cohen also said the group creates a way for greek Jewish students to celebrate their shared heritage in a fun way.
“So we try to relate the things to be social and interactive but also have some type of Jewish meaning to it,” she said. “But, to be part of the club, I want to reiterate that you do not have to be Jewish, it’s really just a place to have fun with friends.”
