At the dedication: (l to r) Trinity President James F. Jones, Jr., Rabbi Yitzchok Adler, Prof. Sam Kassow, the Kassow’s daughter Serena, Lisa Pleskow Kassow; Abby M. Himmelrich ‘12; Alan Mendelson ‘69, Alie Schreiber ‘13; and Henry Zachs ‘56.

HARTFORD – Students, faculty and administrators joined together on the campus of Trinity College on Thursday, May 3 to formally dedicate the Hartford school’s new Kassow Hillel Kosher Eatery located in Mather Dining Hall.
Named in honor of two members of the Trinity community — Lisa Pleskow Kassow, director of Trinity College Hillel, and her husband Dr. Samuel D. Kassow ’66, Charles H. Northam Professor of History — the eatery is a place where students of all faiths can dine on kosher food for the first time in the 189-year history of the College.
The addition of the kosher kitchen to Mather Dining Hall was made possible by a gift of more than $125,000 by individuals and organizations, including the Zachs family, the Samuel Roskin Trust at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the law firm of Rogin Nassau LLC in Hartford.
The design and installation of the kitchen presented many challenges. Indeed, in kicking off the proceedings, Trinity President James F. Jones, Jr., wearing a yarmulke, half-jokingly said it was “an event I honestly never thought was going to occur,” but one that he was “thrilled” to be a part of.
Jones attributed its completion to the “affirmation of Henry Zachs’ lifetime love affair with Trinity” and to the “enormous contributions of Sam and Lisa Kassow.” Jones noted that the kosher kitchen was meant to create a welcoming and nurturing environment for Trinity’s Jewish students, and a place where students of all religions “could sit down and exchange ideas.”
Zachs ‘56, who has also contributed money to other facilities on campus and whose name adorns the Hillel House, said Trinity has played a central role in the lives of Zachs family members since 1918 when his uncle graduated as valedictorian of his class. Henry Zachs is a former trustee and a member of the Watkinson Library Board.
Zachs was followed to the podium by Abby M. Himmelrich ’12, a member of the Hillel executive board, who said the kosher kitchen would be much appreciated by Jewish students who keep kosher, many of whom have been forced to adhere to vegetarian diets during their years at Trinity.
Lisa Kassow thanked Jones for his support of the project, noting that she has worked with five Trinity presidents to make the kosher eatery a reality.
“The only reason that we’re here today is because this one president stepped up to the plate…and made it possible.” Among those Kassow thanked was Henry Zachs, whose gifts to the College, she noted, “resonate beyond this room” and will “affect generations to come.”
The blessing over the Kassow Hillel Kosher Eatery was given by Rabbi Yitzchok Adler of Beth David Synagogue in West Hartford, where the Kassows are members.
The eatery is open during the academic year, and is closed on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Operating hours are Mondays through Thursdays, noon-1:30 p.m. and 5:30-7 p.m., and on Friday, noon-1:30 p.m.