In preparation for the winter holiday season, the Jewish Affinity Group (JAG) and Christian Student Coalition (CSC) engaged in a celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Whether it was sharing sufganiyot, a jelly-filled donut typically enjoyed during Hannukah, or decorating Christmas cookies, JAG and CSC provided fun-filled activities for affinity group members.
“[Decorating Christmas cookies] was a great way to spend time with the Christian community,” sophomore Paylin Barnes said. “It was so much fun listening to music and bonding with my friends.”
In CSC, seniors Claire Koehler and Jenna Travers organized the event to increase holiday spirit, according to Koehler. By sharing a beloved holiday with the affinity group, Koehler said they helped unite members.
“The celebration truly brought everyone closer together, and we all had so much fun,” Koehler said.
In addition to the bonding spirit of the event, Barnes said she felt that the celebration helped relieve stress during the overwhelming school weeks leading up to break.
“I think these meetings are so important,” Barnes said. “Getting to celebrate with the group really helped me get into the spirit, knowing that we are so close to the holidays.”
Along with the CSC celebration, JAG members also said they enjoyed the sense of community from their meeting. They shared traditional foods and made the latke posters for the annual holiday singalong on Friday, Dec. 20.
“I think it is important to bring together a community of Jewish students,” senior Sophie Fiedelman said. “And to be able to get together and celebrate a holiday that we all love, connecting with other students in different grades that share this, it is just so special.”
Bringing together a community that takes part in a celebration is a fundamental part of affinity groups, according to Fiedelman. She emphasized the importance of this time of the year, as students are able to connect with their peers while celebrating their favorite holidays.
“It is really important to have a space for Judaism at school,” sophomore Brielle Kommer said. “Because the religion is so based on community, having a group at school, you can just come to JAG and find community with them.”
Sophomore Lucy Kim echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that affinity groups allow students to find others like them and build relationships around their shared interests and identities.
“At school, sometimes it is harder to connect with people who have similar beliefs, but these affinity groups allow us to easily meet others who share the same ideas,” Kim said. “It is like building a community through our shared identity markers.”
