This Fall 2021 the Jewish holiday season comes very soon at the start of the year, Rosh Hashanah begins the night after Labor Day, two weeks from the start of classes. And all the holidays fall mid-week which takes up a lot of days (in festive ways!) at the start of the semester.
Click on calendar image to enlarge the image or click here for the same handy half-page in a crisper PDF calendar view of the Jewish holiday season at UAlbany, all the prayers, festive meals and celebration at Shabbos House, this year all in the month of September 2021.
There is no cost to students for any holiday meals or prayers. There’s no dress code, no attendance, no expectations. Prayers are traditional but explained and student-centered and student-friendly.
These are wonderful times of Jewish celebration, student-centered and student-friendly, with good food, good friends, good times. Each holiday offers a special flavor and atmosphere and creates a special set of memories. Sukkot and Simchat Torah are especially rich in celebration, connection and are very memorable times at Shabbos House.
CLASSES ON THE HOLIDAYS
UAlbany does not give off for the holidays anymore, there will be classes on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, though some teachers may cancel. All faculty are notified that religious holidays (and they have a University list of them) are excused absences and if there are tests or such on those days students are very much entitled to ask to have them rescheduled.
Obviously, out of respect and courtesy, students should not tell this to the professor last minute, it is best that they are told of your observance dates and observance level at least a week or more prior.
Not all students observe the holidays the same way. Some will go home to be with family, some will miss class to attend services and holiday meals, some will attend class but not write or take tests – whatever your or your family’s observance level or style, this is something UAlbany is committed to respect.
If there should be any issues with any professor in this regard please contact Rabbi Mendel and the Deans Office and they will promptly address it.
ROSH HASHANAH 2021 AT UALBANY
All Rosh Hashanah prayer services and holiday meals will be at Shabbos House. In addition, there will be a quick and accessible Shofar Express with holiday treats at a Small Fountain campus table from 3-5pm each afternoon of Rosh Hashanah.
RSVPs are not required, but they are helpful so we can be best prepared, and recommended during Covid. Please use this ONLINE FORM link to RSVP for any/all of the Rosh Hashanah prayers & meals below.
FIRST NIGHT, MONDAY, SEPT 6:
Prayers 7pm, holiday dinner at 8pm (this is night of apple and challah dipped in honey, and eating pomegranate seeds etc, plus a full-course holiday meal)
FIRST DAY, TUESDAY, SEPT 7:
Morning Prayers 9:30am, Shofar 12pm, Lunch at 1:30pm followed by nearby neighborhood waterside Tashlich
Shofar Express & holiday treats at a Small Fountain table on Campus, 3-5pm
SECOND NIGHT, TUES NIGHT, SEPT 7:
Prayers 7:30pm, holiday dinner 8pm (on the second night we eat new and exotic “Shehechiyanu” fruits, plus a full-course holiday meal).
SECOND DAY, WEDNESDAY, SEPT 8:
Morning Prayers 9:30am, Shofar 12pm, Lunch at 1:30pm followed by nearby neighborhood waterside Tashlich
Shofar Express & holiday treats at a Small Fountain table on Campus, 3-5pm
Holiday ends 7:59pm. We’ll do a light meal and farbrengen to close out the holiday at approx 7pm.
Those observant of the Fast-of-Gedalia (on the day after Rosh Hashanah, this year Wednesday Sep 8th) the fast ends at 7:44pm. We’ll do “Kosher on Fuller” at 7:45pm that night.
YOM KIPPUR AT UALBANY
Yom Kippur services at UAlbany are a joint project of Shabbos House and UAlbany Hillel
YOM KIPPUR NIGHT, WED SEP 15:
Prefast Meal at Shabbos House 5pm-6:15pm
Kol Nidrei Prayers in Campus Center Assembly Hall at 6:50pm
YOM KIPPUR DAY, THURS SEP 16:
9:30am-2pm Morning Prayers in CC Assembly Hall
5:45pm Mincha Prayers in CC Assembly Hall
6:30pm Neilah Closing Service in CC Assembly Hall
7:45pm Yom Kippur Ends, Break-Fast By UAlbany Hillel
Please use this ONLINE RSVP FORM for Yom-Kippur and Yom-Kippur Week events. We do not hold you to your RSVPs but it is recommended during Covid and also helps us be best prepared.
SUKKOT
Sukkot is all about atmosphere! There are lots of meals in the Sukkah, opportunities to shake the Lulav and spend quality holiday time together.
Please, if you can, use this RSVP form for Sukkot Week events. We do not hold you to RSVPs but it is recommended during Covid, and also helps us be best prepared. Check off what you think you can/would like to come to, and come either way as it works for you!
Sukkot is filled with vibe and atmosphere! It is a special time of togetherness, uplift, good food and good times. It’s a light and chill holiday, pleasant and accessible, outdoorsy and nature-oriented, it has a really good feel to it. And it all leads up to the joyous Simchat Torah!
SUNDAY, SEP 19:
Sukkah Building BBQ 3:30pm-7:30pm
Hot Dogs, Burgers, Corn-Salad, Tri-Color Pasta Salad, and more
FIRST NIGHT IN THE SUKKAH, MONDAY SEP 20:
Holiday prayers 7:30pm, first dinner in the Sukkah 8pm
Challah & Dips, Soup & Salad, Pepper-Steak, Rice, Roasted Broccoli, Chocolate Chip Cookies…
FIRST DAY OF SUKKOT, FIRST LULAV SHAKE, TUESDAY SEP 21:
Prayers 10am, with Lulav & Etrog, followed by holiday lunch in the Sukkah 12:30pm
Challah, Shnitzel & Salad Bar, Make-Your-Own Salad with toppings, dressings & more, Peanut-Butter Bars etc.
SECOND NIGHT OF SUKKOT, TUESDAY SEP 21:
Holiday prayers 7:30pm, 8pm dinner in the Sukkah
Challah & Dips, Olive-Chicken, Broccoli Quiche, Pumpkin-Pie, S’mores Pie
SECOND DAY OF SUKKOT, WEDNESDAY SEP 22:
Prayers 10am, with Lulav & Etrog, followed by holiday lunch in the Sukkah 12:30pm
Challah & Dips, Salmon, Sushi-Salad, Diced Sweet Potatoes, Cookies & Ambrosia
Light meal at 6:30pm
Havdalah and holiday ends 7:34pm
Sukkot is a long holiday, but its middle/intermediate days are more like weekday days of the holiday.
LOOK FOR SUKKAH BIKE ON CAMPUS
Making its rounds on Thursday and Friday, flag us down or schedule us for accessible Lulav shakes!
SHABBAT DINNER IN THE SUKKAH, FRIDAY NIGHT, SEP 24:
Always a special night in the Sukkah, 7pm prayers, 8pm dinner in the Sukkah
Challah & Dips, Chips Salad, Garlic Pasta, Hot Cider, Roast Beef/Brisket, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, + Special 10th Birthday for Esther Miriam!
SHABBAT DAY OF SUKKOT, SAT SEP 25:
Prayers 10am (no Lulav on Shabbat), Lunch in the Sukkah at 12:30pm
Challah & Dips, Gefilte Fish, Salad, Cholent, Deli-Roll, Rugelach and more
Shabbat ends 7:28
Pizza in the “Hut” (Sukkah) 9pm
SUNDAY SEP 26, MORE LULAV, SUKKAH PARTY… And Axe-Throwing, too
Minyan Bagel Brunch with Lulav and Hoshanot, 11am
Axe-Throwing, Lulav Shakes, Food and more at Sukkah Party 12:30-3pm
Hoshana Rabba Late Night in the Sukkah 9:30pm
HOSHANA RABBA, LAST DAY FOR LULAV, MONDAY SEP 27:
Hoshana Rabba Prayers TBA.
But it doesn’t end here and goes straight into the finale of Shemini Atzeret and SIMCHAT TORAH! (see next tab)
These incredibly special and opportune 48 hours (of Shemini-Atzeret and Simchat-Torah) climax the whole long holiday season, that climaxes everything that began on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and takes it spiraling both upwards & downwards to totally new levels that spin off off into the whole year!
Friends don’t let friends miss Simchat Torah (especially Tuesday night… even if you/they can only come for a short while). It’s a once-a-year type celebration, an incredible ourpouring of the joys of Judaism and of being Jewish. We dance with our feet (any old way, fancy steps not required) and closed Torahs, Simchat Torah celebrates the heritage, the core connection, it’s not about knowledge or specifics.
MONDAY NIGHT 9/27:
SHEMINI ATZERET, LAST DINNER IN SUKKAH
Prayers & mini-Hakafot 7pm, 8pm last holiday dinner in the Sukkah
Salad, zucchini soup, meatballs & spaghetti, roasted cauliflower, etc…
TUESDAY 9/28:
SHEMINI ATZERET DAY
Prayers 10am followed by 12:30pm the last lunch in the Sukkah
Pita & Falafel, fries, salad-bar, stuffed cabbage, etc.
TUESDAY NIGHT, SEP 28:
****SIMCHAT TORAH NIGHT!****
The Big Night of Lively Spirited Jewish Celebration!
Don’t miss it – even if you can only come for a short 15 minute or half-hour window, come anytime between 8:30pm and 11:30pm… 8:30pm Hakafot dancing start, hopefully until midnight! Food buffet all night, dancing, singing, uplifting vibe and energy, annual collectible souvenir. TBH, especially from a Chabad lens, the SImchat Torah celebration is more of a celebration of the Jewish people and our core essential connection to G-d, the Torah and our heritage, than it is about the Torah or any of its particular teachings..
Prayers and Ata Horaya 7:30pm, Hakafot Dancing and Buffet starts 8:30pm
eggrolls, bourekas, franks & blanks, sesame chicken, rice, matzah-ball soup, mocktails, veggie-platters, desserts and more….
WEDNESDAY, SEP 29:
SIMCHAT TORAH DAY,
9:30am Prayers, more Hakafot, reading, completing and restarting the Torah cycle… Lunch by 2pm
Holiday ends (and with this the whole long holiday season) at 7:22pm
Subs/deli sandwiches, kugels, and Kiddush buffet etc…
Sukkah Take-Down…
To RSVP for the last 48 hours of the holiday season, or parts of it, please use this online form. Thank you!
Rosh Hashanah prayers and festive meals will all be at Shabbos House. Yom Kippur prayers will be in the Campus Center Assembly Hall with pre-fast at Shabbos House and Break-fast by Hillel in the Campus Center. All Sukkot holiday meals and prayers climaxing with the joyous Simchat Torah will be at Shabbos House.
Stay tuned for updates and details – best way to get the full info is to be on the weekly student email list from Shabbos House. The Shabbos House Whatsapp student list is also helpful way to keep informed with any last minute updates or changes and such (especially in this Covid period).