Congratulations on your acceptance to Penn! New Student Orientation (NSO) is a magical week of fun, exciting, and informative activities on campus. Although you will be bombarded with new information about your school, fear not— Hillel is here to make the first couple of weeks easy and fun.

No matter what type of Jew you are, Penn Hillel has a whole slew of NSO activities to help you take full advantage of Jewish life on campus and ease into life in your new home. We kick off on Friday with a festive Shabbat dinner that you don’t want to miss, and then Saturday we’ll be celebrating Israel with snacks and information about Hillel’s organized birthright trips at various locations throughout campus. Stop by Hillel late Sunday night for chocolate chip-, strawberry-, or blueberry-pancakes doused in syrup and topped with whipped cream for a breakfast feast under the stars. Meet Jews of every flavor at our Bagel Brunch on Tuesday morning, and then end the week at our annual BBQ the following Sunday with live music and food hot off the grill.

As NSO Chairs, we’re here to make sure that your transition to Penn and its Jewish community is smooth and exciting. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to give a shout out, don’t hesitate to write. And when you arrive on campus, we hope to see you— whether you’re dead set on being active in Jewish life, or just feel like chilleling out. Our goal during NSO is to show off everything that Hillel has to offer so that, ultimately, you can Jew what you want!

Your dedicated Hillel NSO Co-Chairs,

Lani Feingold-Link and Evan Schoenbach

PS - For up-to-date NSO info, become Hillel NSO '09's Facebook Friend!

Hillel NSO 2009 Schedule

Click here to download our postcard with the NSO schedule

Wednesday, September 2nd: Early Move-In Receptio
7:00 PM Hillel welcomes new students and their families to come celebrate the beginning of a great year at Steinhardt Hall, delicious desserts included 

Thursday, September 3rd: Welcome Tables outside the Upper Quad Gate
11:00 AM-3:00 PM Take a break from unpacking to meet the Hillel NSO committee and pick up a full schedule of the week’s events

Friday, September 4th: Shabbat Festivities
6:30 PM Walking groups leave from Hill (see red arrow in image below) and the Upper Quad gate to make it to Hillel before services
7:15-8:30 PM Shabbat services for every flavor of Jew (friendly Hillel NSO committee members will be around to help you find where you’ll be most comfortable)
8:30-10:00 PM Shabbat dinner in Steinhardt Hall’s kosher dining center including a welcome by Hillel’s exuberant rabbis, delicious desserts, and an a capella performance by the Shabbatones

**(everyone’s welcome for dinner, even if you don’t feel like coming to services!)

Saturday, September 5th: Israeli Snacks/Birthright Celebration AND Walking Groups to the Art Museum
1:30-3:00 PM Stop by a table outside Irvine auditorium on Wynn Commons or by the Compass (37th and Locust) for some delectable Israeli-themed treats and pick up information about Hillel’s free trips to Israel
5:15 PM Walking groups leave from outside Hillel to go to the Penn NSO Art Museum event

Sunday, September 6: Midnight Pancake  Breakfast
10:00 PM-1:00 AM Hillel’s open late to flip up some fun and satisfy your after-hours cravings with hot-off-the-griddle pancakes topped with strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, syrup, and whipped cream

Tuesday, September 8th: Bagel Brunch
9:30 AM-11:00 AM Schmooze over bagel and schmear on the 2nd floor of Steinhardt Hall and get to know students involved in a variety of Hillel activities

Sunday, September 13th: Barbeque and Activities Fair
5:30 PM-7:30PM We’re rolling out the grills while you learn about all that the 20+ different Hillel groups have to offer (free with a Jewish Activities Card or $5 admission)