Summer Institute: Register TODAY!
Great courses, great community, fun trips and social activities. There is still some scholarship money available but it is being granted on a first come , first served basis. So apply today!Click here for more information.
Mazel Tov to Graduates in Jewish Studies
Certificate in Jewish Early Childhood Education
Kristel M. Kish**
Graduate Certificate in Jewish Studies
Judith Levin Deheeger**
Graduate Certificate in Holocaust Studies
Judith Levin Deheeger**
Graduate Certificate in Jewish Early Childhood Education
Elena Epelboim**
Marsha Stiefel Pinson**
Karen F. Silverman**
Sachiko Soskin**
Debra Togliatti**
Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management
Daniel E. Wasserman**
Master of Arts in Jewish Studies
Mindy Escourt Blechman**
Russell Neil Cohen
Leah Gilboa Hill**
Anat Guez
Deborah Gurt**
Yosef Harvey Koelner **
Sarah Michelle Lanse**
Marshall I. Medoff**
Dafna Meltzer**
Linda K. Negron**
Mark H. Rosenberg**
Beverly Rubman**
Master of Arts in Jewish Education
Elena Epelboim**
Anita I. Galkin-Dwork**
Rachael Lynn Gray-Raff**
Master of Arts in Jewish Communal Service
Amiel Tuvia Monson**
Master of Arts in Cantorial Studies and Jewish Music
Manel Neil Frau-Cortes**
Harold Bruce Messinger*
Michelle Hannah Teplitz*
* Honors
** High Honors
Friend and Family News Mazal Tov to Ross M Levy on the birth of his second child, Yakira Diane, born on April 14, 2010!
Send a Gratz
Tribute CardMake a gift to Gratz College in honor or in memory of someone you love. Gratz will send a beautiful card out for you. For information, please contact Carol Yollin at 215-635-7300
x 125.
Upcoming Community Events
Israel Independence Day Sunday, May 23, 2010 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Great Plaza at Penn's Landing Columbus Blvd
at Chestnut St
Philadelphia PA 19106
www.www.delaware
riverevents.com
Bucks County Jewish Festival
June 6, 2010,12pm-4pm
Shady Brook Farm - 931 Stony Hill Road @ the Newton Bypass
(Yardley, PA). For more information click here. Community Screening & Family Fun Day Sunday June 13, 2010 Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital. This day of fun for the entire family will include a David Jack concert, health screenings, Jewish genetic disease screenings, food, crafts and fun! For more information/registration for screening call 215-456-4510,
 Did you know 1 in 5 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier for a Jewish genetic disease?
Jewish genetic diseases are a group of disorders that occur with a higher frequency in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. Diseases known as Jewish genetic diseases include Canavan Disease, Familial Dysautonomia, Fanconi Anemia and Gaucher Disease, among others. All of the diseases are severe, and some are fatal in early childhood. A simple blood test to find out if you are a carrier is the first step in helping to prevent babies from being born with these diseases.
The Victor Centers for Jewish Genetic Diseases, headquartered at Albert Einstein Medical Center, is committed to the prevention of Jewish genetic diseases. It partners with community organizations, synagogues and university campuses to organize, develop and implement awareness and education programs, and to coordinate affordable and accessible genetic counseling and screening programs.
Looking for a great place to study or hold a meeting?
Gratz College recently received a beautiful new boardroom table and 14 chairs, donated to us by BlankRome. The furniture, is in the library. come by soon and enjoy it!
Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a GradMatch
With over 3,000 Jewish graduate students in the greater Philadelphia area, plus thousands of Jewish young professionals, GradMatch is here to help you meet the eligible singles in your own backyard.
http://gradmatch.org/ |
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Dear Friend,
 May has certainly been a busy month for the Gratz College community. The first ever Gratz Gala was a beautiful, inspiring, and highly successful event and Commencement was wonderful with beautiful weather, moving speeches and many happy graduates and proud families. We now stand on the edge of Shavuot, on this final day of the Omer. The traditon of the Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, in which we stay up studying Torah in community all night long, can be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the place of Jewish learning in our lives. My first real tikkun was in seventh grade at the home of my Talmud teacher from Yavneh Academy, an Orthodox elementary school in New Jersey. I remember how schocking it was to study in one night what it had taken us the whole year to learn. It was simultaneously an experience of great accomplishment -- as my fellow students and I had the opportunity review all that we had learned that year, and also a moment of realizing what a tiny amount of material we had actually completed that year, especially in the context of the wide sea of Talmud. Since then I have participated in many creative tikkunim, some involving dance and biblio-drama and other creative approaches intended to keep participants both learning and awake. Still, that first tikkun is the one I come back to when I think of Shavuot and the way coming to Sinai again each year is both a celebration of what we know to be true and a recommitment to all we still hope to learn, teach and experience as Jews in the coming year. As each of you prepare for your own observance of this special night of spiritual ascent, I wish you a real sense of accomplishment for the learning you have completed this year, and the inspiration to set your vision on the next aspects of Torah you want to learn and teach.
B'shalom,
Tamara Cohen
Associate Dean of Students
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Gratz College Student Survey Results
As Gratz College has grown into an institution of higher learning where two thirds of our students are distance learners, our students' needs have grown more diverse and also more difficult to guage. We found out some very interesting things in the survey many of you recently filled out and we wanted to share some of those facts with you to help you get a better sense of the community of students you are a part of. First, a thank you to the 70 of you who did fill out the survey - your responses are informing current decisions and planning!(And mazel tov to Carri Wasserberg who says she never wins anything but was randomly selected from the survey participants to win a $25 gift card.)
Did you know?
1. Gratz College students are busy - 40% of respondents hold full time jobs and only 13% are not currently working for pay at all.
2. Gratz College students span the lifespan. Of our respondents,
34% are 50-59
22.1% are 20-29
19.1% are 40-49
13.2% are 30-39
11.8% are 60+
3. Many of our online students are interested in meeting other online students who live in close proximity to them - 87% of expressed some interest in meeeting one another (so stay tuned as we develop this area).
4. Students are overwhelmingly affirming of Gratz College as an inclusive and pluralistic community (94%).
5. Most Gratz College students look to the college to fill only or primarily educational needs. This confirms the fact that Gratz College is not serving as a traditional institution of higher learning for most of our students. Still there is interest in programming and services outside of classes.
* 48% of online students look to Gratz College solely for educational purposes; while only 18.2 of on campus students agreed with this statement.
* Gratz College is a primary community for 18% of on campus respondents and for 5% of online students.
6. Both online students and on campus students rate faculty teaching high, with 70% of all respondents rating it as excellent and another 25% as very good.
7. The top areas identified as areas for improvement which would most impact the experience of Gratz College students were:
* Online access to degree requirements & progress
* Online library databases
* Career placement services
* More courses per semester
8. Students indicated that the kinds of things that help them feel connected to Gratz College include:
* attending Summer institutes
* participation in online class forums
* frequent interaction with faculty and staff
* welcoming atmosphere
* making this a priority
If you are interested in learning more about the survey and what we discovered or if you would like to express your views on any of the above issues, please email Tamara. Otherwise, stay tuned as we work to implement your suggestions. |
 A novel way to complete a MA in Jewish Studies
Student Profile: Libby Cone
A practicing radiologist, Libby Cone says she "needed more work to do," so she decided to pursue an MA in Jewish studies at Gratz College. When it came to time to write her thesis, she told her advisor Dr. Joe Davis that she wanted to write a thesis on the occupation of the Channel Islands. She says he told her, "Everybody writes a straight thesis on a part of the Holocaust; do something different." "I came back to him with the idea of a historical novel, and War on the Margins was born, " she explains. She adds that Prof. Michael Steinlauf was her thesis advisor who aided her in her writing style and helped keep her focused. "I couldn't have done it without their advice and support," she writes of Steinlauf and Davis.
But how did she find the topic that became the central setting for her novel? A committed pet lover, Cone found herself surfing the Web looking for Manx cats when she came upon the Channel Islands and a mention of the WWII occupation. This led her to hundreds of hours of research, two trips to the Isle of Jersey, and, ultimately, a thesis. The thesis turned into the historical novel, War on the Margins.
 And what she is doing now? After noticing a brief mention of a short-lived utopian settlement founded by Dutch Mennonites in Colonial Delaware, Libby made a trip to Lewes, Delaware (much shorter than a trip to Jersey), did a great deal of research, and is now working on a second novel loosely based on the story of the settlement, narrated by the founder's blind son. Sounds exciting! We look forward to seeing where Libby's internect searches and travels take her next.
To order Libby's first novel on Amazon click here.
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Jobs..Jobs..Jobs
The Gratz College Florence Melton Adult Mini-School seeks a part-time Center City Site Coordinator. This is a 5-10 hour per week, year-round position beginning around May 25.
Responsibilities:Work under the supervision of the Gratz-Melton Director to recruit new first-year classes in Center City. Assist in recruiting Gratz-Melton alumni and community members for short-term courses in Center City. Serve as liaison between the Director and the prospective students from the point of inquiry through enrollment and beyond. Represent Gratz-Melton as a second point-person for Center City synagogues, Kehillah, and other groups and agencies. Observe the classes on a regular basis, and give feedback to the Director about teacher preparedness, student satisfaction, classroom dynamics and logistics.
Qualifications:
Candidate should have a Bachelor's degree. Strong Judaic and Education backgrounds a plus. Candidate should have experience in recruitment and promotion, preferably for non-profits and/or adult education programs. Candidate must live in or near Center City and be familiar with the Center City Jewish community. Be familiar with Word, Excel, e-mail, comfortable on the phone. Be attentive to details, organized, and efficient in follow-up with every student. Display a friendly attitude and an outgoing personality, essential for recruiting students to a new program. Please send resume to Liz Nover, Director, Gratz College Florence Melton Adult Mini-School. LNover@gratz.edu; 215-635-7300, x 143 or 1-800-475-4635, x 143
Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs which run a Modern Orthodox Summer Camp Program for Middle School and High School students in the Philadelphia area each year is currently hiring male and female residential counselors for this summer. Go to http://www.jkjewishsummercamps.com/ or email Jennifer Walker at jenniferw@jkcp.com for more information.
Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville, Virginia, seeks a dynamic, flexible and creative professional to join our dedicated team as Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE). The Director of ECE will provide leadership, day-to-day management and a forward-thinking vision for CBI Preschool & Kindergarten. The Director of ECE is also responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing all programming for young children and their families at CBI, including Tot Shabbat, Shabbat Club and holiday celebrations. The Director of ECE is a member of the CBI senior staff and works closely with our clergy, as well as other staff and lay leaders, to shape early childhood education and experiences for youth families throughout our congregation. Leadership, collaboration and communication skills are a must. Passion for Jewish teaching and learning, and love of children - required! Questions, inquiries and resumes can be directed to search@cbicville.org
The Yeladeem Early Childhood Center at the Congregation Beth Solomon Community Center is looking for part-time and full-time teachers assistants for the Day Care. Contact Elena at 215-969-2128 or nreinhold@cbscommunitycenter.com
Congregation Beth Sholom in Ankorage, Alsaska is seeking an Associate Administrator/Lead Preschool teacher for our Jewish Education Center. See www.frozenchosen.org or email Leah Magid at jecpreschool@aol.com.
The National Museum of American Jewish History in has posted the following positions:
Director of Building Operations
Building Engineer
Director of Education
Director of Visitor Services
Public Programs Manager
Membership Manager
Gift Processor
Please see here if any of these may be relevant to you.
Jewish National Fund seeks a Campaign Executive to work in Philadelphia, PA office. The primary purpose of the Campaign Executive will be to develop relationships with prospective and current donors to raise money for Jewish National Fund's National Campaign to support projects and programs for Israel. The main expectation for accomplishing this is through solicitations and board development. The Campaign Executive will work out of our Philadelphia, PA office and will be responsible for fundraising activities in the Eastern PA Region.
We are looking for a creative self-starter with the ability to work both independently and as a team player. Candidates should have superior problem solving and multi-tasking ability.
In addition, candidates should 2 years fundraising experience (or similar sales experience);knowledge of and familiarity with the Jewish Community in the Eastern PA region and exceptional interpersonal, written and communication skills.
Bachelor's degree and excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite, Database)are required.
Travel throughout the Eastern PA Region and possible travel to other Zones/Regions and Israel will be required. Please send resume to: humanresources@jnf.org
Beth Jacob Synagogue in Norwich, CT, is seeking a Student Cantor for the 2010-11 academic year. The position will encompass the Yamim Noraim as well as six weekends during the school year, with the schedule to be determined by mutual agreement. During the Yamim Nora'im the scope of responsibilities is:
Rosh Hashanah: Ma'ariv, both evenings; Torah Service and Musaf, both mornings. For Yom Kippur:
Kol Nidre and Maariv, Torah Service including Yizkor, Musaf and N'eilah. Torah reading is handled by congregants and the Rabbi. For the six weekends, duties will be determined by mutual agreement. They will include leading either a Carlebach-style or Family Service on Friday evenings. On Shabbat mornings, the Student Cantor will be expected to daven Shacharit and Musaf and read the Triennial Torah reading. On occasion the Student Cantor may also be asked to give the D'var Torah to free the Rabbi to participate in Junior Congregation services. Other programs to be determined by mutual interest. We are hoping this position will afford the student the opportunity to develop their professional skills by serving a smallish congregation in a variety of roles.We are a USCJ congregation of approximately 160 families, located approximately 15 miles from the New London, CT, Amtrak station. Liturgically we consider ourselves fairly mainstream Conservative. We use Machzor Chadash on the Yamim Nora'im and Siddur Sim Shalom (original edition) for Shabbat. We follow the triennial cycle and have a full repetition of the Shacharit Amidah and a Heiche Kedusha for Musaf on Shabbat. Housing and meals will be with congregants or the Rabbi and his family. During Standard Time it should be possible to return home on Saturday night after Shabbat, but during Daylight Savings Time you will most likely need to stay over Saturday night as well. If you are interested, you may reach Rabbi Charles Arian at 860-886-2450 or rabbi@bethjacobnorwich.org. To apply, please send an e-mail with an expression of interest and a resume to Rabbi Arian.
Adamah Adventures seeks a Trip Leader & Program Specialist
who is charismatic, energetic, engaging, creative, and dynamic. This person will be responsible for co-leading the adventure trek and for implementing the programmatic, educational, and Jewish vision of Adamah Adventures. Full position description can be found at: http://adamahadventures.org/staff/program-specialist.html.
Synagogue Educator/Education Assistant. Congregation Beth Am Israel
1301 Hagys Ford Road, Penn Valley, PA 19072
610-667-1651 / www.BethAmIsrael.org
Congregation Beth Am Israel in Lower Merion is seeking a full-time Jewish SynagogueEducator/ Education Assistant. Beth Am Israel is a dynamic Shabbat-centered Conservative congregation with 350 households. Our education program is unique and innovative. The adjectives that best characterize our community are "engaged", "intentional" and "committed to learning". The culture of our office is fun and we are committed to professional growth. The Synagogue Educator/Education Assistant will report to both the Executive Director and Education Director and participate in weekly meetings with Professional Staff. The position will be split among 5 areas:
Coordinating our Teen Programs, Assisting the Education Director and other members of the Professional staff (Rabbi, Hazzan and Executive Director) with administrative tasks including data entry, shopping, compiling reports and answering the phones, Initiating informal Jewish educational opportunities for our elementary school students and teaching 11.5 hours in our education program and leading and/or helping coordinate high holiday and Shabbat morning youth and family minyanim.
Compensation: competitive salary and benefits.
Please submit the following to Robin.Kahn.BAI@gmail.com via email: cover letter or other writing sample, resume, two references along
other materials that will support your application.
Director of Jewish Life and Learning, Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago. The Director of Jewish Life and Learning for the Solomon Schechter Day School, an independent Jewish day school for grades pre-Kindergarten through 8 with approximately 715 students on two campuses, is responsible for serving as the Jewish voice and the religious and spiritual leader of the School. The Conservative rabbi in this position reports to the Head of School and is part of the Head of School Leadership team.
Qualifications: Member of the Rabbinical Assembly,
A minimum of 3-5 years of Jewish Day School experience, Fluent in Hebrew, Excellent interpersonal, analytical, communications and organizational skills.
Hands on computer skills. Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and will include comprehensive benefits. Please email careers@schechter.org for a full job description.
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| L'dor v dor Leadership Retreat
For women of Jewish not for profits and educational organizations
July 16-18, 2010
The Woodhull Institute provides ethical leadership trainings to women of all walks of life. This tuition-free program has been made available through a generous donation. We have the opportunity to provide 20 future leaders from the Jewish communal non-profit and educational world to connect, network, obtain the skills that they need to lead, and grow from strength to strength. The program will be housed at our retreat facility in Ancramdale, New York.Learn the skills you need to make a lasting impact on your organization, school, campus, or any thing you do: negotiation, conflict resolution, writing for change, how to advocate, how to give a stump speech, emotional Intelligence skills, how to run a meeting, financial literacy. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Apply today at
http://www.woodhull.org/pageView.php?id=10
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Summer Internship
RAVSAK Summer 2010 Intern
Background:
Gain valuable hands-on experience with a short-term, paid summer internship at RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network. We are the international center for the advancement and support of pluralistic Jewish day school education. RAVSAK is dedicated to empowering professionals to educate children and their families from across the spectrum of Jewish life.
We are seeking an intern for five weeks: 14 June to 16 July 2010 to work with the Assistant to the Executive Director. Undergraduate students of all majors are welcome.
This internship lasts from 14 June - 16 July 2010. A commitment for all weeks is necessary. The work hours for this position during the first week are: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The following weeks require the intern to arrive at 7:00 a.m. with end-times to be determined based on programmatic needs.
Qualifications:
Demonstrate a willingness to learn and tackle head-on many tasks
Ability to multi-task successfully
Basic computer skills and working familiarity with Microsoft Office
Candidates must be over the age of 21 and possess a valid driver's license
This internship requires some lifting and light furniture set-up and other physical tasks.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please send your resume and cover letter via e-mail to: Shaya Klechevsky (shaya@ravsak.org). In the subject line, please write "Summer Internship - Your Name" (e.g. Summer Internship - John Smith). Resumes sent as attachments (Word or pdf format) preferred.
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Housing Available
FURNISHED 2BR/2.5BA Luxury Condo townhouse in Breyer Woods, near Gratz. Ready for occupancy Aug or September. 9-12month lease. $1800/month. Ideal for graduate student, visiting professor or couple. Photos available. 215-887-8666. ckershbaum@yahoo.com
Spacious Unfurnished 3 Bedroom 2.5 baths treed property, lovely backyard-Cheltenham, PA. $2100/Month. This spacious immaculate three bedroom unfurnished split level Montgomery County home in a desirable treed neighborhood was just renovated and refreshed. The new kitchen has plenty of cabinets, new appliances, room for your table and chairs. The entire house has been freshly painted in warm neutral colors. The living room and dining room offer plenty of space for entertaining family and friends. There are hardwood oak floors on the first and second levels. The 2.5 bathrooms have been updated. Both the master bathroom with a shower stall and the second bathroom with a cast iron bathtub have double sinks with custom vanities. The family room has new carpet and the laundry room, hallway and half bathroom have new flooring. The house is filled with natural light. There is central air conditioning, a one car garage, and two additional cars can park in the driveway. The front and back yards are home to beautiful mature shade trees. The yard is large and beckons children to run, play, toss a ball and parents to relax, have a barbeque on the patio. The neighborhood is friendly yet quiet. Showings are by appointment only: gdalter1@comcast.net
HOUSE SHARE - WILLOW GROVE
Looking for compatible, easygoing roommate like myself to share beautiful two/three bedroom, 1 1/2 bath single ranch house on tree lined property in quiet neighborhood in Willow Grove. I have two cats. Full house privileges. Room is fully furnished with use of sheets, blankets and towels. Washer/dryer and on street parking. $600/month includes utilities, fiber optic internet service and monthly professional housecleaning. On the border of Abington by Rt. 63 (Moreland Road) and Rt. 611. One block from bus, a couple blocks from train and close to Turnpike. Walking distance to Willow Grove Mall. Close to many colleges and large corporations. Please call (215) 687-3658.
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June 13, 2010
Rebecca Rubin (American Girl series) author Jacqueline Dembar Greene to be featured at Gratz College (10:30 am) and Perelman Jewish Day School (2 pm). Children are welcome to bring their Rebecca Rubin dolls and books. Free and open to the public. RSVP here.
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