Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
As news spread that Osama bin Laden had been killed on Monday night, chants of “USA, USA” broke out in my school library during finals week. University students across the country rallied with joy, rather than anger. People throughout the country smiled and breathed a sigh of relief at the success of our troops. But…
I have never been opposed to interfaith, but have always found it very fake. It was never genuine. It wasn’t a religious Jew and a religious Christian looking to grow from their interactions, but more a “let’s all love each other and forget we have any differences. I’ll sit through your service if you sit…
“Free, Funny, and Full-of-Food.” That is how we advertised for Comedy Club Shabbat, which occurred last Friday night. A free dinner-show style buffet began at 7pm and the comedy began as dessert was served at 7:45pm. Two members of Miami University’s stand-up comedy club started the night off, warming up the crown with some humor…
Over the course of my (nearly) four years attending Hillel services on a near-weekly basis, I have had many different experiences. My first week of college, I was appalled by the un-spirited service-attendees and minimalist ultra-Reform service my Hillel offered. It worked for a few, but not for me. The following year I was thrilled…
On college campuses this week, we’re all gearing up for two very important holidays: St Patrick’s Day — with lots of green beer — and Purim — with lots of wine and other substances. Sadly, however, there is the little known Fast of Esther that coincides with St. Patty’s Day this year, which leads to…
There are many different types of Hillels depending on campus sizes, locations, financials, and denominational presences. My own at Miami is pretty small, nowhere near a Jewish community, not financially stable, and composed of Reform and Conservative Jews that don’t seem to have strong denominational identifications to speak of. We have hardly any “Greek Jews”…
This past weekend, I joined over 70 other Conservative Jewish college students at the KOACH Kallah, hosten by Northwestern University this year. The Kallah is a convention to bring together Conservative Jewish leaders from coast to coast for an enthusiastic, meaningful weekend of Jewish learning, connections, and Shabbat. This annual event brings together Jewish leaders…
The Talmud refers to Elisha ben Abuyah as acher, “other.” He is a public violator of Shabbat, obviously not condoned by the Talmudic Rabbis. Yet Rabbi Meir, a central Talmudic figure, is said to have gone to great lengths to “learn Torah from [ben Abuyah’s] mouth.” The rejection by most Orthodox Jews today of interactions…
As the Religious Chair of a small-ish sized Hillel at Miami University of Ohio, I hear the word “pluralism” frequently. And I too am guilty of branding our Hillel as pluralistic. “We have a pluralistic minyan,” I tell prospective students. But despite my dependency on the term, I question whether a pluralistic minyan is possible,…