UK Jewish Student Center to host campus Seders this weekend

Rabbi Shlomo Litvin of the Chabad of the Bluegrass addresses members of the UK and Lexington communities gathered in solidarity with UK’s Jewish community on Thursday, January 25, 2018 at the Jacobs Science Building on UK’s campus in Lexington, Ky. The Jewish Student center’s sign was forcibly removed in an act of vandalism early in the morning on Monday, Jan. 15, 2018. Photo by Arden Barnes | Staff

Sarah Simon Patches

This Friday begins the celebration of Passover for the Jewish community.

Also known as Pesach, the holiday has celebrated the Jewish people being redeemed from slavery in Egypt for over 3,300 years. This year, like many years before, the Jewish Student Center at the University of Kentucky will be hosting a Seder for students and members of the community to attend.

The Jewish Student Center is UK’s branch of Chabad on campus. Chabad is the largest Jewish organization in the world, serving over 250 campuses in all 50 states, and in over 100 countries, Chabad’s website shows. The Jewish Student Center hosts classes, services, and Shabbos and Holiday celebrations. They have hosted a Seder here on campus for five years.

“A Seder is a traditional meal that takes place on the first and second nights of the Jewish holiday of Pesach,” said Rabbi Litvin of the UK’s Jewish Student Center. “The meal includes unleavened bread called Matzah, bitter herbs, 4 cups of wine and a retelling of the Passover story of the Exodus.”

Passover is an eight-day-long celebration which begins this Friday at sundown. This is because the Jewish calendar is based on the moon, so a day begins when the sun sets.

UK’s Seder celebrations begin at  Friday at 8 p.m., and at Saturday at 9 p.m. The event will be held at the Jewish Student Center, which is located at 568 Columbia Avenue.

Students who are interested in attending the celebration should RSVP at ChabadBluegrass.com/Pesach or by emailing [email protected].