Cheshvan and the Marathon of a Semester

There’s something peacefully unique about Cheshvan at UVM Hillel. No major holidays. No rush to prepare challah bake marathons or big community dinners. Just a quiet month tucked into the calendar between Tishrei’s high holidays and the lights of Chanukah.

Cheshvan meets us during midterms and just a few weeks away from finals, when everything feels heavy, like the layers we pile on to brace for the impending Vermont cold. And still, students make their way to Hillel. Some come for the comfort of a home-cooked meal and daily snacks, others for the familiar faces, and some for the silence they can’t find in their dorms or the library. It’s a month to breathe in the stillness, right here in our space at 439 College Street, as the frenzy of exams and papers builds around us.

It’s a strange feeling, this quiet. Especially now, when the world outside feels loud with uncertainty, fear, and, sometimes, hate. Jewish students feel it, and parents feel it, too. But Cheshvan reminds us that sometimes the biggest growth happens in the uncelebrated moments. When we’re all just here, trying our best.

On any given night, you’ll see students sitting around tables, laptops open, sharing study snacks, or laughing over the smallest things, just taking a break. Maybe it’s the draw of community, maybe it’s the break from campus pressure, but there’s comfort in showing up together, even when things aren’t easy.

And as much as we might wish for more celebrations or that magical “perfect college experience,” there’s value in what we’re building here, especially during these quieter times. Every student who shows up adds something, whether they’re new to Hillel or have been with us for every event since freshman year. Each person brings their own experiences, and together, we create a rhythm that grounds us and connects us as a Jewish community despite our differences.

Parents, alumni, friends…you’re part of this, too. Your support, your calls, and even just a quick text to students or to our staff team can make the difference when midterms and the semester feels endless. Your words remind us that we have a community, a heritage, and a family that stretches far beyond these walls.

So, as Cheshvan moves forward and midterms and the march toward finals continues, let’s remember why we’re here. We’re here for each other. We’re here to carry on traditions that remind us who we are, even when the world outside feels uncertain. And we’re here to create a space where each student feels seen, valued, and supported.

As the quiet month of Cheshvan continues, let it remind us that sometimes, in the absence of celebrations, we find resilience, strength, and community.