for college students by college students
this very sentiment has pervaded my
thoughts since returning home.
Indifference and apathy seem to
freeze the workings of global justice
in its tracks. Having experienced
firsthand this summer what working
in solidarity with those in need can
accomplish, I now see so clearly how
toxic an attitude of indifference can
be. In this sense, the take-home les-
son of Peru was how I can use the
opportunities I have been given to
give back to the world, and not just
use this experience to be thankful for
my own life.
These lessons are especially rele-
vant as we look toward Thanksgiving.
I feel a great amount of responsibility
to those who may not be fortunate
enough to have many of life's basic
Jamie Gorosh of West Bloomfield
necessities. Although I understand
with Julia and Christopher Fajado.
we are all capable of feeling indiffer-
Jamie and the other volunteers on
ent at times, I will strive to remain
her program got very close to the
Fajado family in Peru.
engaged and aware so as not to
ignore the suffering others endure.
In this sense, my experiences in
erty and development, I have a great deal
Peru have inspired me to be even more
of context to the issues I hope to one day
conscious of my thoughts and actions, and
have a part in rectifying. @
how they affect others.
Leaving the simplicity and tranquility
of Lurinchincha was not easy. But now, as
Jamie Gorosh of West Bloomfield is a junior at the
I study public policy at the University of
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Michigan with a focus in international pov-
From left to right: Zachary Colman, Jamie Gorosh, Ethan Lube, Rachel Margolin
From left to right: Sam Plotkin, Ami Schwarcz, Casey Weiss
Jewish@ edu staff •
editorial: (248) 351-5144 • kcohen@thejewishnews.com
Reporters: Zachary Colman, University of Illinois-Springfield; Jamie Gorosh,
University of Michigan; Ethan Lube, Eastern Michigan University; Rachel
Margolin, Washington University; Sam Plotkin, Michigan State University;
Ami Schwarcz, University Of Michigan-Dearborn; Casey Weiss, Michigan State
University
• Special thanks to all Hillels in Michigan for contributions.
supervising staff
Chief Operating Officer I F. Kevin Browett
Creative Director I Deorah Schultz
Editorial Director I Robert Sklar
Sales Director I Keith Farber
IT Director I Deanna Spivey
Executive Editor I Keri Guten Cohen
L Jewish
Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit
ALLIANCE FOR
JEWISH EDUCATION
Supported by a generous grant from Federation's
Stephen H. Schulman Millennium Fund.
A Jewish Renaissance Media publication © 2010,
Southfield, Michigan
DETROIT
JEWISH NEWS
Steinberg Elected Michigan Daily Editor
Stephanie Steinberg of Commerce Township, a junior at University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor, was recently elected editor-in-chief of U-M's
Michigan Daily, where she will be the first woman leading the daily campus
paper since 2000. Her one-year term begins in January.
In addition to serving as editor of The Northern Star, the paper at
Stephanie Steinberg
North Farmington High School, Stephanie worked several years on
the JN's monthly Teen2Teen section and served as a JN/T2T summer
intern. She also is a contributor to this jewish@edu section.
Stephanie is a communication studies major at U-M. She is the daughter
of David and Joyce Steinberg of Commerce Township. @
Sukkah Sharing
EMU Hillel students make the most of Sukkot.
By Ethan Lube
Ypsilanti
J
advanced degree in genocide. There were
young men focused on sports and others
who would be more apt to build their own
computers. Our views ranged from liberal
to conservative, from bookworm to athlete,
religious to non-practicing. Yet on that
Friday night, we found ourselves celebrat-
ing our many differences, while united by
our similarities.
As we became comfortable with each
other, conversation turned to genocide,
war and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
We found that despite our widely varying
ideas and opinions, our conversation, while
somewhat heated, was civil and produc-
tive. It made me think that if we could
have a respectful dialogue about these dif-
ficult issues, perhaps the leaders of Israel
and Palestine could do so, too, and find a
peaceful end to the cycle of violence that
ewish and non-Jewish Eastern
Michigan University students cel-
ebrated the Jewish harvest holiday of
Sukkot together Sept. 24 at Hillel at
EMU. The interaction within the sukkah
went beyond commemoration of the harvest
and progressed into meaningful dialogue as
well as a true appreciation of Jewish life.
Jewish tradition includes "dwelling" in
the sukkah for the duration of the holiday.
Although this suggestion was posed to my
fellow Hillel students, they were not too
keen on sleeping outside for an entire week.
So Hillel at EMU students observed this
tradition by eating a delicious vegetarian
meal in the sukkah.
By spending our time in the Sukkah,
we were very conscious of Sukkot's com-
memoration of our
history of being
homeless and wan-
dering through the
Egyptian desert,
which is very much
the point of the
holiday.
Beyond build-
ing a really cool
backyard hut, the
Arba Minim or Four
Species offers one
of the most interest-
EMU students lounging in the Hillel Sukkah dur-
ing traditions of
ing "Hookah in the Sukkah": Hila Levin of West
Sukkot. The four
Bloomfield, Amy Weinhaus and Vincent Bermudez,
species, referred to
both of Grosse Pointe, Simon Murmelstein of Los
collectively as the
Angeles and Beth Kent of Plainfield, Ill.
lulav, have many
continues to plague our two peoples.
interpretations, but the one I found most
We realized the evening had progressed
meaningful on Sept. 24 is that it represents
so late into the night it was already the next
different varieties of Jews.
morning. Not being prepared to actually
As I sat inside the sukkah, I thought
sleep in the sukkah, our shared experience
deeply about this and the fact that Hillel
finally had to end. However, the memories
at EMU represents many varying types
of that evening will last well into the com-
of Jews. In the sukkah that evening were
ing year, and perhaps even longer. @
Jews like myself, who never celebrated a
bar mitzvah and are only now rediscover-
Ethan Lube of Northville is a junior at Eastern
ing their Jewish identities, as well as Jews
Michigan University in Ypsilanti.
who are very observant and knowledge-
able about our religion. There was a young
woman who had served in the Israeli
military, another who had completed an
November 11 • 2010
33