Honesdale, Pa.
S
the students and staff. Together they
created a nearly non-stop laboratory of
what many referred to as "doing
Jewish." That came in study sessions,
diverse prayer groups, leadership class-
es and an array of electives ranging
from exploring the Jewish themes in
Disney movies to "50 ways to use
your shofar."
After a typical day of activities —
from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. —
groups stayed up past 2 a.m. to sing
Jewish songs under the stars with the
many students and staff who had
brought guitars and harmonicas.
But first, he added a caveat for a
crowd that can spend more hours with
books than sleeping. The way you
learn in the Western world is alone.
That's why libraries are anti-Semitic.
You can't talk, therefore you can't
learn. So were reclaiming what were
known for, whether you are a beginner
or not."
For the next 90 minutes, first in
pairs and then in larger groups, those
present explored and debated Jewish
texts that related to community-build-
ing. And doing that, they struggled to
find relevance.
hira Weinstein is exactly the
enthusiastic type of college
student that Birthright Israel
is looking for, even though
she knows she cannot go on one of
the thousands of free 10-day trips to
Israel being offered by the group.
"My experiences in Israel have had
such an impact on me that I would
love to convince at least one other per-
son to go," the Eastern Michigan
University student said here last
week during the Schusterman
Hillel International Student
Leaders Assembly. "And that's
what I plan on doing with my
brother. I think it will help him
and others to discover some-
thing about themselves."
She spoke of the effort to
send up to 4,000 Jewish college
students from North America
and elsewhere to Israel for free
next year, which at the confer-
ence received an informal kick-
off in front of more than 300
campus student leaders and
about 200 professionals and
Hillel supporters.
About 3,000 of the
Birthright Israel slots will go to
Hillel, which calls the program
Israel 2000.
The conference showcased
an organization that a decade
ago was viewed as a "business as
usual" enterprise on most cam-
puses, providing students and
faculty with the basics of kosher
meals and programming. Today,
Hillel, whose operating budgets
have mushroomed from $14
million to more than $30 mil-
lion under the 11-year steward-
ship of International Director
University students from Michigan, Michigan State and Eastern Michigan ham it up at the
and President Richard Joel, is
Hillel
Assembly.
seen as the gem of Jewish organiza-
"Of all the evenings I spend in a
tional life.
"These are not just random writ-
year," said philanthropist Michael
One portrayal of the innovative
ings on a piece of paper," said Michael
Steinhardt, a co-chair of the Hillel
thrusts giving new direction to the
Bloom of the Hillel at California State
international board of governors, "the
former B'nai B'rith International
Northridge. "These are Jews who
one I enjoy the most is this. I enjoy it
department, now described as an inde-
2,000 years ago asked questions that
because it reflects as no other evening
pendent "movement," was seen in the
you do, like what do I want from my
does a profound feeling of Jewish joy,"
life? What's important to me?"
75 new Steinhardt Jewish Campus
Students were challenged to recover
Service Corps fellows.
Kyle Schwartz, a student at the
the concept of Jewish learning.
University of Cincinnati, shared with
During six days here, they learned
"The last century almost eradicated
about blanketing campuses with activ-
his co-students a philosophy of living
from popular Jewish consciousness the
ities to cultivate interest among unaf-
— and then discussed where rock 'n'
filiated Jewish students. One example:
way Jewish people learn," Rabbi Avi
roll fits in.
Weinstein, director of the Meyerhoff
"If you ever find the answer you're
Walking through the dorms dressed as
Center for Jewish Learning, told
a hamentash around Purim, doling out
wrong," he said. The more you inter-
them. "Today, we're going to do some-
pret these [texts] and their meaning,
the holiday pastry treats.
thing about that.
But the real story was the energy of
the more you find."
For him, such an effort is not to
the exclusion of popular culture.
Quoting the lyrics to songs by groups
such as Aerosmith, he said, "life's a
journey, not a destination.' You can
learn from that, too."
Lauren Bialystok, a student at the
University of Pennsylvania, added that
text study is far from the sum total of
her Jewish expression.
"For me, it's not Torah study that's
the end all in Judaism," .she said. "I
get that from being with my family on
the holidays or being at kiddush in
shul. I understand how it does it for
others, but the whole meaning
of journey is that it's a very per-
sonal experience."
Encountering such diverse
views made an impact on stu-
dents, who had the opportunity
during mandatory prayers to try
out Reform, Conservative,
Reconstructionist and
Orthodox minyanim.
This is the first conference
that I have been at with real
pluralism," said Rachel Weiss, a
University of Michigan student.
"This is like a utopia. Just after
dinner to see a men's group
dancing, women dancing and
mixed dancing was just incredi-
ble. Everyone's going to differ-
ent minyamin and trying them
out. You see that it's something
that can be done."
Some students said they were
looking for even more. Missing
for Micah Peltz, a University of
Michigan student, was a chance
to talk to students from similar
large Hillel schools.
"I expected to have some
time with campuses like Penn
and University of Texas, other
campuses with big Hillels to
discuss issues that are prevalent
in large campuses, like rela-
tionships with Arab students,"
he said. "I would love to sit down
with people and discuss how they
handled it."
Rebecca Zaidel, a student at
Michigan State University, added that
the conference has already prompted
her and University of Michigan stu-
dents to begin planning joint pro-
grams.
And Aaron Dikel of the University
of Maryland indicated that the circle
of activists indeed can be expanded. "I
have been slowly getting involved with
Hillel, but not as a leader," he said.
But now I would like to work with
environmental issues and work. This
really psyched me up." I I
Doing Jew' h
Hillel assembly showcased an energized
movement of college students.
Photo by Baltimore Jewish Times
NEIL RUBIN
Senior Editor
9/.
19'
Detroit Jewish News 2r: