For most, Hanukkah means family gatherings with big meals surrounded by friends and family. Hanukkah celebrations look a little different for those at boarding school or college. This past week, I attended two Hanukkah events, both at my school and at another school. So here's a recap:

On Tuesday, my JSU drove to another school about 30 minutes away to attend their annual Hanukkah party. They hosted three other schools (including mine), and the night was filled with fun activities like Hanukkah Houses and Dreidel, as well as food like pizza, latkes, and gelt. Here are some pictures from Tuesday.

This past Friday, my JSU hosted a latke-making party at our Jewish faculty’s apartment (going to your teacher's houses at boarding school is super normal). We grated potatoes, added eggs and flour, and fried our latkes. They all came out super delicious-looking, perfectly golden brown, and no one got hurt in the process, which was a plus. We then lit the Shabbat candles, and then we all dug into our delicious latkes.

I know Hanukkah is on the 25th, but my school wanted to do something a little early for those who may not be at home during Hanukkah (like me) and educate others about the story of Hanukkah. We need to continue to connect with our Jewish heritage while away from home because, for many of us, there are not a lot of Jews in our school community. We also may be in a school where people don’t know much about Judaism, so it is nice to talk about our traditions and practices with others so they can learn, like how I learn about their culture. Connecting with my Jewish culture while at school is super important to me, and I am so glad I got to share my culture with my friends through fun activities and food.