Religion is important to 21-year-old Cheryl Kurn, even when she's away at school.

"It always has and always will be," said Kurn, a Rowan University senior whose family attends a modern Orthodox synagogue. "It's just the way I've been brought up."

Still, she said, it's harder to observe her Jewish faith when she's away from home. In the past, the Manalapan resident has missed classes to observe the High Holy Days with her family.

"Rosh Hashana is the holiest of all the holidays and I respect that," said Kurn, who keeps kosher at home.

Rosh Hashana is commonly called the Jewish New Year and began at sundown on Friday. It's a time to look back at the mistakes of the past and make changes in the new year. No work is permitted and much of the day is spent in the synagogue.

Kurn is the president of Rowan's Jewish Student Union, which has about 20 to 30 members. Its main focus is to bring Jewish students together to socialize, but the group incorporates religion in its activities as well.

The club held a dinner to celebrate Rosh Hashana and dipped apples in honey, a popular way to symbolize wishes for a sweet new year. Last Passover, the group held a chocolate seder. Kurn tries to keep kosher at school but said it is hard. She adapts tradition to fit into her dorm life. During Hanukkah she displays an electric menorah, since students cannot use candles in their rooms.

"I do as much as I can with the restraints that I have," she said.

Keren Berkovitz, 22, lives in Glassboro but she grew up in East Brunswick, which has a large Jewish community. At home, her family speaks Hebrew, keeps kosher and attends temple on Rosh Hashana.

To symbolize a fresh start, the family eats a fruit they haven't eaten all year, usually a pomegranate.

Her family's synagogue sends Berkovitz a newsletter and gift baskets to keep her connected.

"Religion is a part of my lifestyle," said Berkovitz, who always goes home for the High Holy Days. "I associate everything with my religion."

A lot of religious students go home for the holidays, Kurn said. Those who remain at school observe the day in their own way.

Twenty-year-old Adam Goldberg is a junior at Rowan, where he is treasurer of the Jewish Student Union. He planned to go home to Lawrenceville for the holiday weekend this year.

Goldberg usually chooses to remain at school and attend classes on the holidays. At the end of the day, he observes the holiday by sitting down to daven (or pray).

"I don't go to every weekend service," Goldberg said, " but I have my own way of preserving the faith."

Reach Kim Mulford at (856) 845-6521 or kmulford@ courierpostonline.com