by dlevy · Thursday, November 13th, 2008
Last night, the Jewish Young Adult Writer’s Forum kicked-off in the greater Boston area with an open house designed to introduce the concept to creative types in the 20s/30s crowd. The idea is fairly simple: a dozen or so folks (chosen through a simple application process) will meet monthly over four or five months to workshop some writing and learn from visiting professionals. The goal is to be flexible enough that theme of each meeting (and the pro who comes to lead it) can be tailored to the specific group that forms the first cohort. If it’s successful, organizer Chloe Safier hopes to engage future cohorts as well. Oh, and did I mention that participation is free? And includes dinner?
This is possible because the program is helped along by the support of ROI, PresenTense Group, and Gesher City Boston. But what I found most notable is that I found myself at a gathering of Jewish people in my age cohort, in a section of the city I lived in for seven years (before hopping to the other side of the river about a year ago), and the only person I had ever met before was the organizer. (This doesn’t happen often to me. I grew up in the Greater Boston Jewish community, I have worked in the community for years, I volunteer in the community, etc…) In the inevitable name-game section of the evening, a few people introduced themselves with particular Jewish affiliations (mostly professional), but most didn’t. And while I don’t want to make assumptions that anyone else in the room belonged to that elusive “unengaged” Jewish population that everyone’s so anxious to snag, this group certainly at least has the potential to serve folks both within and outside of the Jewish institutional mainstream.
JYAWF is accepting applications for the workshop until November 25th.
by Kung Fu Jew · Friday, June 6th, 2008
The Union of Progressive Zionists wants an Associate Director. Below the fold for full details.
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by BZ · Tuesday, April 8th, 2008
(Crossposted to Mah Rabu.)
One (solar) year from today, Wednesday, April 8, 2009, is birkat ha-chamah, the blessing for the sun that is said only once every 28 years!
Why every 28 years?
The short version: It’s based on bad science, but it’s still cool to have something like this that only happens a few times per lifetime. We should brainstorm about how to take advantage of this opportunity!
The longer version:
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by Kung Fu Jew · Friday, March 28th, 2008
Please tell me yes! It may well have been true in the past that the Arab nations missed opportunities for peace with Israel, but now the ball is more and more in Israel’s court. How does the oft-parroted line about Israel being the beleaguered peace seeker amidst the Arab warmongers survive since the Arab League in 2002 offered Israel full recognition throughout its 22 member states in exchange for a peace settlement? The offer was renewed yesterday by a re-ratification of the Arab League’s assembly of foreign ministers.
This preceded an offer of a ceasefire by Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal. With Gazans demonstrating for continued armed conflict, this sounds like a stupid thing to turn down.
But I shouldn’t be eager to condemn any side for perceived intransigence because Gerson Baskin and Hanna Siniora, co-directors of the Israel-Palestine Center for Research and Information have been traveling the country touting their middleman position in not-so-secret negotiations between Israel and Hamas for the return of Gilad Shalit, for a Hamas-Israel one-year ceasefire, and between Israel and the PLO for a final settlement. Read it in JPost.
What lacks on both sides, the two say, is political chutzpah. And it’s almost certainly true, despite whether they’re really said shuttle pigeons.
Either way, the mantra that the Arabs resist peace at every turn should be shucked by the wayside. It’s just as incumbent on Israel to not blow these opportunities — and on Americans to do our part too.
by zt · Thursday, February 21st, 2008
The release for the following job opportunity crossed my desk; I thought a Jewschooler might fit the bill.
Moving Traditions seeks a Project Consultant to assist us with our groundbreaking efforts on Jewish Boys
Summary
Moving Traditions seeks a Consultant to lead a two-stage action-research project that will: 1) determine how best to meet the needs of teenage boys and thereby inspire their participation in Jewish life; 2) promote recommendations and leverage change in the Jewish community. The ideal candidate will have experience creating, managing, and evaluating programming; knowledge of the Jewish community; excellent organizing skills and strong writing skills; experience in social change work is a plus. The Consultant will work 80 hours a month and will be based in Philadelphia or within easy travel distance; s/he will report to the Executive Director. The consultancy could lead to a staff position.
Where Have All The Young Men Gone? is Moving Traditions’ action-research campaign to help the Jewish community better understand and meet the needs of Jewish adolescent boys and thereby inspire boys to participate in Jewish life. The campaign was launched in December 2007 at a roundtable conference co-sponsored with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. We are embarking on a year of action-research followed by a year of promoting specific recommendations to leverage change in the Jewish community.
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by Kung Fu Jew · Wednesday, February 13th, 2008
JPost covers UPZ’s birthright israel trip — the only progressive such trip in existance, now in partnership with the New Israel Fund. And I couldn’t agree more with the impact of showing people the real Israel over showing them the facade of a Jewish Disneyland:
[UPZ Executive Director Tammy] Shapiro believes that bringing young Jews into direct contact with the often unsettling reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can help to strengthen the connection of young Jews with Israel. “When people actually go to these places and learn about things for themselves, they can go back to their campuses in America and talk about it better than they did before,” she says.
American pro-Israel activism is pretty pathetic. And it’s failing. American Jewish students are in a miserably uneducated place to defend accusations of human rights abuses in the West Bank — the daily reality, as attested to by soldiers themselves — but they are expected to do so by the pro-Israel establishment as it stands. This is the success of UPZ’s progressive birthright israel tours, NIF’s social activist tours, Encounter’s tours of Bethlehem and Shovrim Shtika/Breaking the Silence’s tours of Hebron. Support for Israel should be divorced from support for the occupation. But presently they go part and parcel, to the uncomfortable disaster of students connected to Israel. And non-students, not to mention.
But just whipping a little checkpoint-and-poverty on students is detrimental and thus wasteful, as they leave Israel feeling that reconciliation is impossible between their values and their Israel aspirations. This is why the UPZ is so important and why they, NIF, Encounter, and Shovrim Shtika stand out amist the plethora of other tours which happen to be organized by Jews also:
…But the UPZ’s program isn’t the only tour bringing Diaspora Jews into contact with Palestinians. Birthright Unplugged, which has no connection to birthright israel, brings North American Jews to the Holy Land to engage in Palestinian solidarity activism, many of whom return to US campuses as anti-Zionist activists, says Shapiro.
“Birthright Unplugged is an alternative to birthright which includes the Palestinian narrative, but ignores the Jewish narrative,” she says. “Our tour is more complex and doesn’t ignore either one. We are not coming from the perspective of animosity toward Israel; we care about the country deeply.”
I fully believe it’s impossible to understand the conversation about settlements without seeing the varieties of settlements yourself. I think it’s fully impossible to address the first-hand testimonies of ISM and pro-Palestinian activists without also having experienced East Jerusalem and the territories. And I think it’s disgustingly disingenuous to laud Israel’s civil rights record in relation to her Arab neighbors without paying heed to the pains and struggles of disenfranchised Israelis. We are all dangerously vulnerable of being mindless pundits if we have read only what other people say. (Read our comments exchange about Hebron to see what happens when talking heads fall under the bulldozer of first-hand experience.)
UPZ/NIF’s trip won’t take you to Gaza City. But the closer you can get, the more credibility you bear and the more able you can defend Israel interests — her moral interests and her security interests.
Registration for UPZ/NIF’s two trips are now open at www.israelexperts.com, 1st trip: May 19th-May 30th and open to ages 18-26. 2nd trip: July exclusively for ages 22-26, exact dates for this trip will be determined after registration. Email UPZ director Tammy Shapiro at director {at} upzshalom(.)org for full details.
by chillul Who? · Thursday, February 7th, 2008
Michael Steinhardt didn’t do it. Lynn Shusterman didn’t do it. Edgar Bronfman didn’t do it. Your Hillel director would have shit his pants. And let’s not talk about what your synagogue’s board would have thought about the idea.
The idea? Tossing your money - hundreds of thousands of dollars of it - at a group of twenty-somethings with no strings attached.
The prerequisites to receive this generosity? Live in a house, with other young Jews. Open your doors to the community. And call your home by the name of Morris “Moishe” Squire, the wealthy Jew from Santa Barbara who began bankrolling these houses two years ago for the purpose of invigorating young Jewish communities.
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by shamirpower · Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
In the past five years, young Jews have seen a burst of philanthropies step up to the task of training Jewish leaders of the ‘next generation.’ The programs they have developed range in quality and length of engagement; however, what they all seem to have in common is an interest in both hearing about the experiences of the fellows as well as giving them some sort of opportunity to actualize an innovative project. In some cases they also include mentoring by a seasoned Jewish professional. Perhaps one day in the future Steven M. Cohen’s disciples will looks back and say: “How did the explosions of these fellowships shape young Jewish engagement in Jewish life? Did they in face develop the type of leaders they hoped to?”
Feel free to add anything I missed in the comments section, including similar fellowships you can think of from previous generations. Note: There are many more of these fellowships that are Israel specific - I have purposely left them out since I feel like those have their own set of goals and have been around much longer. The point of this post is that there are now many such fellowships in the US.
You may have already heard of ROI120 (a five day conference in Israel), PLP (which has both conferences and an academic fellowship), CLI/Leading Up, (Insight, a one year program working full time, Charlie, basically money and support to do a birthright follow-up program), Legacy Heritage Fellowship (a year long international professional mentorship program where the fellow works toward Middle East Peace) or , and the lesser known Muehlstein Institute (an 18-month certificate in non-profit management and Jewish communal leadership).
Well, it’s time to throw a few more into the mix. These new ones don’t have an ambiguous acronym or a particularly difficult to pronounce family name, though they both are only named for the sponsoring family. More »
by Kung Fu Jew · Friday, October 12th, 2007
For the foodies in rabbinical school out there:
Special Opportunity for 2-5 Current Rabbinic Students to Attend a Conference on the Intersection of Jews, Food, and Contemporary Life
The Hazon Food Conference is at the forefront of an emerging national movement that explores the intersection of Jewish life and contemporary food issues. It brings together educators, rabbis, farmers, nutritionists, chefs, food writers, and families who share a passion for learning about and celebrating food. Join us for inspiring lectures and discussions, hands-on cooking sessions, family-family activities, an inclusive Shabbat and Chanukah celebration, and delicious, consciously prepared food.
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by YehuditBrachah · Monday, September 17th, 2007
But I got the goods right here!
The National Havurah Committee just began soliciting submissions for courses for next year’s Summer Institute. Because the info isn’t yet on their website, I’ll give you the abbreviated sneak peak version here. Institute 2008 will be August 11-17 at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, NH. Proposals are due Nobember 26, 2007, and you get to go to Institute for free (excluding $36 membership dues) as appreciation for your teaching dedication. Quoting the course committee’s materials:
The theme for the 2008 Institute is *Baruch she-amar v’hayah ha-olam* Blessed is the One who spoke the world into being (or, as ArtScroll translates it: Blessed is the one who spoke, and the world came into being). The Institute planning committee notes that this phrase resonates with our overall interest in turning speech into action and learning into doing, connecting torah with social and environmental justice. It resonates with creation themes, both ecologically and metaphorically, and opens the door to courses about worlds we create with our words. While we invite proposals for courses that speak to or draw upon the theme, we welcome proposals in all topics relevant to our community. Every proposal receives full consideration.
Include course title and 75-100 word blurb, lesson plan, bio/CV. For more info and details on submissions, write to courses at Havurah.org or call the NHC office at 215-248-1335.
by YehuditBrachah · Thursday, June 14th, 2007
So my friend Barefoot told me a few weeks ago, “The most amazing thing has happened. I am a bone marrow match for a girl in the States, and I am going to donate my bone marrow.” I didn’t quite get it. I asked, “What does that mean to you? I’m not sure what to say, is it like ‘Congrats’? Tell me about it.”
“It’s probably one of the most amazing things I will ever do in my whole life. I have the capacity to save another person’s life, and I’m going to do it.”
I don’t know why it took her basically repeating what she’s said a second time in order for it to sink in. I don’t know why I didn’t immediately understand that actually saving another person’s life by your actual actions could be one of the most amazing things you’ll ever do. I guess we talk a lot about “saving lives” in the activist world, and so maybe I’ve become desensitized to it. But I’m not sure I can say that I’ve ever actually saved a person’s life.
Well, now Barefoot can. And you can too.
GesherCity Boston, along with the JCRC, Harvard Hillel, Kavod House, Tremont 20s and 30s, Tufts Hillel, Workmen’s Circle, Havurah on the Hill, Young Leadership Division of CJP, are holding a bone marrow drive in which they test you with a simple cheek swab and add you to the national registry of bone marrow donors. As if the chance of saving another person’s life is not enough, the event will also feature
GOLEM!!!!
who just absolutely rock the house with their fierce and cheeky Klezmer fusion. Also speakers, food, giveaways, a JP Licks Sundae bar, activities, a raffle (including Red Sox, Patriots and Blue Man Group tickets, restaurant gift certificates and movie passes!), and lots of other good stuff.
WHAT: The GesherCity Bone Marrow Drive and Community Celebration of Life made possible by the Winn Family, in partnership with North America’s only Jewish bone marrow donor registry, the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, and Combined Jewish Philanthropies.
WHEN: June 24, 2007 2:00pm to 6:00pm
WHERE: 52 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge MA (at Harvard Hillel, Red Line to Harvard Square)
TO SIGN UP, CLICK HERE” title=”https://www.securejcrcboston.org/jcrcboston/events/geshercitybmd/details.tcl\”>HERE” target=”_blank”>www.securejcrcboston.org/jcrcboston/events/geshercitybmd/details.tcl”>HERE.
Also check out the pretty:
by Aliza · Sunday, June 3rd, 2007
There are only a few days remaining to vote in the JFSJ poll to shape the upcoming Domestic Jewish Agenda. I’m very excited about this campaign for which Hazon, Isabella Freedman Retreat Center, Jdub Records, Jewcy.com, Jewish Student Press Service, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, Jews United for Justice, Jewschool.com, Moishe/Kavod House Boston, Progressive Jewish Alliance, The Shalom Center, The Tribe, VelveteenRabbi.com , and Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring are sponsors.
I’m only dissapointed that reforming our food system did not make it to the 10 issues that voters can choose from to help shape the new domestic social agenda for Jews/Jewish organizations. Does this mean that food systems will not be included in the agenda? Some might argue that food is encompassed by the “Environment” choice, but there is much that needs reform in our food system beyond its environmental implications. Perhaps someone from Hazon can clue me in to whether this was discused and why it was left out.
(cross-posted on JCarrot)
by YehuditBrachah · Tuesday, May 29th, 2007
I began to do serious Jewish learning six years ago. I grew up Reform and failed by the Hebrew School system, and discovered Jewish learning through a fellowship at my college Hillel. When that fellowship ended, I was looking for somewhere else I could continue to learn and ask questions. I wanted to immerse myself in Jewish learning and to understand the laws of Shabbat, to learn Jewish texts, to learn how to daven.
That’s when I found Lishma.
It’s sort of the secret missing link in the collection of programs that many of the young progressive Jewish professional types go through along the way. No Bronfman program or Jews in the Woods, Lishma nonetheless has had a profound impact on many up and coming Jewish leaders. Learning all day long in the Beit Midrash at Camp Ramah Ojai (CA), davenning 3x a day, guest speakers, chevruta discussion, excellent teachers, and nice group housing by an orange grove separate from camp cabins. Lishma is a joint program of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies (Conservative) and Camp Ramah.
Here’s the blurb:
LISHMA is an extraordinary Jewish learning experience– a 4-week,intensive summer yeshiva for young adult Jews (18-26) located at Camp Ramah in California. Lishmaniks live among the orange groves in the beautiful LISHMA house, learn traditional Jewish prayer, study daily with renowned Talmud scholar from Bar Ilan University, Aaron Amit, engage in weekly social action projects , and hear lectures from prominent rabbis and scholars throughout the summer. Lishmaniks also enjoy the recreation facilities of Camp Ramah, including an Olympic sized pool, tennis and basketball courts, art, ceramics, hiking and more. Other highlights include a weekend camping trip to the Channel Islands, as well as ongoing spiritual mentoring with LISHMA Directors Lizzi Heydemann and Jordan Gerson, both students at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. This summer’s dates are June 17-July 16, 2007.
Check out our website at www.ramah.org/lishma and download the application. The application deadline is May 31st.
LISHMA is the perfect experience for the interested beginner, for someone with text study background, or for someone considering rabbinical school or a career in Jewish education. For more information write to lishma {at} ramah(.)org, or call 314-324-8124
If you want to take some time to do some good learning and you’re maybe at the beginning side of this stage of your Jewish journey, check it out. Deadline for applications has been extended until May 31.
by Danya · Sunday, May 20th, 2007
The AJWS has just created an opportunity for fledgling writers/teachers of Judaism to bring the holy down–for cold, hard, cash. It looks like a great opportunity–try to get in on it while you can!
American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is delighted to announce the launch of the AJWS Dvar Tzedek Torah Commentary-Lisa Goldberg Memorial Writers’ Fellowship. This Fellowship will provide five individuals with the opportunity to write for the AJWS Dvar Tzedek, a commentary on the week’s Torah portion that relates to the Jewish imperative for social justice. By using traditional and contemporary exegesis, Fellows will craft each Dvar Tzedek to inspire Jewish engagement in global justice efforts. The Dvar Tzedek is published on the AJWS Web site and sent via e-mail to supporters across the country. It is also syndicated on other Web sites, including MyJewishLearning.com.
Each Fellow will write approximately 10 Dvar Tzedek commentaries between September 2007 and September 2008 and will receive an award of $2,000 as well as a one-day training seminar and ongoing guidance from the education and communications staff at AJWS.
Please visit www.ajws.org/parshah to download the application and view previous Dvar Tzedek commentaries. The application deadline is July 1, 2007. Please direct all questions to Sarah Margles at smargles {at} ajws(.)org.
AJWS is an international development organization motivated by Judaism’s imperative to pursue justice. AJWS is dedicated to alleviating poverty, hunger and disease among the people of the developing world regardless of race, religion or nationality. Through grants to grassroots organizations, volunteer service, advocacy and education, AJWS fosters civil society, sustainable development and human rights for all people, while promoting the values and responsibilities of global citizenship within the Jewish community.
by Danya · Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007
Lishma, a SoCA summer yeshiva program for the college-age-and-a-bit-older set still has some spots open for its 2007 cohort. It should be some great Torah, so if you’re interested, check the deets below:
LISHMA is an extraordinary Jewish learning experience– a 4-week, intensive summer yeshiva for young adult Jews (18-25) located on the site of beautiful Camp Ramah in California. Lishmaniks learn traditional Jewish prayer, study daily with renowned Talmud scholar from Bar Ilan University, Aaron Amit, engage in weekly social action projects, and hear lectures from prominent rabbis and scholars throughout the summer. Lishmaniks also enjoy the recreation facilities of Camp Ramah, including an Olympic sized pool, tennis and basketball courts, art, ceramics, hiking and more. Other highlights include a weekend camping trip to the Channel Islands, as well as ongoing spiritual mentoring with LISHMA Directors Lizzi Heydemann and Jordan Gerson, both students at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. This summer’s dates are June 17-July 16, 2007.
Check out our website at www.ramah.org/lishma and download the application. The application deadline is May 15th.
LISHMA is the perfect experience for the interested beginner, for someone with text study background, or for someone considering rabbinical school or a career in Jewish education. For more information write to lishma {at} ramah(.)org, or call 888-CAMP RAMAH x3, then x 5.
And now you know.
by Mobius · Monday, March 19th, 2007
I’ve just been accepted to Elat Chayyim’s Neshama Internship. That means I’ll be out at Isabella Freedman from the end of May through August. W00t!
If you want to spend the summer with me and an awesome group of other folks out in the woods, taking exciting classes (PDF) with inspiring rabbis and Jewish educators, and developing your skills in conscious community building, I recommend applying for the internship as well:
“This three-month program incorporates in-depth spiritual practice, service to the retreat center, and a loving and inclusive community in which participants can experience a deeper depth of spiritual connection to Jewish tradition. In exchange for working for the center, participants take courses during the Elat Chayyim and Senior Adult Camp summer program, learn to build community, and study with leading Jewish spiritual teachers.
“Interns generally range in age from 20s to 60s. They come from all over the world and from diverse backgrounds with different levels of Jewish education and practice. It is important that interested applicants are familiar and comfortable with Isabella Freedman’s practices of gender equality, willing and able to work hard and to see work itself as a spiritual practice, and have a desire to create a respectful and caring community among interns and other staff.”
