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.
*Unless otherwise noted, all events will take place at Berkeley Hillel, 2736 Bancroft Way
Monday, 9/28
Bagel in the Sukkah, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Memorial Glade
Sukkot Schmooze & Learn with Rabbi Danny, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
Hummusiya – Shakshuka in the Sukkah, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, 9/29
Toast to Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
Torah on Tap (in the Sukkah), 8 – 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 9/30
Sukkot BBQ and Carnival, 6 – 7 p.m.
Thursday, 10/1
Challah for Hunger – Sukkot edition, 6 – 8 p.m.
Friday, 10/2
Pastries with HSB in the Sukkah, 9 – 11 a.m.
Shabbat in the Sukkah, 6 -9 p.m.
Sleepover in the Sukkah with HSB, 9 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Saturday, 10/3
Shabbat & Yom Tov Hours, 12 – 2 p.m.
A Night of Simcha: Simchat Torah at Berkeley Hillel, 6 – 10 p.m. (6 – 7 p.m. is a 21+ only simcha hour)
Sukkot invites us to step outside—literally and spiritually—and dwell for a time in a space that is both simple and sacred. During this weeklong Jewish holiday, Berkeley Hillel builds a sukkah on our deck, a temporary outdoor shelter with a roof open to the sky, recalling the fragile dwellings the Israelites used while journeying through the wilderness after the Exodus.
Gathering in the sukkah to eat, sing, learn, and welcome guests reminds us of the beauty of impermanence and the importance of gratitude. Sukkot is a holiday of presence and connection. An invitation to slow down, look up at the stars, and find meaning in shared moments.
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.
It is customary to celebrate Tu Bishvat, the New Year of the Trees, with a mystical seder of new fruits and spiritual reflections.
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.
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.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, a time for reflection, renewal, and gathering with your community. It marks the beginning of the Jewish year and invites us to look back on the year that has passed, consider the people and values that have shaped us, and imagine the year ahead. Traditions include hearing the shofar, eating apples and honey, sharing festive meals, and gathering for prayer and reflection.
At Berkeley Hillel, Rosh Hashanah is an opportunity for Jewish students to experience the holiday together and make it their own. Students gather for services, festive meals, and community programming in a warm, welcoming environment. Whether students grew up celebrating the High Holidays, are exploring Judaism for the first time, or are looking for a Jewish community away from home, Hillel offers a place to reflect, celebrate, connect, and begin the new year together.
Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is a time for reflection, repentance, and renewal. Traditionally, Jews spend the day praying and fasting, reflecting on the past year, seeking forgiveness, and considering how they want to live in the year ahead. The day concludes with the blowing of the shofar and a communal break-fast.
At Berkeley Hillel, Yom Kippur gives students a meaningful opportunity to pause from the pace of campus life and come together in community. Students participate in services, reflection, and other holiday programming throughout the day, with options that welcome a range of backgrounds and levels of observance. Hillel concludes the holiday with a communal break-fast, giving students a chance to reconnect over food and conversation as they begin the new year.
