Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
In religious school, it was about who had the best Bar/Bat Mitzvah party favors. In middle school, it was about who was dating who. In high school, it was about who could get into the best college. In college, we don’t quite know what the big goal is. Flashback to religious school in 2003: A…
Here’s a story that’s near and dear to my heart: Left handed students in Israel demand desk equality. [Ha’aretz] Seven clerical students, including a few soon-to-be rabbis, are the subject of a new documentary on PBS. [JW] College is valuable, but it does not hold the key to unemployment. [NYT] More discrimination against Arab students…
I grew up learning about the horrors of the Holocaust. Since I can remember there have been school trips to Holocaust museums and independent events where speakers told their stories. It has been touched on in almost every history class I have ever taken. Additionally, my grandpa is a survivor, and I have recorded his…
When the power at my house went out last Thursday night, it was an instant reminder of my technology dependency. I am almost ashamed to admit that I hardly knew what to do with myself. After spending about a minute in shock, I stumbled my way in to the living room and sat down. A…
In less than one month, I should be gliding into Chennai (formerly known as Madras), India. From there, I’ll travel 100 miles south to the city of Pondicherry with about 15 other American students. Why would I leave the steely gray beauty of Pittsburgh for the warmth and bustle of a southeast coastal town in the…
I don’t mean to sound like Jessica Simpson, but, until recently, I hadn’t heard of many Jews with eating disorders. I’m sure that in some capacity I thought that this severe condition manifested itself in the Jewish community somewhere, but I hadn’t ever really thought about it. We’re the people who love food, right? Apparently…
The Rabbinical Council of America, the largest organization of Modern Orthodox American rabbis, recently released a controversial paper regarding the halakhic status of organ donation. The involved and controversial topic has been, for the past week, the subject of much debate. At stake is the basic question of whether modern orthodox Jews should be allowed…
“No Shabbat on Friday, March 6th due to Washington Universities Spring Break!” So read an email I received a year and a half ago, during my senior year of college. Leaving aside the grammatical errors, I laughed. Of course there was Shabbat; There was just no Shabbat dinner at Hillel. I assumed that they’d forgotten to…
So says the Maryland Mitzpeh, which put out some strong new content this week. According to a poll of almost 100 students, a majority would not date outside the fold, which is surprising given soaring intermarriage rates. [Mitzpeh] Marriage in college? Check it out. [Mitzpeh] Here’s some bad romance: A Columbia professor — who I…
Christmas! ’Tis the season, and at our house Santa is an equal opportunity present provider. Hadn’t you heard? Santa Claus? Formerly Shlomo Clausstein, total Heeb. I know we’re not the only Jewish family to celebrate Christmas in addition to Hanukkah. I’m sure there are plenty of us out there. Some might call it assimilation. I…
I’d like to focus on something I mentioned very briefly in my overview of Chanukkah which has been coming up in my mind as I consider life back home: namely, Hityavnut or Hellenization, or what would today be called assimilation. The word gives varied messages manifested in different languages. Hityavnut is an example of a…
Today the concerned and compassionate editors of New Voices are offering you a double reading list to apologize for dropping the ball on these roundups yesterday and on Monday. Enjoy these ten worthwhile links from the Jewish internet: We all love Maccabeatlemania, but here’s how we shouldn’t use the craze that’s sweeping American Jewry. On…
As some may have read recently on the New Voices blog, UF Hillel’s menorah was uprooted from the ground and vandalized on site this past Saturday morning. The menorah that acted as a reminder to the Jewish student population that we stood as a strong community, lay broken and shattered in Hillel’s front courtyard. Deeply…
There is no denying it; the temperature of college dorms can be as unpredictable as the weather in Chicago. One moment it’s exceptionally hot, the next, no blanket is warm enough. For the heat, I have no suggestions, but for the cold, I have one word for you: Snuggie. Yes, that’s right, I said Snuggie….