Hillel budget woes now under control

CDS to purchase food for Hillel Shabbat meals

After months of struggling for Shabbat funding, Hillel can rest. According to College President Nancy Dye, the issue has been settled.

"We fixed it," Dye said. "We think we've got it under control."

The solution involves a co-operative aggreement between Hillel, Kosher/Hillel Co-op and Campus Dining Services (CDS). Dye stressed that the proposed fix was an experiment that would be evaluated at the end of the semester.

CDS will now assume responsibility for purchasing the food for the Shabbat meal. Hillel has previously been unable to fully fund the weekly Shabbat meal using their budgeted allowance.

"We buy a lot of food, so we think with the strength of our buying power the College can do the same dinner for considerably less money," Dye said.

Hillel co-treasurer Shawn Steiman said the CDS has agreed to pay for the food purchased after Spring break.

"The College is not catering this," Dye said. "But the College will end up paying for some of the food."

Hillel recently received $1250 in ad hoc funds from the Student Finance Committee (SFC).

"They didn't mention this was a possibility," SFC treasurer senior Becca Barnes said in reference to the newly formulated plan. "We were under the assumption that they'd run out of possibilities."

"There are ways around this problem," Barnes said. "Ad hoc funds are not for extra money."

Hillel received a $2200 anonymous gift last Fall. Steiman said if Hillel used that money it could fund Shabbat independently.

According to Steiman, Hillel representatives did not inform Dye that they had received ad hoc funding and could therefore fund Shabbat without help.

"If she put two and two together, she could figure that out," Steiman said. "We didn't twist her arm."