Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Happy Secular New Year!
Happy New Year everyone, and welcome to the Spring 2009 semester! Be sure to check out Hillel's open house on Friday, January 23rd at 11AM in the Center for Spiritual Life (120 Boylston Street Suite 205). Hope to see you all there!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
What makes someone a bad or good person? If you think that something is good, but it goes against the Torah, does that make you bad?
Or if you disobey your parents- does that make you bad? You're certainly not honoring your parents if you do that. But every teenager does that. If you ask for forgiveness, but you know that you're not really going to stop your bad behavior, then is it even worth it to ask for forgiveness at the moment? Should you wait until you know you're through with your little rebellious spree?
Does following or not following Jewish law determine what kind of person you are?
Personally, I think it is more based on society, and if your intentions are truly bad. You can do bad things without really wanting to inflict harm upon others.
What do you think?
Or if you disobey your parents- does that make you bad? You're certainly not honoring your parents if you do that. But every teenager does that. If you ask for forgiveness, but you know that you're not really going to stop your bad behavior, then is it even worth it to ask for forgiveness at the moment? Should you wait until you know you're through with your little rebellious spree?
Does following or not following Jewish law determine what kind of person you are?
Personally, I think it is more based on society, and if your intentions are truly bad. You can do bad things without really wanting to inflict harm upon others.
What do you think?
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
BAGELS
Just a bit about food. Because what Jew doesn't love food?
The Bristol Bagel Ballad
By Cyril Robinson
For Jews, eating is the covenant
A way to enter the holy tent
Consuming bread
Is leaven from heaven
Ingesting what God has said.
A bagel made of wheat
Had Mesopotamia.as its seat
It grew 6000 years ago
till it got just so.
The bagel is a kind of roll
You can tell; it has a hole
On any table, it is royal
The sole roll that needs a boil.
As you will see, its story features
Kings, cooks, all sorts of creatures
From the Middle East, it takes a walk
till it ends up in New York.
Its made of flour, water, yeast and malt.
Then you add a bit of salt
But to give that roll its soul
It needs mythology to fill that hole.
Without beginning nor end
Like Jewish life, it takes a bend
Warding off the evil eye
Bringing good luck by and by.
And because of its savor
It charms women in labor
When the teeth are incomin
It helps with the gummin.
They started out plain as sin
Now all kinds are in the bin
Garlic, onion cinnamon.
Chocolate chip, sprouted wheat, jalapena,.
At one time, men in yarmulkes
Made them with a twist
But, a machine came on, and
Thanks to you Brits
The real bagel called it quits.
As to its origins
Look to those twins
A cousin in the doughnut
Another in the pretzel, but
Then it gets more murkey
With a victory over Turkey.
Bagels might more likely please
Schmeared with lox and cream cheese
Me, I prefer returning to fundamentals
Though that might be bad for my dentals.
The bagel has become a symbol
A thimble, by which is sewn
A cloak, a rug, a ring on a finger
A crunch, all together in a bunch.
If you listen to the munch
You will hear a kind of kvetch
Sounding a clarinetish krekhts
Slowly ending its soulful life
Of strife.
All that’s left of the roll
Is its hole.
The Bristol Bagel Ballad
By Cyril Robinson
For Jews, eating is the covenant
A way to enter the holy tent
Consuming bread
Is leaven from heaven
Ingesting what God has said.
A bagel made of wheat
Had Mesopotamia.as its seat
It grew 6000 years ago
till it got just so.
The bagel is a kind of roll
You can tell; it has a hole
On any table, it is royal
The sole roll that needs a boil.
As you will see, its story features
Kings, cooks, all sorts of creatures
From the Middle East, it takes a walk
till it ends up in New York.
Its made of flour, water, yeast and malt.
Then you add a bit of salt
But to give that roll its soul
It needs mythology to fill that hole.
Without beginning nor end
Like Jewish life, it takes a bend
Warding off the evil eye
Bringing good luck by and by.
And because of its savor
It charms women in labor
When the teeth are incomin
It helps with the gummin.
They started out plain as sin
Now all kinds are in the bin
Garlic, onion cinnamon.
Chocolate chip, sprouted wheat, jalapena,.
At one time, men in yarmulkes
Made them with a twist
But, a machine came on, and
Thanks to you Brits
The real bagel called it quits.
As to its origins
Look to those twins
A cousin in the doughnut
Another in the pretzel, but
Then it gets more murkey
With a victory over Turkey.
Bagels might more likely please
Schmeared with lox and cream cheese
Me, I prefer returning to fundamentals
Though that might be bad for my dentals.
The bagel has become a symbol
A thimble, by which is sewn
A cloak, a rug, a ring on a finger
A crunch, all together in a bunch.
If you listen to the munch
You will hear a kind of kvetch
Sounding a clarinetish krekhts
Slowly ending its soulful life
Of strife.
All that’s left of the roll
Is its hole.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Conference at Northeastern University on November 11th!
Hi everyone,
I want to provide you all with more information about the big conference that Northeastern and CJP are hosting. We have spent months putting together a full-day Israel conference for Birthright alumni from all over the Boston area. A main selling point and focus of the conference will be "How to go back after Birthright." There will be representatives from 6-7 organizations who send students to Israel for long-term programs. We will provide transportation for students from far-away campuses.
I attached the flyer. I am printing over 1000 of them on glossy paper in color. Please let me know when this week would be a good time to come by and drop them off with you. I want to drop them off on every single campus. I will bring at least 100 to each campus, maybe more.
Programming:
Opening remarks will be given by Rony Yedidia, the Deputy Consul General from the State of Israel to New England.
A talk on Alternative Energy will be given by a visiting Professor from Ben-Gurion University ***This talk is being sponsored by HEAT*** - The NU Energy Action Team
A Wexner Fellow will be giving a talk on how the Election might impact the Middle East and the United States policy towards it. (The election will have occurred 1 week earlier.)
The David Project will be giving a talk about Israel's contributions to the world after 60 years of Independence.
Details:
NU's Curry Student Center Ballroom
Conference takes place on VETERANS DAY - I.E. - NO CLASSES - Tuesday, November 11th, 10am-5pm.
3 Free Kosher meals
Register by sending Name, School, Year, Email, and Phone # to: RegisterforNUIsraelConference@gmail.com or on facebook - just search Northeastern Israel Conference
If anyone has any questions or ideas how we might better promote this on your campus, please talk to me or Matt Lebovic. We are hoping for 75-100 participants.
Thank you so much.
-Nathan
Nathan Ciccolo
Israel Programs Coordinator
Northeastern University
NUBirthright@gmail.com
734-646-7490
I want to provide you all with more information about the big conference that Northeastern and CJP are hosting. We have spent months putting together a full-day Israel conference for Birthright alumni from all over the Boston area. A main selling point and focus of the conference will be "How to go back after Birthright." There will be representatives from 6-7 organizations who send students to Israel for long-term programs. We will provide transportation for students from far-away campuses.
I attached the flyer. I am printing over 1000 of them on glossy paper in color. Please let me know when this week would be a good time to come by and drop them off with you. I want to drop them off on every single campus. I will bring at least 100 to each campus, maybe more.
Programming:
Opening remarks will be given by Rony Yedidia, the Deputy Consul General from the State of Israel to New England.
A talk on Alternative Energy will be given by a visiting Professor from Ben-Gurion University ***This talk is being sponsored by HEAT*** - The NU Energy Action Team
A Wexner Fellow will be giving a talk on how the Election might impact the Middle East and the United States policy towards it. (The election will have occurred 1 week earlier.)
The David Project will be giving a talk about Israel's contributions to the world after 60 years of Independence.
Details:
NU's Curry Student Center Ballroom
Conference takes place on VETERANS DAY - I.E. - NO CLASSES - Tuesday, November 11th, 10am-5pm.
3 Free Kosher meals
Register by sending Name, School, Year, Email, and Phone # to: RegisterforNUIsraelConference@gmail.com or on facebook - just search Northeastern Israel Conference
If anyone has any questions or ideas how we might better promote this on your campus, please talk to me or Matt Lebovic. We are hoping for 75-100 participants.
Thank you so much.
-Nathan
Nathan Ciccolo
Israel Programs Coordinator
Northeastern University
NUBirthright@gmail.com
734-646-7490
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
High Holy Day Services Experience
Use this thread to comment on High Holy Day services at Emerson College and at other universities. What worked well? What could Hillel do to improve for next year? Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
What is Orthodox Judaism?
Orthodox is the most traditional expression of modern Judaism. Orthodox Jews believe the entire Torah - including "Written," the the Pentateuch, and "Oral," the Talmud) was given to Moses by God at Sinai and remains authoritative for modern life in its entirety. According to a 1990 nationwide survey, 7 percent of American Jews are Orthodox. American and Canadian Orthodox Jews are organized under the Orthodox Union, which serves 1,000 synagogues in North America. {1}
Orthodox Jews reject the changes of Reform Judaism and hold fast to most traditional Jewish beliefs and practices. Orthodox Judaism has held fast to such practices as daily worship, dietary laws (kashruth), traditional prayers and ceremonies, regular and intensive study of the Torah, and separation of men and women in the synagogue. It also enjoins strict observance of the sabbath and religious festivals and does not permit instrumental music during communal services. {2}
Orthodox Jews consider Reform and Conservative Jews adherents of the Jewish faith, but do not accept many non-Orthodox Jewish marriages, divorces, or conversions on the grounds that they were not performed in accordance with Jewish law.
The Orthodox Union dedicates significant resources to its OU Kosher division, which certifies an estimated 660,000 products in 77 countries around the world. {3} The OU symbol is one of the most common certification symbols seen on kosher foods.
Taken from http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/denominations/orthodox.htm
Orthodox Jews reject the changes of Reform Judaism and hold fast to most traditional Jewish beliefs and practices. Orthodox Judaism has held fast to such practices as daily worship, dietary laws (kashruth), traditional prayers and ceremonies, regular and intensive study of the Torah, and separation of men and women in the synagogue. It also enjoins strict observance of the sabbath and religious festivals and does not permit instrumental music during communal services. {2}
Orthodox Jews consider Reform and Conservative Jews adherents of the Jewish faith, but do not accept many non-Orthodox Jewish marriages, divorces, or conversions on the grounds that they were not performed in accordance with Jewish law.
The Orthodox Union dedicates significant resources to its OU Kosher division, which certifies an estimated 660,000 products in 77 countries around the world. {3} The OU symbol is one of the most common certification symbols seen on kosher foods.
Taken from http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/denominations/orthodox.htm
Hillel's Business Card
We have our very own business card-check it out!
Emerson College Hillel
Gary Fayman, President
Gary_Fayman@emerson.edu
(617) 824-8987
Hillel's mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
Visit our group on Facebook, and join us in the Center for Spiritual Life (Walker, Suite 205) for meetings or just to chat! We would love to see and hear from you!
Emerson College Hillel
Gary Fayman, President
Gary_Fayman@emerson.edu
(617) 824-8987
Hillel's mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
Visit our group on Facebook, and join us in the Center for Spiritual Life (Walker, Suite 205) for meetings or just to chat! We would love to see and hear from you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
