Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
This week, we asked our bloggers, “Purim, St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Break all came around the same time this year. What was your craziest experience from one of the three?” Carly Silver: I ran into a boa constrictor. My craziest spring break experience didn’t involve Purim or St. Paddy’s day, but it did have…
Sarah Palin is in Israel this week. And she’s shocked, shocked, to find out how hard it is to get to Bethlehem from Jerusalem. [Tikun Olam] Meanwhile, the Republican Jewish Coalition is in tizzy because Palin organized her trip through an organization other than the Republican Jewish Coalition. [JTA] In other bad-for-hasbarah news, Katsav was…
The Bloggers’ Round Table is a new (potentially) weekly feature we’re trying out at New Voices. We e-mailed all of our bloggers a question. And here are some of their answers. Much to the consternation of some, Hillel at Brandeis voted not to bring the Brandeis chapter of the pro-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions group Jewish…
I got about halfway through this Boston Globe editorial before I realized what seemed so remarkable about it to me: This editorial is the first thing I’ve read in the press that acknowledges that J Street is really a center/center-left organization. It’s not radically leftist to promote a two-state solution, which is at the heart…
Above, Eva Longoria wishes us all a happy Purim on behalf of Sesame Street. She’s not Jewish is she? Why can’t they get Natalie Portman to do this? The Nation wants to tell you all about “the new Israeli left.” How often have we heard that such a thing is about to become a big…
At the J Street Conference in DC two weeks ago, we noted the strong, visible and audible presence of students among the attendees. J Street itself noticed too and is using the big student turnout and the quick pace of growth of J Street U as proof of J Street’s viability. J Street President Jeremy…
*Sigh* Israel Apartheid Week is underway, like it or not. Before we jump into a round-up of the relevant news, here’s something to cheer you up–more Maccabeats! It’s their new Purim/Pink tune. If you’re into that sort of thing. And now for the less fun stuff: One Jewish student is suing UC Berkeley because a…
500 college students–one quarter of the total attendees–descended on Washington at the end of February for J Street’s national conference. The size of the student delegation displayed the growth of J Street U during the past year, and gave students a central role in the conference.
Say what? Holocaust doc “Shoah” is playing on illegal Iranian satellite television. With Farsi subtitles. [JTA] Whoa! Big news as Israel announces plans to demolish some settlements. [JTA] At NYC’s New Shul, the best chefs win the Golden Schmaltz Award. Yum. [The Jew & The Carrot–The Forward] Why is Obama tossing a fake football around…
The J Street Conference, a weekend-long affair from which myself and New Voices Editor Ben Sales have just returned, was an odd experience for me. On the one hand, my personal politics bring me to sympathize with J Street. On the other hand, I usually don’t know what to think about specific issues within the…
There’s a blurry line here at the J Street Conference between press and participant. And between college student and press, insofar as I’m here. The participants’ badges hang on black lanyards, but the press is easy to spot because of our bright orange–just go New Voices, I’m sure–lanyards ours hang on. Every time I see…
Possibly the greatest conference giveaway $5 souvenir item I’ve ever seen: The J Street U shot glass. Unfortunately, I think it may be making the wrong point for them. If you fill these to the green line, you don’t get everything you want. So…
Herbert Grossman, retired federal judge, is stationed outside the convention center. His sign says, “J STREET: Quislings, Kapos, Appeasars, the New JUDENRAT.” I was surprised to find that there’s only the one. And that he’s a retired federal judge. I was not surprised to find that he’s a tad crotchety. Q: What are you doing…
I’m a little slow on math. Despite the fact that last night’s plenary was full of “there are 2000 people here” and “there are 500 college students here,” it didn’t dawn on me that, if these numbers are accurate, a quarter of the population of this conference is made up of college students. That’s impressive….
The conference is under way. Rachel Lerner, the head of the conference itself, says that there are more than 2000 people here. I’ll buy that. It’s packed. The corner nearest the press seating I chose is chock-full of college students. I wonder how many of them them are here. Rabbi David Saperstein, head of the…