The Jewish high holidays are a major fund-raising event for most synagogues and Jewish organizations.
And now, Penn's Hillel is no different.
Under a new policy enacted this year, Hillel will charge non-student members of the region's Jewish community $180 to attend services. In previous years, they were free.
About half of the attendees to most high-holiday services are non-students, according to Hillel officials.
Penn students - and students from any other college - can still attend all services for free.
The high holidays, which include the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana, and the day of repentance, Yom Kippur, will occur over the next two weeks.
The $180 fee will provide access to all high-holidays services. A family rate of $360 is also available.
However, Hillel staff will not turn away or scrutinize attendees who give less than the asked amount or nothing at all, Hillel Director Jeremy Brochin said. "It's an honor system."
Hillel decided to implement the policy to cover operating costs for holiday services, as well as to supplement Hillel's overall budget, Brochin said.
A cantor and rabbi are hired to conduct services for the Reform and Conservative communities. Hillel also rents Irvine Auditorium, Harrison Auditorium at the University Museum and Bodek Lounge for services.
Brochin estimated that between hiring and renting costs, as well as time spent by Hillel staff to organize the holidays, the total cost is around $50,000.
He said his office has "gotten some complaints" about the charge.
Charging people unaffiliated with a synagogue or Jewish organization for high-holiday services is not uncommon, however.
Betty van de Rijn - an administrator at the Society Hill Synagogue in Philadelphia - said that the usual fee is $250 for non-member or guest tickets there. Tickets for members are free.
Van de Rijn said she had heard of many Hillels charging non-students for the high holidays.
"People have to understand that there's a fine line between spirituality and running a business," she said.
No exact statistics exist about how many Hillels charge non-students, according to the national Hillel office.
Brochin said Hillel's board of overseers surveyed a number of Hillels at peer institutions in the Northeast - including Harvard, Yale and George Washington University - before making the decision.
"Virtually all of them charged for tickets," Brochin said. "Many, considerably more" than $180.
For some, though, the cost could still prove prohibitive.
Todd Barman - a freelance writer and editor who lives in West Philadelphia - said that although he will attend services elsewhere, the cost "would definitely put me off going to Hillel."
But "I understand why synagogues have to charge for high holidays," Barman said.
