Jewish events welcome new, returning students

As students return to campus for the start of a new school year, it can be difficult to find a niche in all of the hustle and bustle of classes, friends and social activities. This is especially true for first-year students. Through the plethora of welcome activities, the Jewish community provides several opportunities for students to meet new people or to see some familiar faces. These welcome back activities are "a great way for Jews to meet people on campus," said Scott Gross, a sophomore business major.

Students had the opportunity to meet and interact with other Jewish students and enjoy a sweet treat at the same time at the ice cream social hosted by Hillel on La Plata Beach.

On Sept. 3, the Jewish Student Union hosted their annual Welcome Back Bar Night. The event featured free food and drink specials at Thirty Turtle.

The event was advertised as 18 and over so "freshmen could come out, get information about JSU and just get excited," said Lila Rosenbloom, a sophomore Jewish Studies and environmental education major.

The most advertised and probably highest attended event was held on Thursday, Sept. 4. Hillel's Welcome Back BBQ drew a huge crowd of both new and returning students. The outdoor event featured a table fair where students could collect information about various
Jewish student groups and campus opportunities

For those searching for a place to meet new friends with a common bond, the BBQ proved a success.

"Hillel is a great place for people to meet each other, especially being a new student," said freshman letters and science major Mya Vardi.

While meeting new friends can be exciting, reuniting with old friends can be a nice perk to welcome back events as well.

"I got to see a lot of my friends that I didn't get to see over the summer," said sophomore hearing and speech major Allison Copeland. "It's been a really great welcome back experience.