Released September 25, 2009

(Columbia, MD) – On Monday, October 5, 2009 from 12:30 to 2 p.m., the Howard Community College (HCC) Jewish Student Union (JSU) will host a succah party for the Jewish Holiday of Succoth on the Student Activities Deck.  The succah is a fragile temporary hut or residence that symbolizes the shelters built by Biblical Jews while wandering in the desert.  The fragility of the dwelling reminds us of the impermanence of physical structures, and the importance of trusting in God.  Rabbi Hillel Baron of the local Columbia Lubavitch Congregation will provide explanations and demonstrations of traditional observances and symbols.

This year, students from Dave Hinton’s CAD (computer aided design) class will add a new dimension to the JSU event.  These students are using CAD to design and diagram possible succahs that fit the biblical criteria.  In addition, they hope to build an actual succah, and will display their CAD diagrams.

For more information, contact Sue Bard at 443-518-4887 or sbard@howardcc.edu.

About HCC
Howard Community College (HCC) is a publicly funded two-year community college serving the educational needs of the citizens and employers in Howard County, Maryland since 1970. With its slogan, “You Can Get There from Here,” the college has forged a variety of partnerships to offer career and transfer programs to over 28,000 students annually at its main campus in Columbia, the Ecker Business Training Center, Laurel College Center, and the historic Belmont Conference Center. Located midway between two major metropolitan areas, Washington DC and Baltimore, MD, Howard Community College is an affordable, community-based institution that has long been recognized for its ability to inspire learning, and the lifelong pursuit of personal and professional goals. Among its many awards is the prestigious U.S. Senate Productivity Award for organizational performance excellence.