Times and Experiences of Miami Jewish Students

2009-04-23T09:21:00.001-07:00

So its a hectic morning here at Hillel. All of the last minute preparations for the kitchen dedication. We hope to see everyone there!

The Seasons Are Changing!

2009-04-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

I hope your Passover has been great; I know mine has. But let me tell you I am happy that it has finally reached its end. As a student who grew up attending a Jewish Day School: Solomon Schechter Day School, Passover has always been about spending time with your family.

Each year our spring break would fall during the festival of Passover. This made it easier on the families and allowed for those who had family travelling in from out of town for seder the ability to spend time together.

During passover it was about srengthining relationships ,reconnecting with those you no longer spoke frequently with, remembering the struggles of the Israelites and the freedom we are so lucky to have today.

The phenomenon that relationships and the festival of Passover are directly connected is an interesting point of view to look at. During the time of slavery, the Israelites were there for one another when they needed it. They become closer to one another as they spent years in Egypt as slaves, saw the ups and downs of life and tasted the bittersweet joys of freedom together.

Each year we remember this bond that all Jewish people and the people of the world share. Although, Passover is a time of remembering, it also is a time about reaffirming our support systems and realizing how lucky we are to be free today.

At Hillel every year I am provided with the opportunity to do exactly this. Here at Miami, on Walnut St., a few blocks from campus, I have found a second home; a place where those relationships formulated on and off campus have a place to thrive. Every year during the 8 days of Passover I have the chance to do what I have done all of my life; reconnect, reaffirm,and reestablish connections to my past and present.

The future of the world is within each and everyone of us and in order to find it, we must search within one another.

I wish everyone a great rest of the week,

Dan Albert
Hillel Engagement Intern
Albertds@muohio.edu

Passover Is Only A Day Away!

2009-04-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Things are really busy here at Hillel this week. We are preparing for Passover which begins this Wendsday Evening with Seder #1 at the Oxford Community Arts Center. This Thursday the second seder is occuring at The Hillel Beerman Center.

Passover is a bittersweet time of year. We remember the time that the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt under Pharoahs rule and our release from Slavery.

Passover is a special time here at Miami University. We are able to gather together at Jewish students on this campus and remember a time in Jewish history of much importance.

As a junior at Miami University I have had many Passover experiences. My freshman year I travelled with my roomate to his home in Indiana and celebrated Passover with him and his family. For many years I have joined Miami Students in celebrating at Hillel, allowing me to meet many new faces and enjoy a home cooked meal.

Looking forward to sharing my Passover experience with everyone,

Dan Albert
Hillel Engagment Intern
Albertds@muohio.eu

Happenings At Hillel!

2009-03-19T09:01:00.001-07:00

Welcome Back Students,

It has been a while since we have provided you with an update in regards to the happpenings at Hillel and trust me their are many exciting ones coming up as we near the end of this semester.

Passover is right around the corner and begins April 8th and continues with our annual yeast feast on April 16th.

Take a look at the schedule below:

Passover Sedars and Meals
Sedars:

First Sedar: April 8, 2009 at 6 pm at Oxford Community Arts Center (10 S. College)

Second Sedar: April 9, 2009 at 6 pm at Hillel (11 E. Walnut)

Meals: April 10-16 at Hillel (11 E. Walnut St.)

Brunch: 10:30 am - 1 pm

Dinner: 5pm-7pm

April 10th: Free Shabbat Dinner (services at 6 pm, dinner at 7 pm)

April 16th: Free "Yeast Feast" 8 pm

This years first passover seder will be held at the Oxford Community Arts Center and will be a night of great food, great people, but most imoortantly a chance to reflect back on a time period so importnat in the history of the Jewish people.

ASB: Alternative Spring Break
Several of our Miami Students have just returned from a different type of spring break experience. During the week of March 9th, students traveled down to New Orleans where they spent their break rebuilding the infrastructe that was destroyed by Hurricain Katrina. In the coming days we will have some personal journal entries and photos to share with you about this amazing experience.

JNF Israel Trip:
Others from Miami spent their spring break in Israel helping to rebuild areas destroyed by hamas rockets and warfare within the middle east region. These students has a great oppurtunity to make a difference in the world and again in the coming days pictures and personal experiences will posted for all to see.

I hope that everyone has a meaningful break and is ready to get back in the swing of things here on campus. We hope to see you out at some of the exciting programming that is being offered and feel free to contact us with anything you would like to see within the MIAMI JEWISH STUDENT blog; afterall it is about you.

Best of luck in the coming weeks,

Dan Albert
Hillel Engagement Intern
Albertds@muohio.edu

Hillel Featured In The Cleveland Jewish News!

2009-02-24T09:13:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since our last update. Those of us at Hillel have been busy carrying out exciting new programs and continuing old favorites.

This past friday we held our annual Ethiopian Shabbat and this coming weekend we have our first ever Murder Mystery Night and Havdallah Service. We will be sure and let everyone know how this program turns out but in the meantime be sure and check out the article below that features Hillel.

Special thanks to Amy Newman Smith

Jewish involvement on campus: what students want

By Amy Newman Smith
Published: Friday, February 13, 2009 1:10 AM EST
College students are preparing for careers, but they are also preparing for life ... sorting out who they are and who they want to be. For Jewish students, that often means deciding what ties they want tothe Jewish community.

Luckily, even on campuses with smaller Jewish populations, they have choices. From services to social events, from social justice to Israel programs (which took on added significance as Operation Cast Lead began late last year) and everything in between, Hillel, Jewish fraternities and sororities and other groups offer programs designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

What sells?

Students looking for a religious connection on campus often find their way to Hillel. Mariessa Shein, a sophomore at Ohio University (OU) in Athens and a Hillel intern, says the biggest turnout is always for High Holiday services. But Hillel and other groups go beyond Shabbat and holiday services, offering social programming, cultural events, Jewish learning opportunities, and social action projects.

Tal Rosen, Hillel’s executive director at Miami University, says diverse events attract different kinds of students. Shein agrees, noting that students who wouldn’t come to a religious service will attend social programs like speed dating, an event that has produced a few matches. Dan Albert, a junior at Miami University, finds the same to be true on his campus. On a recent bus trip to see Jewish rap singer Mattisyahu in Cincinnati, he met several people he had never seen at a Hillel event. And Shein, who lives in an off-campus Jewish housing co-op, says people who never come to Hillel events can often be found hanging out at the co-op house.
Jonathan Lopatin, a junior studying economics at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), says the Jewish Student Group, an organization that plans social activities, often schedules events around Jewish holidays like Purim, but without the religious component a Hillel event might include. As a result, these events often draw a different crowd.

A broad spectrum of students gets involved in community service projects. Rabbi Danielle Leshaw, Hillel’s executive director at Ohio University, says students work at a food bank in nearby rural Appalachia. Hillel is also sponsoring a bone marrow registration drive in late February in partnership with the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi, with a goal of collecting 1,000 swabs that could lead to life-saving transplants. Jewish fraternities and sororities offer another center for Jewish students to make connections.

Involvement with Jewish groups offers other benefits. Intern programs build resumes. Raphael Bendriem, a senior studying biochemistry at CWRU, appreciates the career skills he’s acquired through Hillel. (He met his girlfriend there too.) Opportunities to explore leadership, planning and delegation skills taught him the importance of isolating what makes an idea work. The key to any successful on-campus event, he says: “Free food.”

Israel

Support for Israel is one of the centers of Jewish life at CWRU, observes Lopatin. That appears to be true on other campuses as well. Rabbi Leshaw, at OU, says Israel-focused events, whether a film or speaker, draw consistent crowds.

Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s move into Gaza, was very much on student’s minds when they resumed classes in January, after winter break.

Returning to OU, Shein says the friends she’s made provided support as she watched news coverage and worried about her fellow Jews. While she’s spoken to friends on campuses where protests have turned acrimonious or even violent, she hasn’t experienced that at OU.

Tal Rosen reports a pro-Israel rally at Miami was attended by Jewish students he called very aware and well informed. Dan Albert notes that Miami Students for Israel works to educate students on campus about the issues. The group recently “held a vigil for victims on both sides of the conflict.”

At CWRU, both Lopatin and Bendriem say on-campus conflict has stayed under control. Lopatin says while strongly worded letters to the editor bounce back and forth on the issue, it doesn’t get explosive. The students who feel strongly about the issue, he says, aren’t “entrenched” and want to do more than just “yelling across barriers.” Like other students, he knows his situation is somewhat unique. Friends in schools back east label their campuses “very angry.”

In contrast, Bendriem observes that even groups as far apart on the issues as Hillel and Students for Justice in Palestine were able to gather together for a moment of silence for victims on both sides of the conflict. Both sides have worked to make it that way, creating opportunities for people to share strong opinions in a way that doesn’t foster increased conflict.

Gary Coleman, executive director of Hillel of Northeast Ohio, calls the Jewish-Muslim dialogues lessons in “learning how to agree to disagree” and how to walk the fine line between free speech and intimidating speech.

Moving … on and off campus

Coleman says on the campuses his organizations oversees-including Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and Oberlin College-affiliation numbers are rising slightly. Organizations are sprouting in some unlikely places. A Jewish club recently started at Jesuit-run John Carroll University and Notre Dame College approached Coleman about its own Jewish student group.

In addition to increasing numbers and branching out, Coleman says Hillel of Northeast Ohio is working hard to get students off campus to strengthen their ties with the Jewish community of Cleveland. Students are matched with synagogues and families for Shabbat and holiday meals. There are also professional mentoring programs for graduate students and summer intern programs for undergrads in conjunction with the Jewish Federation and the Cleveland Foundation.

Dan Albert says even the changes brought by slimmed down organizational budgets have led to positive outcomes. They’ve begun partnering with other campus organizations they’ve never worked with before. Led by professional staff and student leaders, Jewish life on campus is staying vibrant and varied.

Feel Free to read the article at the following link:http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2009/02/13/education/doc49945522b7c7c020978175.txt

Have a great week,

Dan Albert
Hillel Engagment Intern
Albertds@muohio.edu

From the metro to the Mall, one student's experience By: Adam Hainsfurther

2009-02-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank Adam for allowing us to share with you his personal experience of travelling to Washington, DC for this years innaguration of Barak Obama.

Adam is a sophmore at Miami University and has written many articles and columns for the Miami Student. I hope you enjoy what he has written below.
There's a reason they say going to an inauguration is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Well, there are a few reasons actually.

First off, getting tickets is incredibly difficult. I found out I was going to D.C. less than a week after President Barack Obama (go a head, say it again, it feels awesome) was elected. I didn't find out I had a ticket until about two weeks before I left. I had to write to almost every politician in Ohio, Sen. Dick Durbin, soon-to-be former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and my home district's representative Rep. Mark Kirk. In the end House Minority Leader, Rep. John Boehner was able to secure me a ticket.

Not only was getting a ticket hard to do, but I lucked out by having a place to stay. My cousin Jenni was able to take me in during the week at her apartment in D.C.'s Penn Quarter neighborhood. I had heard stories of people renting out their dorm rooms to strangers for $400 a night as well as stories of people paying $5,000 to sleep on a couch. Not a sofa bed, not a futon, just a plain old couch.

Along with finding a place to stay, tickets to D.C. were at all-time highs. I was able to use my dad's sky-miles to knock my ticket price down to $5 (the best $5 I've ever spent). When I was looking at first though, the cheapest flight was $300 and the most expensive coach ticket was more than $1,000.

Not only is it an expensive trip, but it's definitely an exhausting one. Let's take a look at my inauguration day. I woke up a 6:00 a.m. to people partying on D Street, right outside Jenni's building. From there, I dressed, talked with Jenni and Craig about our plans for the day (their seats were in a different section than mine) and headed to the Metro, Washington's subway system, to quickly get to the security lines for the Blue ticket section.

Right away I ran into trouble. First, the streets were so jam-packed, I had to go through an ally just to get to the street I needed to take to the Gallery Place Metro station.

Once I got into the station, things seemed to calm down for a bit. I only had to go one stop before changing lines, but the train was empty enough for me to get a seat (a rarity on busy days). Once I got to the Metro Center stop though, reality hit-hard. You could barely move without coming close to getting pushed into the tracks (something that happened at least once on inauguration day). People were packed into cars like sardines. One woman with at the inauguration told me that at one time, people were putting so much pressure on the train's doors, the doors wouldn't close.

I boarded a train quickly and headed off to my planned destination. I had to adjust my route and get off at Capitol South due to overcrowding at other stops.

Unfortunately, Capitol South isn't exactly close to where those of us with Blue tickets needed to get in. I got off the train, moved my way through an incredibly crowded station, up an over-crowded, and stalled, escalator and toward what I thought would be multiple entrances for the Blue tickets. Boy, was I wrong.

Instead I walked about a block and was halted by the biggest line I've ever waited in. Everyone in this line (as well as a few other lines) needed to get through ONE entrance to the security checkpoint. That's right, 10,000 people and one entrance. Ridiculous.

After waiting in line for three hours, I was ready to call it quits and head back, but instead I walked toward the front of the line and joined a group of line jumpers (shame on me, I know). After hopping a guardrail I was promptly squished against a series of other guardrails until I was able to file through the entrance and into the security checkpoint.

From there I looked for a place to stand. As I was looking for a ledge to stand on, I was led to a broken fence that separated the Blue and Orange sections. I quickly went over the downed fence and settled in amongst the masses just as Vice President Joe Biden was about to be sworn in.
As President Obama was sworn in, the crowd went nuts. The inauguration became the country's biggest block-party. People were dancing, singing, crying and shouting. Everyone knew they were witnessing history.

Getting out of Capitol Hill, though, was a bit of a problem. I was led the wrong way on my way out and was forced to go through a huge crowd of people (in which I was barely able to move) not once, but twice. People were going down left and right due to leg cramps, fainting or merely being pushed to the ground by those around them. The Metro was pretty much shut down, cops had no idea where to send people and the parade route trapped huge groups of people in the Mall (myself included). It took me nearly four hours, but I finally made it back to the apartment.

Compared to others though, I had it easy. Miami sophomore Ben Lockshin, who came to D.C. with a group of the College Democrats, was turned back at the gate even though he had a valid ticket for the Purple section.

"We got to the gate around 7 in the morning, and cop told us to go to the Third Street tunnel," Lockshin told me later while he was making the drive back to Oxford from D.C. "At that point, (the line) was two-thirds of the way into the tunnel and it snaked all the way around. We waited in line there for hours and it was moving very slowly. We thought we'd just wait it out in there. At about 9:45, my friend said he'd go check it out outside. He gave me a call saying there was a mob at First and D streets. He eventually pushed his way through. Another friend and I stayed in line, but once we got out of the tunnel it was just chaos. We got the gate a little bit after 11, there were a couple thousand people just standing there en masse, but no one was being let in. Eventually we talked to a police officer, who told us that they stopped letting people in. From there we just decided to go to a hotel and watch his speech on TV."

David Miller, who also traveled to the inauguration with the College Democrats, had a bit of a better experience than Lockshin.

"I was just walking around," Miller said. "I had an Orange section ticket, and was walking around the section. Jessica Alba was sitting in the front row in a group of chairs in front of us. There wasn't anyone around her, so I walked up to her and said hi. I had six or seven Obama buttons on, and she said something about it. I asked her if she wanted one and she said sure so I gave her one, took a picture with her and left."

While I didn't have quite the same experiences as either Lockshin or Miller, I can definitely say that my inauguration experience was one that will probably never be topped. Besides bumping elbows with Tony Dungy, seeing someone who looked a lot like the Daily Show's John Oliver (I never did have the courage to ask him), and getting on Japanese TV while waiting in line for my ticket, I witnessed history. And while others were willing to pay $5,000 to do the same, I have to say that my trip to D.C. this past week was truly priceless.

It Is You're Right to Know About Birthright!

2009-01-29T08:15:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Everyone,
It been a crazy week here in Oxford as far as weather goes. We went from forty degree weather into a winter wonderland with snow and ice on the ground everywhere. Last blog entry we promised to bring you some personal memoirs and experiences of some of the Miami Students who were privileged to travel to Israel on a Birthright trip this winter. Please enjoy some writing supplements by Miami students, Seth Vander and Jason Roden below.

My Israel Experience

By Jason Roden

I finally got to go! After all these years of learning about it in Jewish school, hearing about it on the news, praying for it, celebrating it, I finally got to go to Israel. Rather than give a summary of the places I visited, (It’s a beautiful country!) I thought I would share with you my overall learning experience. The president of Hillel, Avraham Infeld, spoke in front of all of us who went to Israel with Hillel. One of the topics he discussed was the idea that Judaism is not a religion…That’s right…He said and I quote, “Judaism is not a religion!” He then went on to explain that rather than a religion, we are a family. Now initially, I did not agree with what he was saying and even now, I don’t agree 100%. However, I think what he was trying to say was that we don’t have to pray 3 times a day and keep strict Shabbos in order to identify as being Jewish. He went on to explain how there are all different types of Jews (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, etc.) who are all Jewish all the same. Now, I personally do not like to associate myself with any distinct movement. I like to think of myself as “just Jewish.” In reality though, the Jewish people are divided and do not quite see eye to eye on all issues. Infeld proposed a solution to this problem. He compared the values of the Jewish people to a 5 legged table. Each leg represents a characteristic of the ideal Jewish people. The first leg is Jewish memory, which he explained is basically the classic idea that we apply the past experiences of the Jewish people to our lives in the present. The second leg is the idea that the Jewish people are a family. The third is the Hebrew language. The fourth is the Land of Israel and the State of Israel. He made a distinction between the two in the sense that the Land of Israel is what connects us via Jewish memory and the State of Israel is what gives us a Jewish homeland. And the fifth is the Jewish Law. He basically explained that the Jewish Law was given to us at Mount Sinai and it is an essential part of our family’s Jewish memory. Now obviously, not every Jew these days is going to possess all 5 legs. So Infeld suggested that we at least try to incorporate 3 of the 5 legs because as long as there are at least 3, the table will still be able to stand. I feel that this is a very important idea to incorporate into our lives. We, the Jewish people, have managed to prevail against all odds throughout history. Half the Jewish holidays are about people trying to destroy us. But here we are…celebrating them today. Passover, Purim, Chanukah…All of these holidays required us to unite as a people in order to prevail. Even in the last century we have defied the odds. While in Israel, we went to a movie theater and watched a movie about the Yom Kippur War. It specifically focused on the Syrian invasion of Golan Heights. According to the movie, Israel had less than 200 tanks and Syria had nearly 700, not to mention superior infrared technology. Syria also had the element of surprise in its favor. After all, it was Yom Kippur. To make a long story short, the Israelis held off the Syrians in Golan Heights. This, to me, was a miracle just as much as the story of Chanukah. How did we do it? How are we still here? Well if there’s one thing our tour guide tried to drill into our head it was the idea that the Jewish people do not give up. No matter how bad the odds are against us, we will persevere as a people. This is why Israel exists today and it will continue to exist if we continue to unify. And If you haven’t taken advantage of Birthright yet I would definitely suggest doing so. We really didn’t feel any effects of the war in Gaza. (Yet, another modern day example of the unity and perseverance of the Jewish people.) I’ll end with a Jewish quote that my mother always tells me. “G-d helps those who help themselves.” May G-d help the Jewish people unify and bring peace to the world.

The Holy Land
By: Seth Vander

Going over to Israel was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being over there alone fulfilled a dream, even with all of the chaos, I felt safe because I was surrounded by people who cared. I was able to meet many new people and soldiers who shared the same faith as I did. Alone with these people, I was able learn more about myself as a person and define my Jewish identity. I was able to see many historical sights, such as, Masada, The Western Wall, and The Dead Sea. All of these events will remain in my memory forever. I suggest to any Jewish boy or girl, to take advantage of this opportunity. You seriously do not know what you are missing out on until you have seen it in person. The experience consists of gaining lifetime friendships with people from America and Israel, traveling to the holiest place on Earth, and allows you to recognize your home away from home. The trip to Israel made me extremely happy and brightened my future. For me, the journey has just begun.

Thanks

Seth

Thank you to Seth and Jason for sharing your personal experiences with us. If you are interested in travelling to Israel on this Springs Birthright trip or even the summer session, please don't hesitate to contact Miami's Hillel.

We look forward to seeing you around Hillel soon.

Best,
Dan Albert
Hillel Engagement Intern
Miamihillel@gmail.com

We Have A Great Semester Ahead Of Us!

2009-01-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had amazing winter break and a Happy (Hannukah, Channukah, Chanuka) and is ready for another great semester here at Miami. Everyone has been hard at work putting together some excellent programming for the upcoming semester that we all are excited to be a part of.

Here at Hillel many of our students have truly enjoyed relaxing and meaningful breaks. Some of our students took part in a Birthright Trip to Israel and had the experience of a lifetime. We ended our first semester with a great trip to Cincinnati where we saw Hassidic Reggae Rap star Matisyahu perform at the Bogarts concert venue. I think we all can agree that it was an amazing experience that we were able to share together in.

I wanted to take this moment to invite everyone to share in a traditional Shabbat service and meal at Hillel this semester. We look forward to seeing all of those old faces and meeting many new ones.

In the coming weeks we will have some very meaningful blog entries from those members of our Miami Hillel family that were able to travel to Israel this winter.

Until then, good luck on an amazing semester and enjoy this bitter cold weather.

Miami Hillel
Dan Albert
Hillel Engagement Intern

A Way of Life

2008-12-10T08:55:00.000-08:00

As a student, I often find myself struggling with my hectic schedule. On top of a full course load, I find myself allotting time between several student organizations from Miami Entrepreneurs to Hillel; Managing and working my DJ service, Knuckle-Up Productions; heading up the student record label MIOX RECORDS; working on new business ventures; meeting for group projects; interning at Hillel; eating and of course, sleeping (I get winded even thinking about it all). My weeks become a blur of activities, conversations, meetings, and information.
Despite my hectic schedule, I always find time for one important event in my week. Beginning freshman year I met three great friends who soon become my “entourage”. Every Friday we would walk out of the front doors of Collins Hall located on East Quad. In the crew are Eric Sunray (The rock star), Diogo Metz (The diplomat), Jeff Kloosterman (The artistic one), and myself, Dan Albert (The businessman). Despite our unique qualities we all shared one universal quality, our Judaism. Dressed in our finest linens we walked down High Street as an entity (The Jew Crew). Our mission was to hit up Hillel’s Beerman Center for the weekly Shabbat Services, snag some good food, and perhaps pick up a few ladies along the way. Every Friday, I knew I had a group of great guys that wanted to go celebrate our Judaism for a few hours of the night.
Hillel soon became the place we went to for a home cooked meal and a chance to spend some time with some quality people. I always will remember walking out of Hillel completely full and dreading the walk back to East Quad. After arriving back and regrouping we joined our other friends for a night on the town.
Attending Hillel has always been a part of my schedule despite the many events I have going on throughout the week or later on a Friday night. It has become a routine and a comfort. Every Friday night I feel like I have the ability to travel back home to St. Louis, MO. and experience the environment I have grown up in; an environment where Friday nights are about family first. By minimizing the outside distractions and eliminating answering the phone or watching television, we were able to focus on what was most important in our life; the relationship and open communication about the ups and downs, hopes and aspirations of our lives.

I see Hillel as my family, like many social and religious groups it allows for a place of open expression and the cultivation of relationships.

I will never forget the memories I have had while attending Hillel or the relationships I have established.

I am proud to say that to this day those that I began my Hillel journey with are still a part of it; they are a piece of me; a piece of Hillel; a piece of Miami; and a piece of Judaism and all that it encompasses.

Best Wishes,

Dan Albert
Hillel Engagment Intern
Albertds@muohio.edu

Hillel Featured in the Miami Student Paper!

2008-12-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

Last week Miami University's Hillel was featured in the Miami Student. If you didn't get the chance to read the story in the paper that is published bi-weekly I have included it here for your reading pleasure.

Tommorow we head off to see Matisyahu with 13 students and are looking forward to a great time when we meet up with UC Hillel students for dinner and the show!

For those of you who are students good luck on finishing up with the last week of classes

Dan Albert

Hillel Engagement Intern

Albertds@muohio.edu

Hillel to attend Matisyahu concert Dec. 11

Miami University's chapter of Hillel, a Jewish campus organization, will be attending Hasidic Jewish rapper Matisyahu's concert Dec. 11 in Cincinnati.Hillel, one of the largest national Jewish campus organizations, allows Jewish students to discover their religious identity, according to their Web site.Hillel at Miami also allows students faculty, staff and the Oxford community to participate in religious, Israel-focused, social, educational, and community service-based events according to junior and Hillel member Dan Albert.Matisyahu, a Hasidic Jew, combines reggae, rock and hip-hop in his performances. He is strongly known for not performing on Shabbat and opening his concerts with a prayer according to Miami senior, Dan Birnbaum.According to Albert who organized the trip, Matisyahu is more of a rock star musician than a Hasidic Reggae rapper. Rather than focusing solely on religious aspects, Matisyahu's songs speak of his experiences growing up, said Albert.Since 2002, Albert has attended four Matisyahu concerts and said he enjoyed the number of diverse fans that the music reaches. With this event, Albert wanted to bring his musical interests to the attention of other students on campus."I'm not just a fan because he's Jewish," Albert said. "The lyrics they write are high-quality and I see more of the music."Hillel, located on East Walnut Street at the Beerman Jewish Student Center, encompasses a chapel, computer lab, wireless Internet and library, kitchen, dining room, game room and TV lounge. Hillel has weekly Jewish Shabbat services, followed by a home-cooked meal for all members of the community on Friday evenings. During the High Holidays and Passover, meals, services and seders are provided to the community.Birnbaum, member of Hillel, has also attended several Matisyahu concerts. Just like the concerts, Birnbaum says it is not uncommon to have non-Jewish members of the community attend Shabbat services at Oxford's Hillel weekly. "We promote involvement from the whole community, not just the Jewish community," he said.Other students at Miami that are not Jewish and non-members of Hillel enjoy listening to Matisyahu's music. Junior Tony Stricker attended a Matisyahu concert in Cleveland three years ago."It's incredible how people of all ages and religious affiliations can really enjoy his music," he said.Albert has purchased 15 tickets to the show for Jewish and non-Jewish students on campus. Through word of mouth, Albert has sold all 15 of his tickets.Tickets for the concert are still available to purchase on the Matisyahu Web site.Matisyahu performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 11 at Bogart's in Cincinnati.

Dreaming Towards the Future

2008-11-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back,

As an individual I would classify myself as a dreamer. As a dreamer I am constantly working towards my goals.

As an individual I would classify myself as an innovator. As an innovator I want to change the world one step at a time.

As an individual I would classify myself as unique. I enjoy being different from others; a diamond in the rough.

This week we saw dreams become a reality. In this blog I am not attempted to push any political opinion but more importantly push human integrity. As Jews within society we have faced years and years of oppression, anti-Semitism and hatred, but we also have experienced many joys that have allowed Jews and Judaism to survive as the longest standing religion of the world.

On Tuesday November 4th, we saw the nation elect an African American man to the White House. I acknowledge that within our society we have differing opinions. Some may be accepting of this change and others not so much. This dream though was not about Red or Blue (Republican or Democratic), but rather two more important colors; Black and White. On Tuesday, we put the true colors that really matter aside and we did this for one purpose. As individuals we are tired of dreaming about making America a better place and we are ready for that shot at reality.

On Wednesday November 5th, 2008 the day after the election we saw another dream come true. Barak Obama offered his chief of staff position to a bright Jewish individual by the name of Rahm Emanuel.

A little Background on Rahm Emanuel:

Rahm is a democratic individual who has served as a representative in the house for the 5th district of his home state Illinois. Rahms represents the Jewish people in a favorable light. He was born in Chicago to a Jerusalem born father; Benjamin Emanuel who served as a member of the Irgun (a militant Zionist group who served against the British Mandate) and a Rock n’ Roll club owner mother, Martha Smulevitz. Rahm grew up highly connected to his roots as a Jew. He attended a Jewish Day School in Chicago for a portion of his elementary education and would attend Israel every summer with his two brothers and sister, visiting family and taking in the place that has ultimately made him who he is today.

Rahms family is of a unique caricature. His brother Ari Emanuel is one of the top talent agents in Los Angeles and the entertainment industry. Ari began his career working at I.C.M. and soon left with a few other employees to begin what is now called Endeavor Agency one of the top agencies in LA representing Sacha Baron Cohen, Larry David, and Mark Whalberg. Rahms other brother Ezekiel is a top oncologist and doctor and the youngest is his sister Shoshannah.

Representative Rahm is said to have been an inspiration for a character on West Wing and brother Ari is the inspiration of the character Ari Gold on the HBO series Entourage.

Ten years ago, who would have never imagined a black president and Jewish Chief of Staff in the White House. For these two men, dreams were not their stopping point but rather their beginning.

As we watch as the government switches over in the next few weeks, we are hopeful that the term acceptance is once again brought upon us. Everyone starts somewhere and with hard work; you too can make your dreams a reality.

This week though wasn’t about the dreams of only two individuals; it was about the dreams of a nation and making them a reality together.

The dream that one day despite your religion, despite the color of your skin, sexual orientation, or gender; we are all equal. If anything this week, remember that history was made, whatever the future holds; good or bad.

As Jews we need to be proud; sometimes it is those experiences, like traveling to Israel every summer, attending a Jewish Day School, meeting a life long friends or seeing a rock concert that shape whether those DREAMS become a REALITY.

Shabbat Shalom,

Dan Albert
Albertds@muohio.edu

Hillel Engagment Intern
miamihillel@gmail.com

A Reflection On Our Past and Look Towards the Future

2008-10-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome,

This year at Hillel we have decided to incorporate a new aspect into the way Judaism is viewed on campus, but most importantly how it is viewed through you; the student. As technology changes; almost everyday new and innovative methods are popping up allowing groups of individuals to stay connected with one another and better express how they see themselves within the world today. At Hillel, we value each value each and every student on this campus regardless of what faith. When creating this blog we wanted to provide a place where students like yourself feel comfortable about expressing the positive and negatives of their Jewish experience here on Miami’s campus. Most importantly, we created this blog as a space for you to share your personal experiences of how Judaism played a role in your lives before coming to Miami. We want you to share your personal experiences- including things like travelling abroad, celebrating the holidays, youth groups, and even life-long friendships. Share with us your crazy stories, personal memoirs, and life changing experiences. This blog is about breaking social barriers. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing these stories in public, this space was created for you and we encourage everyone to feel comfortable contributing as little or as often as you like.

As the holidays are approaching and Monday evening marked the beginning of the Jewish new year; Rosh Hashanah I wanted to take this time and reflect back on an important experience that has shaped who I am today. During my senior year in high school I had the opportunity to study abroad in Israel for two months. In the winter of 2006 I boarded an El-Al jet with thirty Jewish high school students from around the United States. Together we encompassed a wide range of interests, backgrounds, histories, and ages. I was preparing to pack-up all that existed back home in the United States, miss a semester of my senior year, and arrive in a land that I had only learned about through books, movies and textbooks. A land that I knew only little about but for some reason was drawn too. I believe it was this sense of unknowing that I was so excited for; a chance to make new friends from around the country and around the world and at the same time explore a land full of culture.

I lived in Hod Hasharon while attending the Alexander Muss Institute in Israel. Everyday, I woke up to the smiling faces of Israeli students, Ethiopian and Russian immigrants and a campus full of diversity. While living in Israel we were encouraged to keep journal entries of our emotions, experience, and personal testimonies. Below is a section of one of my journals I find myself constantly looking back on.

"Our introduction to Jerusalem during sunset was unbelievable. As I took my blindfold off and was able to catch a glimpse of this beautiful city, I was speechless. Sitting on the steps and hearing the calls to prayer over the speakers was something that provided more of a sense of reality of being in Israel. At this one point it felt like Christians, Jews and Muslims were united by one voice and one motive."
Sometimes it takes a life changing experience to open our eyes to what life is really about. Despite our differences; we may have a lot of similarities. Only through conversation do we realize how similar we are and we can put our voices together to reach one goal.
It’s amazing how an experience can have such a strong affect on the individual. After travelling to Israel I realized that what occurs in the world around us shapes us no matter how aware we are. Within us we carry generation and generations of history that is hidden deep inside us.
As the holiday nears I challenge each and every individual to try something new, make a new friend, or mend a broken a friendship and I look forward to seeing everyone around campus.

Lashana Tova,
Dan Albert
Hillel Engagement Intern
miamihillel@gmail.com