The Jewish New Year started Wednesday, and many students are unaware that there is a congregation located in the town over from Eastern.

In February 2010, the Jewish Community Center moved from Trinity Lutheran into the Trinity Episcopal Church located on 2200 Western Ave.

The center left the former church when it disbanded and sold their building located on 3400 Dewitt Ave.

Trinity Episcopal currently shares their main sanctuary and kitchen facilities with the center.

Marjorie Hanft, the Lay Worship Leader of the center, said it is a little different to be surrounded by ritual objects that belong to Christianity.

“In a way in the spirit of interfaith, its kind of neat, they are giving us a home and we are very grateful for it,” she said.

The church they are stationed in now was built in the 1870’s, which is when the Jewish came to Mattoon.

“Kenneth Truelove, the pastor, has said that one of the reasons his congregation is very positive is there are people in that congregation who knew the Jews who have moved away from here who are very much the heart of the community of Mattoon,” Hanft said.

Hanft, who also teaches at Eastern, runs the undergraduate internship program and teaches applied undergraduate courses of psychology.

Currently, the center has around 10 members, but more are expected to attend during the High Holy days.

The center once had a religious school building located on Richmond Avenue in Mattoon up until two years ago.

During that time the school was able to afford student Rabbis because of the larger congregation who came monthly and for all of the holidays.

The center members said all Eastern students are welcome to attend services.

“Every once in a while we will get a student who comes for Friday night Seder services for the rest of year,” Hanft said.

Allison Twaits can be reached at 581-7942 or at

[email protected].