Hillel House opens doors to BU community

Members of the Boston University Hillel House have been spotted all over campus since students moved in last week passing out flyers, giving out T-shirts at Splash and running a booth on Marsh Plaza to recruit and inform students about the opportunities the new facility offers.

After years of planning and more than a year of actual construction, the new Hillel House opened last spring and officially welcomed students at an open house Wednesday.

The gathering took place at the new Florence & Chafetz Hillel House at 213 Bay State Road and gave students the opportunity to tour the new building.

Associate Program Director of Student Activities Seth Kroll expressed enthusiasm about the variety of offerings the new building boasts, including wireless internet, game tables and a J.P. Licks ice cream store in the lobby.

"The students are most excited for the multiple uses the new space offers," he said. "Students will be able to utilize the new features."

Student Board President Ari Dach said the programs have been trying to recruit freshmen and the new building has already made an impact on the Class of 2009.

"More freshmen have already registered than in the past and the Hillel website has had more hits this month than previous years," the College of Arts and Sciences senior said.

The Student Board's new advertising campaign targets new students to take part in activities at Hillel, Dach said.

The Board plans most of the house events and meets weekly to plan for the year. The Hillel House also employs interns, who are paid by the national Hillel organization, to help plan and coordinate events.

The welcome back party was the first major event and featured food, games, intramural sports sign-up and program information. Dach said a Sept. 25 charity run, set to beginning at the Harvard University Hillel House and finish at BU's house, will benefit homeless shelters around the area.

The night also gave an opportunity for new students to meet each other and get to know other students involved in Hillel, Kroll said.

"The party was completely the Student Board's idea. Everything - the food, the DJ and the moonwalk," he said.

CAS freshman Jess Haskin said she came to get to know the program and meet people who share her interests.

"I thought it'd be cool to have some friends that share my religion," she said.