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Archive for October, 2006
Call For UCI Jewish Blogs
Published by Reut Cohen October 31st, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 1 Comment- Yeshiva University President Richard Joel hosted a town hall meeting, and Perel Skier’s got a report, plus an editorial calling for more student housing.
- Following up on those swastikas at the University of California - Irvine and a chat with the chancellor, there’s an interview with the president of Anteaters for Israel, UCI in the Tolerating Intolerance documentary, an interview with campus police, a reversal of roles in which reporter Reut Cohen gets interviewed in a podcast, and a Jewish-Muslim interfaith dialogue. Whew.
- Israel-types giving the thumbs down to the Iraq War, as former Bush administration Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer says the war’s bad for Israel in a speech at Yeshiva University, and Ehud Barak says “The country gradually deteriorates to civil war [and] the US presence is more and more a part of the problem and not the solution,” in a speech at Indiana University.
- Lede of the week:
The sultry, inviting tones of Norah Jones filled the second-floor lounge of the Hillel House last Tuesday night, setting the mood for what would be a deep, intimate conversation about sex with the rabbi.
- Political fellowships for Canadian Jewish students.
- You might’ve already read our post on the Fellowship for Israel and Black America, but you might’ve missed profilee Cornetta Lane responding to a hater in the comments.
- Hey, look, it’s our Middle East Op-Ed Roundup.
- Rosh Chodesh is ladies’ night at the University of California - San Diego.
Interfaith Dialogue at UCI
Published by Reut Cohen October 31st, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 CommentsOn Wednesday, November 1, Hillel and the Muslim Student Union are co-sponsoring a religious diversity discussion. The event will be held at 7 PM in Humanities Instructional Buliding (HIB) 100.
This panel will feature two religious leaders — a Muslim and a Jew — who aim to engage the audience in an open dialogue about their faith in relation to our society. The panelists are Sheik Sadullah Khan, Executive Director of Religious Affairs at the Islamic Center of Irvine and Rabbi Richard Steinberg, Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot.
This comes on the heels of a recent article in The New University in which Alex Chazen, president of Hillel, stated that he hopes for better relations between Jewish and Muslim Students on campus.
Ehud Barak’s Speech at IU
Published by Ben Greenberg October 31st, 2006 in Indiana University. 3 Comments“In the Middle East a pessimist is an optimist with experience,” said former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to an audience of nearly a thousand [UPDATE: Examiner says “about 2,500″] at the Indiana University auditorium, where he delivered a speech on the war on terror last night.
Ehud Barak at the press conference before his speech.
Continue reading ‘Ehud Barak’s Speech at IU’
Facebook at UCI
Published by Reut Cohen October 31st, 2006 in University of California - Irvine. 0 CommentsOn Thursday, November 2, Hillel is co-sponsoring a lecture by the Senior Products Manager from Facebook. UCI’s Career Center and Hillel decided to sponsor this event because Facebook, created by Mark Zuckerberg, has become one of the most popular social networs and directories online today. The lecture will focus on Facebook popularity, where Facebook is today and where it is going, and the recent news-feed crisis.
The event will be held in Steinhaus Hall 174 at 5:00PM.
Rabbi Michael Cohen wants Palestinians to study at his school, The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies — he just can’t get permission for them to come. He discusses his problem at the end of an op-ed in Ha’aretz:
A case in point is the example of the Palestinian doctoral student who recently petitioned the Israeli High Court to be allowed to study in Israel. There are hundreds like her. For years now the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies - the premier teaching and research program in the Middle East where future Arab and Jewish leaders are prepared to cooperatively solve the region’s environmental challenges - has been unable to get permits for Palestinian students to study on its Kibbutz Ketura campus. In addition, getting visas for Jordanians who wish to study at the institute has become a very complicated process.
At present the Arava Institute has put together a coaltion that includes the office of U.S. Ambassador Richard Jones, USAID, MKs Orit Noked and Ami Ayalon, and Gisha - the Center for the Legal Protection of Freedom of Movement. This coalition is working to challenge and change the present Israeli policy of not issuing any new study permits for Palestinians, who have cleared security clearance from the Shin Bet, and who wish to study in Israel.
This continued policy flies in the face of the Agreement on Movement and Access that was signed by the United States, Israel and the Palestinian Authority in November 2005 when U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in the region.
Over the past year a number of Palestinian students have applied to study at the Arava Institute. One plans, after he receives his training there, to “establish a nonviolent environmental NGO to help foster Palestinian civic society,” while another wants to “learn to use the environment as an approach to peace-building between Palestinians and Israelis.” A third looks to gain skills at the institute that will help him “conserve bio-diversity in the Palestinian Authority and raise public awareness of the issue within the PA.” They have all been denied permission to study at the institute because of the present Israeli policy.
The sultry, inviting tones of Norah Jones filled the second-floor lounge of the Hillel House last Tuesday night, setting the mood for what would be a deep, intimate conversation about sex with the rabbi.
In what potentially could have been an awkward hour-long group conversation with Rabbi Avi Heller, Hillel’s new rabbi handled the topic with grace and an impressive command of the material -– not to say there weren’t a few snickers during the night.
If there was one thing students could take from the lecture, it was that sex stands as an essential part of Jewish life. “Sex is like a nuclear reactor,� Heller said, explaining that when sex occurs in marriage, it is a wonderful, spiritual thing. But, if it’s performed under the wrong circumstances, “it’s like Chernobyl.�
While the talk explored the historical aspects of sex in Judaism, the conversation was brought to the practicality of applying Jewish law to modern times. One student asked Heller how young Jewish adults are expected to understand how they are expected to abstain from sex until marriage. Heller said there is no real way to cope with it; it’s just the way things are.
New Jewish Organization Creates Fellowships for Students
Published by Aviva Levy October 31st, 2006 in McGill University. 0 Comments
The recently-created Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee has launched a fellowship for Canadian students “interested in politics, public policy, networking with ministers and other members of Parliament, and Israel advocacy,” according to the email sent out by Hillel.
Fellows were chosen last week, and, says the outreach coordinator, “will have the opportunity to meet other students who are passionate about Israel and politically engaged,” and “network with senior political and community members.” Fellows will be able “to attend other exclusive CJPAC events across the country, which are usually only open to a select group of adult community leaders.” The fellowship also includes a trip to Ottawa in February, where the students will receive election and media training with experts. The CJPAC fellows come from all across the country, with a total of 23 in the program, including multiple McGill students.
CJPAC was established just prior to the January 2006 federal elections in order to get Jews more involved in the Canadian political process. In a recent article from the Canadian Jewish News, CJPAC executive director Josh Cooper explained that the independent organization is made up of a “12-person board whose activities are funded by non-tax-deductible donations.” Cooper previously headed the now-defunct Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy. With over 3000 current members, CJPAC aims to help “Jews to become politically active, [so] they can have influence on issues of concern to the Jewish community,” according to the article.
The non-profit organization is funded by individual and corporate donations, although its involvement in political activities means donors cannot receive tax exemptions. CJPAC is not affiliated with any particular political party, and encourages its members to endorse the politicians of their choice.
The selection process for the fellows included an application with various questions regarding Canada’s role in the Middle East, students’ political experience, and a telephone conversation with the program coordinator.
Passing of Abby Spivack
Published by David Buchwald October 31st, 2006 in University of Judaism. 0 CommentsI am unhappy to report the passing of Abby Spivack, a student from the University of Judaism who was on her way to receiving ordination from the Ziegler Rabbinical School. Spivack was only 30 years old. She also attended the UJ as an undergrad. Spivack is remembered for her countless acts of volunteering and community service. Her friends recall her as someone always willing to lend a helping hand.
A memorial service was held in remberance for Spivack on October 24. Tere, Rabbi Bradley Artson spoke of to a filled Beit Midrash of Spivack’s accomplishments and attributes. After Artson, many decided to speak in front of all those present. The UJ has also dedicated a Ziegler Rabbinical School scholarship in honor of her memory. Spivack’s parents, Gary and Linda, were also present at the memorial service. She is also survived by her sister, Allison.
Responding to historical Jewish support for the civil rights movement with a contemporary African-American support for Israel is the thinking behind The Fellowship for Israel and Black America, and Charles Jacobs, president of The David Project, profiles activist Cornetta Lane about her role with FIBA for an article in Israel Insider:
When Cornetta got an alert from an Israel campus advocacy team about a rally against Israel at Wayne State University on Oct. 12, she decided to go. The Anti-Racist Action (ARA) — an off-campus group in Detroit sought to press Wayne State to divest from Israel. Cornetta wanted to express what she believes: Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and it deserves to exist in peace as a Jewish state.
Cornetta’s presence and defiance completely undermined the basis for the ARA’s divestment campaign — the calumny that “Israel = White Supremacy.” Outnumbered and flummoxed by Cornetta and the 30 Jewish students with her, the anti-Zionists walked off. Irvin D. Reid, president of Wayne State, witnessed all this and the next day condemned “divestment” in the Detroit Free Press. Cornetta said that she was proud to stand up for Jewish people and would “do this again” at a moment’s notice.
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