June 6, 2006

Dear Parents and Grandparents,

Harvard Hillel is facing a budget crisis that will affect the dining program available for all Harvard University undergraduate students.

As you may know, the cost of Harvard's meal plan does not cover the added expense of operating Harvard's only kosher kitchen here at Harvard Hillel. Students do not pay extra to eat here. All along, Harvard Hillel has been paying for this cost difference; however, we find ourselves in a budget crisis and can no longer afford to assume this responsibility. Harvard College has not and will not pick up the added cost which is why we are turning to you, to ask for your support in helping Harvard Hillel continue to provide our kosher food program. This program is central to making Hillel our home-away-from-home for your child or grandchild and hundreds of alumni. In order to maintain the quality and flexibility of this program, we must raise $75,000 by June 30, 2006.

Harvard Hillel's diing program serves as the foundation for much of our programmatic success in connecting Harvard's students to Jewish life on campus. Unlike other universities, Harvard Hillel's dining service is fully integrated into the University meal plan allowing students to come with their friends to our dining room, and also provide kosher food in the houses.

Harvard Hillel also subsidizes meals for a variety of events that students organize on campus. The results have been astounding:

- Shabbat dinners attract close to 200 students every week

- Social Action themed dinners attracted hundreds of students and this year raised money for the Katrina and the Tsunami Relife Funds;

- Shabbat 1000 attracted over 600 students to Harvard's Annenberg Hall to celebrate a traditional Sabbath meal;

- Twenty Passover Seders were conducted around campus, with Hillel providing the food and comprehensive "Seder kits" to support hundreds of students in celebrating Passover;

- Yom Kippur break-the-fast meals were held in various student houses around campus.

Harvard Hillel has never passed the extra cost of running a kosher kitchen and providing food for Shabbat, Holidays and student initiated programs on to Harvard students and their parents. We must now appeal to you, whose children and grandchildren have enjoyed and continue to enjoy the warmth of the Hillel community on campus, to make a difference. Please make a gift of $250 or more to Harvard Hillel's Meal Campaign.

On behalf of the students, thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Judy Herbstman, President
Undergraduate Steering Committee