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Any conversation about kosher food at MIT necessarily begins with a comment about food in general at MIT. Everyone knows that MIT is unique, and when it comes to campus dining, that statement is equally true. Unlike most universities and colleges, MIT does not have traditional dining services; there is no dorm structure with established dining halls offering three meals a day. As the MIT Dining Services states, "MIT Campus Dining has one of the largest and most diverse operations in the nation. With over 30 on-campus locations, House Dining Rooms, restaurants, cafés, food trucks and convenience stores, and delivery options as well, you’re never too far from a meal or snack." All food on campus is paid for with a "Tech Cash" account, on a pay-as-you-go basis. Students who choose to live in one of the four residence halls with a House Dining Room are automatically enrolled in a House Dining Membership, which entitles them to discounts at any or all of the 5-7 dinners per week that house serves; those students purchase other meals (breakfasts, lunches, and snacks) in the various cafes and stores around campus. All other on-campus residences have kitchens, by suite or by floor, where students prepare their own meals or, again, purchase meals at sites around campus. Independent living groups and fraternities and sororities with houses also prepare their own meals or hire chefs to prepare food for them. What does this mean for the kosher diner? Without any centralized dining halls, kosher or not, students who wish to eat kosher have a number of options. Those wishing to live within a kosher suite – that is, to live in a dorm suite that maintains a strictly kosher oven, stove, utensils, etc. and cook their own meals – submit their names, pre-room draw, to Hillel. MIT Hillel then arranges with Residential Life for the requisite number of kosher suites for the coming year. These kosher suites have traditionally become a hub of Jewish activity (and eating) even for those living elsewhere on campus. On Shabbat, Hillel offers kosher meals at the Religious Life Center, where MIT's kosher dairy and meat kitchens are under the supervision of the Vaad Harabonim of Massachusetts. Shabbat dinner is organized through Hillel; students sign up in advance, paying by TechCash, and a communal catered meal is enjoyed by all. A kosher Shabbat lunch is also organized, with students volunteering to cook hot dishes (options range from chulent to chicken dishes to kugel, depending upon the student "chefs") to supplement catered cold options. During the week, Kosher Ko-op offers meals on Wednesday evenings at the Religious Life Center. Meals may either be prepared by students or purchased from off-site restaurants and delivered to Hillel. MIT Dining Services is also in conversation with HotNosh, a distributor of kosher vending machines that provide hot kosher meals. Two machines, a dairy/vegan machine and a hot dog machine, are both soon to be installed at MIT, allowing for lunchtime, late-night, or other off-hours kosher food options. Shabbat and Holiday Meal Reservations Shabbat Lunches Holiday lunches are held on Rosh Hashana, Sukkot, and Passover, and they require advance reservation with kosher@mit.edu A light meal, seudah shelishit, is served every Saturday prior to the concluding Shabbat services. Kiddush is provided following morning Shabbat services. Other Meals at Hillel
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