Hillel Executive Board held their first Shabbat service of the spring semester on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Center of Spiritual Life. Traditionally, Shabbat services are held every Friday night to welcome in the Sabbath, the day of rest, but the Hillel Executive Board has been sponsoring public services once a month. The Jewish Life Coordinator, Lance daSilva, led the service, along with junior Alex Alfonso. At the service, 17 songs from a reformed Jewish psalm book were sung, with most of them being specific songs for the Shabbat. Part of the service consists of lighting two candles and letting them burn all the way down while doing a blessing over the wine and challah (traditional Jewish bread). Thirteen people, mostly DePauw students, attended the event where they also discussed that week's Torah portion and it's meaning.
After the service, attendees ate a meal consisting of rotisserie chicken, salad and matzo ball soup. Almost all of the people in attendance were males, who wear yarmulkes. In Judaism, covering one's head denotes a sign of respect.
