John Harvard's All Grown Up

This afternoon at 2:18 p.m., the John Harvard statue was treated to a free makeover, courtesy of Harvard Hillel.

In anticipation of Hillel’s biggest party of the year, a crowd of students danced, sang Klezmer songs, and waved signs reading "John Harvard’s Bar Mitzvah." The group also adorned the statue with traditional bar mitzvah accoutrements: a kippa (skullcap) and a tallis (prayer shawl).

John Harvard’s Bar Mitzvah is Hillel’s biggest party of the year. "He's a big boy now," joked Harvard Hillel President Nell S. Hawley '10-'11. "It's time to fly in all the relatives from Jersey/Florida, read some Torah, eat some bagels, and party like it's 2002," she said.

The party will happen on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10 p.m.-1 a.m., in the Hillel building (52 Mt. Auburn Street).The organizers said they hope the college-style bar mitzvah, which will feature a popular Israeli DJ, will raise awareness of Jewish culture on campus.

Hillel members said they were excited for this weekend’s festivities. "These are my people," said Joshua B. Lipson '14, who said he loves Hillel’s community spirit.

And the decision to decorate the statue? "We needed to do something crazy," said Hawley. She said she hopes that other campus organizations will follow suit with similar attempts at "extreme publicity."

Although Hawley asked, "Don't you think this school is a bit too WASP-y for its own good?" before heading to the Yard, she said afterwards that she was pleased with the turnout:

"I think Harvard Hillel just reclaimed Harvard Yard," she said.

Mazel tov, John Harvard.

Video by Eric M. Hendey, Andrew J. Petschek, and John D. Sedlacek/The Harvard Crimson.