Gratz College Insider December 2015
Support 
Gratz College
SAVE THE DATE
Wednesday, 
May 18, 2016
Jeffrey B. Plevan
Gala 
Honoring 
David Weinstein
Lunch & Learn
With
Professor Joseph Davis
Wednesday, December 16
12:00- 1:30 pm
Glikl of Hameln:
New Research on the Earliest Memoirs of a Jewish Woman


Contact: Mindy Cohen,
215 635-7300 x 155
One Book, One 
Jewish Community
9th Annual 
Kickoff Event 
and Book Signing 
with author
Lev Golinkin
Sunday, January 10
3:00-5:00 pm
Gratz College
Paintings by
Joel Sloane 
and 
Adam Levin
Leona P. Kramer
Gallery
through February 28
Gratz in the News 

Gratz alumna Dr. Sandra O. Lilienthal (Ed.D., 2014; M.A.J.S., 2007) is the newest member of the Gratz College Board of Governors. In the Summer 2015 issue of The Insider, we reported that she won the prestigious Covenant Award. She was officially presented this honor during an awards event last month. Read more in The Covenant Foundation news.
_____________________

Gratz Programs in the Press
Who will 
you become?

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Contact: 
215 635-7300 x 135

Dear Friends,

 

As Chanukah draws to a close and the light of the menorah fades, we, at Gratz College, cherish the freedom that is the hallmark of this holiday. In the wake of the violence in France, Israel and California, our thoughts go out to the victims and their families. At the same time, we hold all the more precious the democratic values that these acts of terror sought to destroy.

 

In this issue of The Insider, we shine a light on education and community. We feature several alumnae who have been recognized for extraordinary achievements in their careers as educators. We also highlight two of our current students who, with the support of the Gratz Mid-Career Fellowship, are balancing multiple responsibilities in order to further their education. In addition, we spotlight what Gratz is doing right here at home as a resource for the community.

 

Finally, for your reading pleasure, we provide you with a review of the new One Book, One Jewish Community selection, whose author will be speaking and signing copies of his book here at Gratz next month. And, for your cooking pleasure, we offer up recipes for two hearty ethnic dishes. Enjoy!

 

Peace to all,

Joy's signature
Joy W. Goldstein                                  
President  
                                           
(From l to r) Hedda Morton, Hazzan Arlyne Unger and Wendy Light
Notable Newsmakers Bring
 Naches to Gratz
On November 12, The Jewish Theological Seminary awarded its highest honor for Jewish educators, the honorary doctoral degree in pedagogy, to 13 professionals selected from across North America. Sitting in the audience and beaming like a proud father was Professor Saul Wachs as he watched three of his former students, Hedda Morton, Hazzan Arlyne Unger and Wendy Light, receive this prestigious honor. Read more. 

Amanda Glincher

Rachael Ellis
Gratz Mid-Career Fellows: From Philly to Silicon Valley
You're working in the Jewish community. You long for the intellectual challenge, on-the-job support and marketability of a master's degree. But then, reality sets in, and you realize that you have neither the time nor the disposable income to go back to school. It's a familiar dilemma for many in the Jewish world, but now, there's a specifically targeted solution: the Gratz College Mid-Career Fellowship. Tailored to meet the practical needs of mid-career professionals in the Jewish community, this program attracts talented students from across the country, such as Amanda Glincher and Rachael Ellis. Read more about these two students, as well as about the Mid-Career Fellowship program.
On Campus and around Town, Gratz College Reaches out to the Community
There are people reading this newsletter in Australia and Israel, California and Montana and many other parts of the country and the world. There are also people reading it throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area, from Cheltenham to Cherry Hill, from Upper Dublin to Lower Merion and many other places around the region. That's because Gratz is not only an academic institution with a geographically diverse student body, but it is also a local treasure for the surrounding community. Read more about how Gratz College has been growing its community presence.

Catchy new logo, but what does it mean? "Gratz Advance" is the name of our newest department, which houses JCHS, our Jewish Community High School; JOLT, our Jewish online learning program for teens; and NEXT, our professional learning program for supplementary school teachers. It also encompasses other educational programs, including some exciting new initiatives. However, Gratz Advance is more than an umbrella term for a collection of acronyms. It is a hub of expertise and energy focused on the revitalization of Jewish supplementary school and teen education. Whether it's curriculum development, professional learning for educators or student programming, it all happens here under the guidance of Director Rabbi Erin Hirsh and her team. Look for articles about Gratz Advance programs in future issues of The Insider.
In Memoriam: Lenore Brian (1953 - 2015)
This fall, we lost a member of our Gratz College family: Lenore Brian, our front desk receptionist for 13 years. Because of her job, Lenore was often the first to greet a visitor to campus. Warm and welcoming, she was a perfect fit for her position, and the Gratz College community mourns her loss. Read more.
Lev Golinkin
A Backpack, A Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka
The book A Backpack, A Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka is worth a look on title alone -- and once you pick it up,you probably won't be able to put it down. It's the 2015-2016 One Book, One Jewish Community selection, meaning that over the next year, it will be read and discussed in synagogues, Jewish book clubs and other Jewish organizations throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area. This book is a memoir by Lev Golinkin, a Ukrainian-born Jew, who immigrated to the United States with his family as a child in 1990. Golinkin will appear at Gratz College on January 10 for a presentation and book signing. To register for this free event, click here. For a review of the book, read more. 
Photo from 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borscht
The Gratz Gourmet
To complement the book review in this issue of The Insider, we are offering up two hearty recipes from a traditional Ukrainian kitchen. Luba Pridachin, a member of our Gratz staff, provided us with these recipes, which she learned from her grandmother. Luba has worked for Gratz College since 2002, and is currently the administrative assistant for our newly created department, Gratz Advance. Although she has lived in this country for 28 years, after emigrating from the former Soviet Union in 1987, Luba still prepares many traditional dishes at home. Read more for two of her favorite recipes.