Category: National Blog

by: Darren Levin and Shlomit Cohen After a long week replete with anticipation and excitement, we finally embarked on our first visit to Washington University in St. Louis. After a few plane rides, we entered the Hillel on campus, and had the opportunity to spend time with some of the students in the student lounge, followed by a meaningful Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv. After a delectable dinner with approximately 100 students who are involved with Hillel on campus, we enjoyed an Oneg, including singing, stories, and Divrei Torah. Sam Zakai, a freshman from NYC who has quickly become involved in Jewish leadership on campus, gave us a tour of the aesthetic campus of Wash U. and Martin Schaefer, an upperclassman from Germany who is currently studying Biophysics and has been instrumental with improving the quality of Kosher food on campus, assisted us in our return to our accommodations. One of the highlights of Shabbat was Seudah Shlishit. Prior to our visit, Paula Sass, one of the leaders of the Jewish Student Union, along with Sam, organized a Minyan for Mincha, followed by a fun-filled meal, featuring home-made pasta, tuna fish salad, cake, and other treats. The spirit, student Dvar-Torah, and exciting Havdalah left us with a great impression of Washington University’s warm, close-knit Jewish community. During our Sunday morning informal breakfast meeting with some of the students, we discussed our Simchat Torah plans and other exciting projects for the year. We can’t wait until our next visit to St. Louis!!

On September 15th, 2009 the Co-Director of JLIC at Harvard, Rabbanit Sharon, made history by becoming the first Orthodox Jewish female chaplain in the history of Harvard University. Please consider supporting our work by voting for Sharon as a Jewish Community Hero by going to: http://www.jewishcommunityheroes.org/nominees/profile/sharon-weiss-greenberg/ and clicking "Vote Here". You can do so daily, every twelve hours through the duration of the contest. Thank you and congratulations!

Yachad, an organization that provides integrated programs for youth and adults with special needs, is in need of advisors for the upcoming year. Their advisors are typically University students who are motivated to help others and bring meaningful Jewish experiences to those with special needs. They provide one program per month and two shabbatons per year, however, do not need a commitment to attend all programs. Anyone interested is promised a great time, a warm and fun atmosphere, lasting friendships and a great volunteer experience. Examples of their programs include: apple picking, bowling, holiday parties with Ulpana and Or Chaim Students, folk dancing, and much more. Please contact Shauna Rosenberg (Elmaleh) for more info: Assistant Coordinator of Yachad Canada

Dvar Torah from Rabbi Menachem Schrader, founding director of JLIC. The last verse in Naso, quite out of the blue, describes how Moses would communicate with God from within the Holy Sanctuary. Moses would approach the Sanctuary with the intention of sp[eaking with God. He would then hear God's voice speaking from between the cherubs. At that point Moses would begin his conversation...

Exciting New JLICampus Enrichment Fellowship! The JLICampus Enrichment Fellowship seeks thoughtful, intelligent, dynamic, entrepreneurial, motivated, and passionate young men and women who are seeking to be the future leaders of Jewish communal life. A select number of promising men and women, who are currently pursuing advanced degrees (semicha, education, advanced Talmud or Bible studies), will be invited to participate in an exciting new fellowship...

Dvar Torah from Rabbi Menachem Schrader, founding director of JLIC. It is commonly assumed in Midrash that the ritual impurity of Tsora'at is a punishment for the sin of "lashon hara", speaking evil of other people that is either untrue, or even if true, unnecessary. The word Metsora, the person stricken with Tsoraat, ia seen as a contraction of the two words"motsi ra", or one who lets out (of his mouth) evil. Read more...

JLIC presents a LEARN-A-THON An inter-campus opportunity to learn Torah and support JLIC while you're at it! Sponsored learning runs from March 29 through April 4. Winners will be chosen in two categories: MOST HOURS LEARNED and MOST MONEY RAISED**. Winners will be able to choose from three prize options: $500 gift certificate to Artscroll, Ipod Touch (32 GB), or a Nintendo Wii console. TOP CAMPUS PRIZE for campuses with the greatest participation in the learn-a-thon indicated by most combined hours learned. For the top campus in each division, JLIC will contribute $500 towards any event of your choice. To participate in the Learn-a-Thon, you must be registered and logged in as a JLIC member. You can register here. Talk to your JLIC educators for details.