All of Temple’s organizations were out in full force this Tuesday for Spring Fling. Temple’s Jewish organizations were no exception, representatives from both Hillel and the Jewish Heritage Program tabled patiently in the near-80-degree weather, only feet apart from each other. On this sunny day, exceptionally dense crowds milled around the various booths, eager for free merchandise and food. Both JHP and Hillel were selling t-shirts, the former reading either “JHP” or “Be all Jew can be,” and the latter reading “Israel” or printed Hebrew lettering. JHP also offered falafel with a variety of toppings, and Hillel, lollipops.
Temple University
Spring Fling brings organizations out into the sun
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 25th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 CommentsMaimonides Brings New Rabbi to Temple
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 23rd, 2007 in Temple University. 0 CommentsThe Maimonides Leaders Fellowship program, designed to cultivate future Jewish communal leaders, is scheduled to start at Temple and Drexel in Fall 2007, and it now has somebody to lead it. Rabbi Shimon Kay is moving to the United States from Israel to take the reigns of the program.
After growing up in London, he was recently ordained in Jerusalem after almost ten years of study at various yeshivas. Kay is no stranger to working with students either; he’s done so at the Kesher Yeshiva and Hebrew University.
[My wife] Shoshana and I host many students in our home on a regular basis for weekly social events and for the Sabbath; we have always had an open, warm home environment and this is something we hope to continue in Philly. I’ve also been involved with student social/educational trips. Most recently I took 50 college students from the Boston area (Harvard, MIT, Tufts, BU, etc.) on a two week trip to Chile for the purpose of Jewish education and leadership.
He became involved with the Maimonides program after meeting Rabbi Lynn, who operates the program at the University of Pennsylvania, in Jerusalem last year. Rabbi Kay says:
I was very impressed by the program and what it had to offer students on campus. The open curriculum, combined with the interactive teaching opportunities, as well as the high caliber students that the program attracted, is what actually attracted me to this position.
Shoshana was born in South Africa, but grew up in Toronto, and received an honors degree in International Relations from McGill University in Montreal. She’s worked in marketing and public relations for several years, and now serves as Director of External Affairs for Mesila, a nonprofit organization. Shoshana went to Israel to study Judaism at Neve Yerushalayim College, and met Shimon after spending a year and a half there.
The couple has three children, a three year-old boy named Nosson, a one and a half year-old girl named Yocheved, and their youngest boy, Simcha was born two months ago. Rabbi Kay says they have vacationed in the US many times, often visiting Shoshana’s sister in California, but only he has been to Philadelphia before this week. They are scheduled to move in August, so they can be prepared to start the Maimonides program when September comes.
Internship Program Offers the Chance to Work in Jewish Organizations
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 23rd, 2007 in Temple University. 0 CommentsA very small internship program exists deep in the Jewish Studies department of the College of Liberal Arts that allows students to get hands on experience working at a Jewish organization in the city. Called “Service Learning,” it is open to all students in the department.
“We mostly work with students to build intellectual links between the work they are doing in the community and reading and writing assignments that enhance and help historicize that work,” explains program coordinator, Laura Levitt (also director of the department), She commented that while only a handful of students actually do the program, they maintain contacts with several organizations.
“What generally happens is a student comes with an interest and a connection that he or she wants to pursue and we work with them to make this happen,” says Levitt.
This semester Jewish Studies Junior Jonathan Alexander is interning at the Feinstein Center for American Jewish History, located at Temple. Working under Center Director Michael Alexander (no relation), and Assistant Director Nancy Isserman, Michael is creating a DVD based on a textbook series on American Jewish history; his DVDs, which are created with pictures, music clips, maps, and more, are designed to be a compliment to the textbook that will help students learn. He says of his internship:
All I am hoping to get out of it is a sense that I did a good job and Jewish kids who are the future of American Judaism are going to have a better understanding of where they came from and who they are. If they are able to grasp the material better because of the work that I have done, then my job was a success and I will feel completely fulfilled and satisfied with the job that I did.
In the past students have interned at Jewish summer camps, after school programs, and the Center for Afro-Jewish Studies, also located at Temple.
Center founder and Temple professor Lewis Gordon says, “We’ve focused mostly on graduate students and research, but we did have some undergraduates work with us on four projects with happy results: the ISRST [Institute for the Study of Race and Social Thought ] Newsletter, organization of some on campus symposia, assistance with a meeting at the Institute for Jewish and Community Research think tank, and the local filming of a documentary on Jewish diversity.”
A Musician For Life, A Teacher By Accident
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 19th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 Comments
Even as a high school student, Temple junior Nicole Frimet was training to be a teacher. The Music Education and Voice major received a teaching certification in Hebrew and Judaism from Gratz College-High School before she graduated high school. Now she’s in her sixth year working for Temple Shalom Religious School, where she’s worked her way from teaching assistant to overseeing a class of sixth graders.
Frimet told CampusJ that she started teaching by accident, after entering Hebrew school in eighth grade, only to find that all the other students were young children. So, instead of being a student, she helped instruct those in kindergarten through second grade.
In exploring her musical side, Frimet has sung in choirs since elementary school and can also play the trumpet, oboe, bassoon, flute and French horn. Frimet also participates in many of the university’s choirs. She also brings her music to work: in addition to teaching Temple Shalom’s sixth graders, she was recently promoted to Junior Choir Director.
How has it been so far working as Junior Choir Director?
It has been awesome and a bit of a challenge, all at the same time. It is an amazing feeling to hear music that I write performed the way I want it, since I write, or at least arrange, the bulk of the kids’ music. It is hard to balance junior choir with school, so I have not been able to write as much music as I would have liked.
What do you like most about teaching?
Watching the faces of my students when something finally clicks, and they understand what they are being taught. It is a very laid back environment, so the kids feel comfortable, allowing me to see their true personalities. I now have a class of 18 sixth graders, so they help me every class in preparing for my future.
What challenges have you faced in teaching?
As I said, I have a class of 18 sixth graders, which is challenge enough! The fact that I only spend two days a week, and only one and a half to two hours each day, with my students makes it hard to accomplish as much as I want. The kids come to Hebrew school in addition to public school, so they see it as a chore, and it can be hard to really make them want to learn about Hebrew and religion.
What sticks out in your mind about your experience working with the children of Temple Shalom?
No matter what, the teacher has to make it work. I do believe that is maybe the most important lesson I have taken from working at Temple Shalom. I have an awesome principle, Rabbi and staff to work with and go to for support, so I am grateful for work with such wonderful educators.
Judaism seems to be a big part of your life, has it always been this way for you?
Growing up, being Jewish was always important to me. I was an outspoken kid, and I distinctly remember one holiday season, telling an sales associate, “Happy Hanukkah,” when she wished me a merry Christmas. Being Jewish is still very important to me, and is a huge part of my life. As I have grown I have definitely become more spiritual and open as a person and as a Jew, and definitely more active with the synagogue. I am going to Israel this summer with Birthright and I am extremely excited for the wonderful experience!
Hillel Wraps-Up Semester With BBQ, “Borat”, and More.
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 19th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 CommentsAs the Spring 2007 semester approaches its final weeks, Hillel serves up its last few activities until September.
The concert begins is from seven to nine p.m. and costs only three dollars with a Temple ID.
Writing With her Heart
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 16th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 Comments
Brooke Isakoff, a junior in Temple’s Broadcasting department, has a passion for writing. Since November of 2005, Brooke has been writing for Connections, a magazine based in Westchester that primarily focuses on the home. But, before she could pass her passion on to the magazine, she had to overcome her shyness, something that is easier said than done. Though writing isn’t her only passion. Since she was a child Brooke has taken scuba diving trips with her family, after being taught by a father in exchange for cleaning the pool. She is also a self-termed shopaholic, and especially enjoys Bloomingdales and Anthropologie. Now, Brooke has taken a break from writing, scuba diving, and shopping to tell CampusJ a little about herself.
Can you describe the magazine?
They do a lot of different articles depending really on the season. In the spring time there are a lot of decorating and organizing articles, which I have to say is my favorite. The articles get you excited about the season ahead and all that you can do to your home. Being that it is a smaller magazine most of the content is based around the surrounding areas obviously. The magazine reaches over 37,000 people which is great and at the same time a little intimidating to think that all those people are reading what I write! They also do a lot of advertising as well.
What do you like most about working at Connections?
I’ve done stories on many different topics which I love. For example my first article was on Stainless steel. Here I am thinking oh God what am I going to do, what do I know about Stainless Steel appliances. I interviewed a lot of private businesses and found a lot of information. That’s when I thought to myself, this is it this is what I want to do. I love learning about new things, researching them, reporting etc.. Then a few months after that I did an Article on Breast Cancer, which is a huge jump. I love the fact that it’s not just one topic I have to focus on.
What challenges have you faced working at Connections?
Nothing bores me more then reading a piece with no emotion and feeling to it. I want my readers to see what I write and what products I recommend and think OK I can do this I want to excite my readers. Another Challenge I had to overcome was speaking to clients and top business people. I would get so nervous and when you are conducting these interviews you have to have be confident or at least appear to be haha. You have to show these people that you are for real and you want to be taken seriously. I get to work with and talk to local and national businesses it’s been amazing. I went from being this shy college student trying to blend it to a more confident person trying to get the attention of business people.
How did you overcome your shyness?
Getting over my shyness wasn’t easy, but doing what I do I had no choice. I have to get out there and make these phone calls, talk to these people and get my interview. Without it there is no article and without the article I have no job. It was scary at first, but then I got used to it and it became fun. The best feeling is when they call you back and they keep calling you back. That’s when you know, okay I did a good job and they really take me seriously and want to work with me. That’s not to say I don’t get shy, I do a lot of the time still. I just say to myself, ‘Okay just go out there and get the best interview you can.’ Once I’m out there I love it, I feel just like a reporter from the news.
How do you incorporate Judaism into your life?
Honestly, I am not a very religious person. I know that probably sound pretty bad being that this is for a Jewish web-blog. I do wear a Star of David around my neck, I love reading new books that come out, & my family celebrates the holidays, but that’s about it. We don’t keep Kosher, even though growing up both of my parents were Kosher. I really don’t go to synagogue either. That’s not to say I don’t have an interest in my religion, I do, but it’s not the center of my world. More recently though I have taken more of an interest.
As I’ve gotten older I appreciate the traditions we have in our family more. It makes me want to do more and learn more. My grandmother is happy about having someone to go with her to synagogue now.
Maimonides Leaders Fellowship Coming to Temple
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 16th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 CommentsRabbi Lynn Shmuel is working with Temple Junior Jessica Sibelman to bring the Maimonides Leaders Fellowship program to Temple.
“I want students to understand that [Judaism] is the greatest moral compass one can have,” Shmuel told CampusJ.
Shmuel has been running the program at the University of Pennsylvania for three years, and said he hopes to not only bring the program to Temple, but also Drexel, and the Tricollege: Swathmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr. He won’t be doing this alone, as Rabbi Shimon Kay and his wife Shoshana are moving from Israel to the U.S. to run the program at Temple.
“I was seeking a type of Jewish learning course which would connect me to Judaism but also be understanding of my more reform observance practices and more cultural identification with being Jewish,” Penn junior Elana Wilf told CampusJ of why she joined the Maimonides programs last spring.
The program, an ultra-Orthodox outreach effort, was founded at the University of Michigan in 1999, lasts ten weeks, and requires students to attend a weekly 2.5-hour class on leadership and the Torah. The classes contain some lectures, but also heavily emphasize interactive participation by the students, and cover a range of topics, such as:
How do we decide from whom to seek advice?
At the same time the students also participates in various trips, and listen to speakers. The program also hosts its own trip to Israel, which unlike Birthright lasts for nearly three weeks (Birthright lasts for two), emphasizes the discussions the students participated in through the weekly class sessions, and offers students more time off to themselves than Birthright typically does.
“It’s different in that Jews don’t understand how much Jews would love the Jewish identity if they were empowered through it,” Shmuel said of the program.
The program takes on about 25 to 30 students, and Shmuel said they get applications from more students than they can take at Penn. Shmuel said they don’t generally consider freshman, and base the selection process largely on seniority.
“Put your preconceptions of what being ‘Jewish’ means aside and enjoy learning about your religion, engaging in lively discussions, and learning from others about what it means to be Jewish and how this can impact your life,” Wilf says to students interested in the program.
Students who join the program will be awarded stipends equivalent to their level of participation, and are asked to submit a journal, as long or short as they like, at the end of the semester as feedback.
Screening Program Brings Awareness to Area Students
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 8th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 Comments
Last Wednesday, the Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases, part of the Albert Einstein Medical Center, worked with the University of Pennsylvania’s Hillel, to bring a free testing to the area’s Jewish students. Students came to Steinhardt Hall for blood tests that will tell them if they are carriers for any of 10 genetic diseases common to Ashkenazi Jews. Carriers are not infected with the disease but can pass it on to their children; two people who are carriers of the same disease have a one in four chance of having an child infected with the disease. The ten diseases they test for are: Bloom syndrome, Canavan disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Familial Dysautonomia, Fanconi anemia, Gaucher disease, Type 1a Glycogen storage disorder, Mucolipidosis Type IV, Niemann-Pick disease, and Tay-Sachs disease. On what comes after testing, Student Coordinator of the screening, Brian Cohen says,
If they happen to be a carrier, the genetic counselor first of all, helps them to understand what it means to be a carrier. You’re still a healthy individual, there is no possibility that you will become infected with the disease if you’re just a carrier of it; the possibility all has to do with you’re children. So they let you know, obviously, that when you find a significant other and want to get married, you should have them get screened as well, and if you’re both a carrier of the same disease, they’ll let you know you’re options. If you don’t want to have kids the regular way, I suppose you could adopt. You could do invitro fertilization, where you get healthy sperm, healthy egg, and implant it into the mother, or if you’re comfortable doing it, you can do testing in the eight cell stage and if you find the child is infected with the disease you can have an abortion. There’s probably other options; I’m not familiar with all of them.
In preparation for the event, Hillel hosted a fundraiser at Strikes Bowling Alley, and an information session to inform students about the event. Cohen says students from both Temple and Drexel come to the event to get screened, after hearing about the event through word of mouth. The program has been growing over the years; in it’s first year, 2000, twenty people came to get screened, and four years later 80 people came to get screened. Then last March the event screened 180 people, and this year, with still an hour and a half left, around a hundred people have been screened. Cohen says they are currently trying to expand the program, which is also at the University of Pittsburgh and Tufts University, to the University of Maryland, and have been struggling to bring screenings to both Drexel and Temple, and hope to have it on both campuses by next spring.
Photos courtesy of Brian Cohen.
A Leader of Many on Temple’s Campus
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 8th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 Comments
In May Temple will graduate one of it’s most active leaders: Jonathan Alexander, a Political Science and Jewish Studies major from Syracuse, NY. In his first semester as a freshman, Jonathan co-founded, with 13 other students, the Temple University Student Alumni Association (TUSAA), of which he is now president. He soon joined the fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), and became vice president in his sophomore year, and president in his junior year. Jonathan didn’t stop there, he is now President of the Eta Psi Chapter (Temple’s) of the Order of Omega, an organization that recognizes and honors Greek leaders. At the same time, Jonathan interns at the Feinstein Center for American Jewish History, and sits on the panel of the University Disciplinary Committee.
What did you have to do to become involved with the Order of Omega?
Order of Omega accepts members based on an application that is available for all Greeks to fill out. Additionally, there is a minimum GPA required to get in. The application consists of criteria such as awards/honors both academically and within the community, community service involvement, chapter involvement and Greek community involvement, other organizations the applicant is involved in as well as a few other things…It was something I just wanted to do. You can only be in Order of Omega as a Junior or Senior, so I applied when I was eligible.
What different things do you have to do as a leader in each of these organizations?
Within AEPi, my role is somewhat like the patriarch. I am often sought out for advice on issues, since I have experienced many of them the previous year. Within TUSAA, my role is largely to coordinate with the General Alumni Association of Temple University who oversees the group’s activities. I also act as a liaison between the student members and the faculty in charge. Within Order of Omega, I am responsible for corresponding with the national headquarters in Texas and making sure operations within the chapter run smoothly. Within all of them, I preside over the executive board, or have at some point and it is my responsibility to make sure the operations of the organization are running smoothly. It is also important to realize that as president, you are the face of the organization and you must represent the group in the highest manner.
What have been your challenges as a leader in each?
The greatest challenge I have within my respective organizations is motivating people to work and inspiring them to do what is best for the whole. All of my organizations require people to give up their time for things they may not necessarily want to give it up for. It is my job to show them why the work they do is important, inspire them to do it, and make sure it gets done, because ultimately if the work does not get done it falls on me. It is important to realize that the members of my organization are not getting paid and are not in receipt of many rewards for their efforts. While they can be recognized with a certificate for member of the month or something similar to that, a huge challenge is finding the middle ground where you can enforce things and force volunteers to work for you without upsetting hem to the point where they will not do anything for you or the organization.
What’s your favorite part about being a leader? Where do you get your drive?
I love seeing what progress I can make with an organization. I love seeing people who do not think their efforts are substantial become wowed by the results they produce. I love inspiring people and making them proud of what they accomplish. As president of AEPi, the chapter won the AEPI International Chapter progress award, the Temple University Greek Chapter of the Year Award and a few other awards. As president of TUSAA and Order of Omega, I will be largely responsible as president for seeing the membership numbers increase significantly in a time of membership need. My drive comes simply from the desire to see an organization or group of people that have the potential to be great and making them reach that greatness.
How do you incorporate Judaism into your life?
Judaism is a huge part of my life. It was a major reason for me joining AEPi and it is incorporated into my life in much of what I do. I have been to Israel 3 times. I make sure to balance my meetings and events that my organizations hold around the Jewish holidays to make sure that they do not interfere. I try to make sure that people are proud that AEPi is a Jewish fraternity and make sure that they realize how important it is. Many of my morals and beliefs are based off of Judaism and without being Jewish it is safe to say that I would likely be a completely different person.
Matzah, Truth and Passover
Published by Ashley Helaudais April 8th, 2007 in Temple University. 0 CommentsAre you already missing bagels with cream cheese and lox? JHP serves up the solution in a kosher Passover lunch tomorrow. There will be lox and cream cheese, but the bagels will be replaced by matzah, and you can wash it all down with some juice. The lunch is being held in the SAC, room 220, from 11 a.m. till two in p.m.
Later that day, or rather that night, you can swing by Hillel to view the Oscar-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. The film, on former Vice President Al Gore’s campaign to bring attention to the issue of global warming, won the Academy Awards for best documentary and for best song, for Melissa Etheridge’s “I Need to Wake Up.” After the film, there will be a discussion, in the spirit of Passover, on the ten modern environmental plagues, and suggestions and how to help protect the environment from them. The screening begins at six p.m. at Hillel, and is slated to last until nine p.m.
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