Ohio State Hillel to host second annual ‘Shabbat at The Shoe’ event Friday

Aria Garcia
Fri, 28 Mar 2025 03:59:55 +0000
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Ohio State students taking photos with Brutus Buckeye during Shabbat at the Shoe in 2024. Credit: Courtesy of OSU Hillel

For the second year in a row, Ohio State Hillel will host its annual “Shabbat at The Shoe” event, which will include a Kabbalat Shabbat prayer service on Ohio Stadium’s field Friday evening.

Shabbat at The Shoe is free for all Ohio State students, with tickets priced at $118 for non-student adults and $59 for children. Doors will open at 4:45 p.m., and the service will begin at 5:00 p.m. After the service, the event will move to the stadium’s suite level, where attendees can listen to speakers and enjoy a kosher meal, which will last until 8 p.m.

Ron Portman, campus rabbi and senior Jewish educator for Hillel, said Shabbat is a weekly holiday, during which students can attend Hillel to eat a meal, participate in a prayer service and celebrate the day of rest from Friday to Saturday evening. Portman said this specific event will showcase Shabbat on a larger scale for anyone interested in attending.

“We were looking for an opportunity to gather as many members of both the Jewish community, but really the broader Ohio State community,” Portman said.

Portman said he and the Hillel team wanted to make this year’s event larger than last year’s, with hopes of having more attendees. He also said the goal was to ensure the event was free for any Ohio State student who wants to participate, so Hillel invited community members to help support the event financially.?

Nate Grossman, Hillel’s director of external relations, said Shabbat at The Shoe is a great opportunity for Jewish students to convene and celebrate the weekly day of rest, while also promoting “Jewish pride.”

“It’s this amazing venue to have people come gather for this type of amazing event that really helps us promote Jewish joy and Jewish pride in a very open environment,” Grossman said.

Grossman said this event aims to bring those unfamiliar with the campus Jewish community into a climate of celebration and togetherness.

“I think the outpouring of support from the Ohio State community has been amazing, and it’s one of the reasons we think that Ohio State is such a great place for our Hillel,” Grossman said. “We love the students here; we love working with administration — just a really great place.”

Isaac Weiss, a fourth-year in history, said he is excited to be participating in the event as one of the co-presidents on Hillel’s student board. He said his role during the event is to show up with a smile and get excited to celebrate a year full of success.?

“It is an honor to help organize an event in the ‘Shoe — the home of champions — a place where I was lucky enough to make memories for the rest of my life,” Weiss said.

Though Weiss was not at last year’s event, he said he and the Hillel team are actively learning how to authentically engage students and provide an immersive experience on campus. In addition, he said he encourages any and all students to partake in Friday’s festivities.

“I am most looking forward to praying on the field, and maybe even catching a ball for a touchdown,” Weiss said.

Visitors will be able to take photos and have free time on the field before the service, Weiss said.

Grossman said Shabbat at The Shoe has reached maximum capacity at this time, but the Hillel team plans to find more seating for those still interested in attending. Students can contact shabbatattheshoe@osuhillel.org with questions regarding the event.