Hillel International and Havurah Partner for an Unforgettable Hanukkah Discotheque
Over the weekend, more than 300 Jewish college students attended a late-night Hanukkah Discotheque in New York City – celebrating the holiday with a “proudly Jewish disco” that featured great music, a giant disco dreidel, and an abundance of Jewish pride.
In partnership with Hillel International, Havurah – a Jewish student art collective – transformed Astor Place Hairstylists, a barbershop in the East Village that doubles as a unique nightlife space, into an underground, 80s-style club for a night of funk, soul, house, and disco. Jewish students from local schools like NYU, Hunter College, Baruch College, Columbia University, and Queens College, filled the space, along with other young adults and students from out-of-state schools who were already home for the holidays.
For Eitan Gutenmacher, executive director of Havurah and a recent NYU graduate, the event was an opportunity for students to have a meaningful Jewish experience that celebrated unconditional pride – even in an unconventional setting.
“Young people are hungry, perhaps now more than ever, for authentic experiences that exist without the confines of needing to explain ourselves,” he said. “I hope attendees took away that Jewishness can be experienced almost anywhere, [including] in a club at 2 a.m.”
The Hanukkah Discotheque wasn’t just a proudly Jewish disco; it was a proudly Hanukkah-centered disco. Guests sipped Hanukkah-themed cocktails as they danced to an all-Jewish set of music played by three Jewish DJs – Numai, 22, and Max Kulchinksy – who kept the dance floor full until the early hours of the morning, all under the backdrop of a giant disco dreidel made by Jewish Iranian-American artist Shereen Kheradyar.
By just about every metric, the event was a huge success. And if the number of attendees wasn’t enough proof, the feedback from students added even more.
“It was a really special way to feel the unity of Jewish college students from all across New York City,” said Carolyn Bernstein (NYU ‘27). “There was something incredibly freeing about knowing the space was safe, communal, and fully ours.”
Gabby Farber (NYU ‘27) agreed. “The discotheque was an absolute blast. It had all the best things — great music, great people, and a real sense of Jewish community,” she said. “Havurah and Hillel did a great job creating a space with joy, connection, and community, all in one night.”
The program may have just ended, but Gutenmacher is already looking forward to the next one.
“I have no doubt that without Hillel, this event would not have happened,” he said. “The future of our work with Hillel ultimately lies in what young Jews want to see, but for this event to be such a huge success — especially during finals! — means I can definitely see us reuniting with Hillel again.”
Congratulations to the Hillel-Havurah partnership team on this amazing event!