FAQ about Jewish life at Binghamton
Hello. I'm a prospective student, new student, old student, parent, human being, etc. What's your name?
Shalom. For those of you who don't know me already, my name is Hannah "I'm a walking hazard to myself" Siegel. But that's a different story. I am too lazy (actually too busy) to explain my extreme klutziness to you, so for more information on that topic just read my article in last year's final issue of Hatikvah, Hillel's monthly cultural journal.
Nice to meet you. So, how many Jews are there on campus?
We make up roughly one-fourth of the student population. That's a lot of Jews. I was asked to write the 411 of Judaism on campus. Well folks, that is not a difficult job because Judaism is literally infused in life at Binghamton.
What kind of religious programming is there for different denominations of Judaism?
We here at Binghamton have many options for all sects of Judaism. Hillel's Orthodox committee sponsors daily mincha and ma'ariv minyanim. On Friday night Hillel sponsors Reform and Conservative services followed by a delicious, home-cooked Shabbat meal. We have chicken and vegetarian stuffed cabbage, but if you are not enticed by that we have, drumroll please...amazing kosher brownies! They're pareve, so even I, the IBS, lactose intolerant, dairy deprived girl, can eat them. And they are scrumptious. They are the cherry on top of my cake at the end of the night on Friday. But enough about the food. We have amazingly friendly Jewish people who come to these dinners. I actually met the majority of my friends here at Hillel. So come yourself, bring your friends (we won't turn anyone away, even if they're not Jewish), bring your pet goldfish, etc.
Is there kosher food available besides the meals at Shabbat services?
Yes. Binghamton has a Kosher Kitchen that is open seven days a week for all meals and is part of the regular dining plan. If you want to get a discount you can become a member and work a weekly shift. It's the only place on campus that serves tofu stir-fry, spaghetti and meatballs, and knishes. And it's all-you-can-eat.
What about other ways of getting involved in Jewish life on campus?
Hillel offers a variety of events and programs, including, at risk of openly promoting my favorite one, Hatikvah, a supercool Jewish journal on campus. Another program of particular interest to freshmen, transfers, and those of you still in high school is FYSH (First Year Students of Hillel). Big FYSH (upperclassmen) are paired with Little FYSH (the new ones) to show them around Hillel with TV nights, Walmart runs, and other fun events. We also have the Sports Committee for all the athletic people out there, opportunities for community service, and plenty of other programming areas listed here (link to programming areas).
What happens on campus for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
Since we have such a large Jewish population the school closes for these two holidays, as well as at least the first two days of Pesach. As long as the dorms stay open (sometimes the dorms close for longer holidays attached to weekends) Hillel offers a complete schedule of services and meals. The lecture hall turns into a synagogue for the High Holy Days, and it's fuller than it is during class.
My parents want me to meet a nice Jewish boy or nice Jewish girl. What should I tell them?
You can tell your parents that there are plenty of nice Jewish boys and girls here at Binghamton. Your parents will be happy to hear it, and I can tell you (based on a general consensus among my friends) that you'll be happy too.
Anything else I should know?
Well, to end my spiel about Jewish life, being Jewish and going to Binghamton is a fun time and I invite you to enjoy it here as best as you can, especially those brownies.