HIGH POINT, N.C. — Editor's note: Video featured is about celebrating Hanukkah with anti-semitism still around today.
High Point University's (HPU) Jewish students shared their faith and Hanukkah traditions with the HPU community during the annual Hanukkah Shabbat Friday.
Hanukkah begins at sundown on Sunday, December 18 and concludes December 26 this year. The university holds the annual Hanukkah celebration for the entire campus community every year and lights a menorah on campus.
Per tradition, students, faculty and staff in the HPU Hillel community read the story of Hanukkah, recited prayers in Hebrew, learned to play the dreidel and served authentic Jewish food such as matzo ball soup, potato latkes, and sufganiyot, which are jelly donuts.
"Hanukkah at HPU continues to be a highlight of the academic calendar," HPU's Jewish life coordinator, Amy Epstein said. "As a celebration of a miracle and having light in the world, this is a joyful time for us all."
Julia Staffin, senior theater student and president of Hillel, shared why this Jewish holiday is so important to share with the HPU community.
"Hanukkah to me is all about coming together with people, teaching people traditions and having amazing food," Staffin said. "This is special to me because I grew up doing this and even though I was away from my family, our Hillel feels like family."
HPU's Hillel also created a menorah out of hundreds of canned goods they are donating to the David Frazier Food Pantry at Jewish Family Services.