Jewish

for college students by college students

VOLUME 5, NO. 1

edu

February 20, 2014 / 20 Adar I 5774

Common Language

MSU's social media intern helps Spartans

connect more Jewishly.

Natalie Gray

jewish@edu writer

f you are a Jewish student at Michigan State University,
the tweets below are just some of what you may see
when scrolling through your Twitter feed. It's clear social
media is essential to students' lives. At the Lester and Jewell
Morris Hillel Jewish Student Center, we make an extra effort
to talk to college students in their native language — the lan-
guage of social media, that is.
As the DeRoy Social Media Intern for MSU Hillel, I work
alongside staff and student leaders to actively promote Hillel
happenings each week on various social media channels.
Social media is a vital part of my daily life and has been a
crucial part of my college experience. I use various networks
every day to stay current on news, pop culture, school work,
and job and internship opportunities. Social media has helped
me keep in touch with family and friends and has also helped
me network with people who share my interests.
In my second year of the internship, I have noticed my
peers and I are using these unique forums in a distinctly
Jewish way. Whether posting pictures from our Taglit-
Birthright Israel trips on Facebook or tweeting the latest
Jewish humor YouTube video, we are finding even more ways
to connect with each another in personalized ways that help
us enhance and grow our identities as Jewish college stu-
dents.
As the social media intern, I have been working to increase
online conversation via "hashtags," an online tool for people
to search tweets, Facebook comments and Instagram photos
that have a common topic. These hashtags help topics trend,
creating a larger conversation and allowong Jewish students
at MSU to share their own Hillel experience via social media.

I

Common Language on page 22

•

Carly Rosen

CrRosen 41

J. 10

Just went shopping with HillelSpartan for the Light it up program on
Tuesday at 7!!! So everybody should come!!! It will be super fun!!

4 Reply * Favorited ••• More

Expand

Jan 11
N8 enatestrauss
You know its a successful Shabbat dinner when we have to add
more tables to the already huge room ShabbatShalom
@HillelSpartan

9 from East Lansing, Ml

4, Reply U. Retweeted * Favorited ••• More

Lizzy Kirsch - eakirsch ii

Nov

Having a bagel from New York Bagel in West Bloomfield while
studying in EL makes Tuesday better. Thanks @HillelSpartan

4 Reply * Favorited ••• More

Expand

Taylor Lederman @taylor_lederman ri

Oct 17

Go to :MIllelSpartan to print my research paper and leave with
candy and freshly popped popcorn. I don't hate it

Expand

MSU Hillel

4 Reply * Favorited ••• More

Nov 20

HillelSpartan

You can't spell Sparty without party! Hashtag #HanukkahSparty and
get pumped for tomorrow night! HanukkahSparty

Expand

Ethan Schild @ethanschild

Nov 21

Can't wait to enjoy an early celebration of Hanukkah tonight with
Sparty! #hanukkahsparty @HillelSpartan

Expand

4, Reply tl Retweeted * Favorite ••• More

Leslie Spector Ospectorl
Are they gonna run out of bagels??" #overheardathillei
@HillelSpartan

Expand

Dec

4 Reply * Favorited ••• More

A demonstration in London Jan. 3 calling for an academic boycott of Israel
ahead of the Modern Language Association's annual convention.

K College needs to publicly reject
the academic boycott.

L

ate this past December, the American
ment to be two of its most important values, as
Studies Association (ASA), a group of
every college should. In light of the immense
American history scholars, enacted in
import Kalamazoo College places upon academic
a 2-1 vote an academic boycott of the
freedom and international engagement, I am quite
State of Israel. The organization stated its motiva-
surprised that it, as an institution, has not made
tion for the boycott as the stifling of Palestinian
a public statement rejecting the ASA's boycott of
scholastic freedom in light of the Israeli occupa-
Israel.
tion. Thus, the ASA no longer recog-
That a resolution to reject scholarship
nizes the legitimacy of Israeli scho-
from an entire nation passed by two-
lastic institutions nor that of Israeli
thirds of the ASA's voting delegates is
scholars who wish to teach in the U.S.
abhorrent. It is true that at various times
Since the ASA enacted its boycott
in history, political differences and vio-
of Israel, two more academic groups,
lations of international law have isolated
the Modern Language Association
nations from the wider world. Apartheid
(MLA) and the Asian Studies
South Africa, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, North
Association, have followed suit. This
Korea, Israel, Syria, Cuba are just a few
boycott has snowballed from a single
examples of this. While some of these
polemical act from an insignificant
countries should indeed be treated dif-
Noah A rbit
institution to a widespread attack on
ferently in the political arena, there is
Comm entary
global academic freedom. But there is
no place for such prejudice or ostraciz-
good news: As of today, 134 members
ing in academia. No place at all.
of Congress and approximately 230 colleges and
Having traveled to Israel multiple times, I
universities nationwide, including Michigan State,
can say that it is as progressive a country as one
Wayne State and University of Michigan, have
can visit. Granted, it is by no means perfect.
publicly condemned the boycott of Israel.
But Israelis are making astounding contribu-
Although this is indeed a good start, I am unsat- tions to many areas of science, medicine, lit-
isfied with the lack of response from my own
erature, technology, pharmaceuticals and more.
school, Kalamazoo College. Kalamazoo College
And in light of Israel's immense contributions to
professes academic freedom and global engage-

Standing By Israel on page 22

February 20 • 2014 21