Hillels of Georgia Keeps Students Fed For Passover

By David R. Cohen | david@atljewishtimes.com

After Campus SuperStar raised over $100,000 for Hillels of Georgia, the organization was back to focusing on programming for Jewish students.

During Passover, the statewide group hosted seders for students at Emory, the University of Georgia, and Georgia Tech and Georgia State. Passover meal plans are available for students at UGA, Emory and Georgia Tech.

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“This was the first year that we’ve had a Hillel-sponsored seder for Georgia Tech and Georgia State students,” Hillels of Georgia Executive Director Rabbi Russ Shulkes said. “We had hoped to get around 10 or 15 people, but over 60 people signed up. For the meal plans at Georgia Tech, we have typically had 25 to 30 people per day that we provide free lunch to, but this year we have 65 signed up per day on average.”

Students at Emory also had an option for a seder and a meal plan. Emory Hillel offered a first-night seder that was attended by more than 130 students and was sponsored by pediatrics professor Raymond Schinazi, the director of the Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology. Students could sign up for free kosher-for-Passover lunches and dinners every weekday during Passover.

UGA Hillel hosted a first-night seder and offered a $36 Passover week meal plan that included breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“One thing that was special about this Passover is that it was on the weekend,” Rabbi Shulkes said. “We usually have around 250 people at (Emory’s) Marcus Hillel Center for seder, but around 80 students went home for seder since it was realistic for them to go just for the weekend.”