Students who dine at Princeton’s Center for Jewish Life (CJL) are facing logistical barriers to accessing meals while the dining hall undergoes renovations, which are expected to be completed by early 2025.
According to an email sent by Princeton Campus Dining, the renovations aim to provide “updated facilities” that “will be better equipped to meet the needs of our growing community, offering additional space and improved organization to enhance our operations.”
Despite the challenges that construction can present, Campus Dining has adjusted to the new circumstances. The department has hired additional staff, including an extra mashgiach — a person who ensures that food establishments are kosher. While the kitchen is under renovation, kosher meals will be prepared in an off-site kitchen and delivered to the CJL’s dining hall. The servery will serve exclusively kosher meat and vegetarian dishes and forgo dairy meals until the renovation is complete. Jewish food laws prohibit the mixing of meat and dairy.
The CJL has also transitioned to using compostable and disposable tableware because of limited dishwashing space.
Rabbi Gil Steinlauf ’91, the CJL Executive Director and Jewish Chaplain at Princeton, lauded the efforts of Campus Dining to soften the blow of the renovations.
“The dining team has been extraordinarily caring, engaged, creative and helpful in working with us to ensure that meal preparation and service goes as smoothly as possible,” Steinlauf wrote to the ‘Prince.’
He added that “while the renovation presents some logistical challenges, it isn’t slowing down our Shabbat and holiday meals and experiences. We now offer multiple spaces around the building to get food at meals and to eat those meals to make up for some of the temporarily reduced seating in the dining hall.”
Eliana Bane ’27 agreed with Steinlauf’s assessment of Campus Dining’s work.
“The dining hall staff is working really hard to maintain a normalized meal schedule and is doing a good job of creating substitutes,” Bane wrote in an email to the ‘Prince.’ “Attendance this semester has also been incredible and all the seats on Friday nights are taken!”
As operations continue amid the renovations, community members are excited for new and improved space.
“There will be completely renovated meat and dairy kitchens, and an expanded servery that allows better flow of lines, particularly during crowded Shabbat and holiday meals,” Steinlauf wrote.
“The space will be beautiful, with large windows allowing lots of light, as well as an exciting arts wall with artistic contributions by our students to add connection and personal touches to the space,” he added.
“The renovations will give the CJL the look and feel of the other dining halls,” Margalit Ramirez ’28, who frequents its dining hall, said in an interview with the ‘Prince.’
“Right now, it’s smaller than all the other dining halls, and it does give [the CJL] a feel that it is only for Jewish students to eat at. I think the renovations will make the CJL feel like a comfortable and welcoming space for any student to eat at, regardless of religious affiliation,” she added.
With the renovations set to be complete by early January, students hope they will provide a welcoming environment to eat meals amidst the daily business of Princeton.
“CJL is such a strong and inclusive community,” Ramirez told the ‘Prince.’ “I’m excited for the renovations to transform the dining space into something that anyone can feel comfortable eating at with their friends.”
Caitlyn Tablada is a staff News writer from New York City who typically covers student life and academics.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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