The big Center for the Jewish Future gala semester opening continued yesterday. Instead of cookies, a popcorn machine and cotton candy machine were set up. Instead of CDs of screen savers, they gave out refrigerator word magnets (the kind you use to write sentences). “Yeshiva,” “activism,” “leadership,” “Jewish,” and “educate,” are some of the words they were giving out. A big sign also advertised free volumes of tehillim.
Despite the bounty of goodies, by the time they closed the tent up this evening, much of the giveaways had not been given away. There was no rain to keep away the crowds, yet very few people wandered into the pavilion. The CJF workers seemed bored, and milled about.
Unlike yesterday, it was clear what CJF was advertising today. The two big programs they pitched to students were Quest, and Torah Tours. The former is a “leadership training program” for students. Its title is an acronym for “Quality Education Skills Training.”
The lackluster response to the CJF tent indicates that the initial excitement that surrounded CJF’s manifestation has died down. This time last year, the tent was mobbed. Then again, last year they were giving away flashdrives, not cotton candy.