Jewish Calendar at Berkeley Hillel
Celebrate throughout the year with Berkeley Hillel!
There’s always a seat at our Shabbat table, and you’ll find us here at Hillel every Friday. For all other holidays, come back to this page to stay connected throughout the year.
Holiday Highlight:
Purim
Purim celebrations all week!
Monday, March 10, 6 p.m.: Hamantaschen Bake – Hummusiya x Challah collab
Join Hummusiya and Challah for Hunger to make hamantaschen and kickoff a week of Purim celebrations at Berkeley Hillel! Hamantaschen will be sold following the event to raise money for resource security and mutual aid in Israel.
Wednesday, March 12, 6 p.m.: Mishloach Manot at Jewish Community BBQ
The Hillel Student Board will have a table in the lobby to make mishloach manot to give your friends for Purim. Mishloach manot are gifts of food you give your friends and family to celebrate Purim.
Thursday, March 13, 8 p.m.: Megillah reading and Purim Carnival!
As the fast of Esther ends at 7:47pm, join Berkeley Hillel for a night of food, fun, and festive storytelling! Come in costume as we eat, laugh, and hear Megillat Esther. Enjoy a bouncy house, yummy treats, a costume contest. Best costumes will receive prizes! Don’t miss the blowout of the Jewish year!
Friday, March 14, 11 a.m.: Purim Brunch & Megillah
Join us for the mitzvot of enjoying a festive Purim meal and hearing the megillah read! You partied hard with us on Erev Purim. Come by for bagels and coffee to be served with all the fixin’s. At noon, we’ll read the megillah!
Friday, March 14, 4:30 – 6 p.m.: Purim Beer Garden in the Courtyard!
The Talmud teaches us that on Purim, we should drink (responsibly) until we can’t tell the difference between Mordechai and Haman. So, as we transition from Purim to Shabbat, seniors, grad students, and other 21+ students are invited to gather for a festive evening of drinks (alcoholic and NA options), soft pretzels and bar snacks, games, and Purim learning in our courtyard-turned-beer garden.
September 22-24, 2025
Every fall, as students return to campus, we celebrate the Jewish season of return as well in the months of Elul and Tishrei. Around Rosh Hashanah, students enjoy opportunities for reflection, learning, and connection as we prepare for the Jewish new year. We bake apple cake, set intentions, and get in the mood with High Holiday melodies. On Rosh Hashanah, students participate in traditional and reform-style services, take part in our annual tashlich on campus, and gather around delicious festive holiday meals here at Hillel.
October 1-2, 2025
After participating in opportunities for community service and reflection during the Ten Days of Teshuva, the eve of Yom Kippur brings students together for our pre-fast meal. Our building buzzes in the final moments before the fast as we light candles and begin our traditional and reform-style Kol Nidre services. On the day of Yom Kippur, students join for spirited song and prayer, relax in our building, and enjoy board games before we join together for a community-wide afternoon and Neilah service. At the end of a long day, students burst into song and dance after the final shofar blast before Havdalah and a bountiful bagel break-fast in our courtyard.
October 6-14, 2025
Our Sukkah goes up on our deck each fall, built jointly and lovingly by students and staff. The Hillel Student Board decorates the space and organizes opportunities for the community to gather in our temporary dwelling. Students enjoy festive holiday meals beneath the stars, as well the opportunity to shake the lulav and hang out in the Sukkah all weeklong. You can also find our mini traveling Sukkah out on campus, where staff greet students on their way to and from classes. At the end of Sukkot, we invite the community to sing and dance as we celebrate Simchat Torah and the end of the High Holiday season.
December 14-22, 2025
We love when Hanukkah comes early so we can celebrate before saying goodbye to students as they head out on winter break! Each night, we gather in the Hillel lobby to light candles, sing together, and enjoy the light. And you can always count on eating plenty of latkes when around Hillel for Hanukkah.
February 12-13, 2025
It is customary to celebrate Tu Bishvat, the New Year of the Trees, with a mystical seder of new fruits and spiritual reflections.
On February 12th after BBQ, join Berkeley Hillel in the Beit Midrash as we ground ourselves in ancestral wisdom and renew our connection to the Earth as responsible caretakers.
March 13-14, 2025
Our students love celebrating Purim on campus! Students engage in the four mitzvot of Purim – hearing the megillah, eating a festive meal, giving gifts to the poor, sending goodies to friends – in unique and accessible ways. Student volunteers read from the megillah and everyone comes in costume for a night of Jewish joy and silliness.
April 12-20, 2025
On Seder night, our building is packed as hundreds join us to retell the Exodus of our people. Students participate in one of five annual seders, each offering a unique experience and take on our traditional ritual. Whether you’re looking for a seder like your family used to do, a social justice-oriented take, or even entirely in Hebrew, we’ve got you covered. Throughout Pesach, students enjoy hot Kosher for Pesach meals all week long. Plus, our kitchen is always stocked with matzah pizza supplies, an annual favorite cuisine for our community.
