As Eytan Kenter led the Kiddush Wednesday night students holding glasses of grape juice joined in with the prayer, their chanting voices filling the acoustical room.
The Hamotzi followed, with Kenter, a rabbinical student from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, tossing pieces of Challah to dinner tables at random with party members squealing and laughing.
The group was celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Students met at the MSU Hillel Jewish Student Center, 360 Charles St., at 6 p.m. Wednesday for religious services and dinner.
"My friends told me (to come)," said Michael Shapiro, a no-preference freshman. "I've heard a lot of great things about this place - great activities, services and food."
Although Rosh Hashanah is traditionally considered a family holiday, Hillel aims to provide a chance for students to partake in holiday traditions locally.
"We have a variety of services and festive meals," said Jennifer Stotter, a May graduate and program associate of Hillel. "We eat a lot of things that have apples and honey to symbolize a good sweet year ahead."
On Wednesday, the atmoshphere of the dinner party following services was jovial, with students talking and enjoying one of the holidays of their religion.
Services include reading of psalms from the Torah, the Jewish holy book, and blowing the Shofar, a hollowed ram's horn.
After the celebrations of Rosh Hashanah have died down, students who frequent Hillel will acknowledge Yamim Nora'im, the Days of Awe. The start of these days is signaled by the blowing of the Shofar and are spent repenting the sins of the past year and reflecting upon how to improve as a person.
During Yamim Nora'im, God decides the fate of each individual for the next year, said Jeff Lazor, Hillel program director.
"It's your actions during those 10 days (that) determine what kind of year you will have - a positive or negative," Lazor said. "You're inscribed in the Book of Life."
David Dworin, an international studies and political science senior, said the Book of Life is a metaphor or an abstract concept.
"It's an idea of seeking repentance of God for transgressions and it's his way of absolving you," Dworin said.
The meaning of these Days of Awe change as practitioners of the religion mature, Stotter said.
"We think, 'What can I do next year so I don't have to make these apologies' - looking forward to how to avoid them in the future," Stotter said. "It's making your own covenant with God."
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, signifies the end of the Yamim Nora'im, which is sealed with a final blowing of the Shofar.
About 150 students attended the celebrations last year at Hillel and the same number is expected again, Lazor said.
Hillel provides a feast before the traditional fast in order to prepare students for the day of prayer ahead.
"You're supposed to spend the whole day concentrating on asking forgiveness from God," Dworin said. "The fast is meant to allow you to completely focus the whole day."
