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