In This Issue

Yours & Mine Conversation Series

Shabbat this Friday!

AJC Goldman Fellowship

Valentine's Day Roses

Send a Valentine-O-Gram!

AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps

Kabbalah Speaker Akiva Gersh

Hillel International Internships

The Helix Project

Sinai Scholars Program

Steinhardt-Israel Institue Interns Program

Quick Links

Hillel Blog

Hillel Facebook Page

Positions Still Available for Hillel Student Board and Committees!

Looking for leadership experience?

Want to make a positive impact on student life at Goucher?

Want to make meaningful Jewish experiences accessible and available to a wider range of students?

Applications will be accepted for the executive board position of Shabbat Chair. This entails attending weekly board meetings as well as meeting with the Shabbat Committee, who will help you plan and publicize weekly Shabbat services and Shabbat dinner.

We also have openings on three committees if you are looking to contribute to the leadership of Hillel's most frequent programs, Shabbat, Tzedek (Social Justice committee), and even planned by the First Year Committee.

-The First Year Committee is made up of members of the Class of 2017 and is looking for a few more people to help out.

-The Shabbat Committee helps coordinate and publicize our weekly services and dinner.

-The Tzedek Committee is great if you are passionate about social action and social justice and want to do your part in a friendly environment.

To apply, email hillel@goucher.edu by the end of the day on Friday, February 7th, and please include the following:

1. Why are you applying for this position?

2. Tell one initiative you've participated in with Hillel and what you liked about it.

3. Share one significant contribution you'd like to make to Jewish life on campus.

Learning with Avital

Avital Levin, an OU-JLIC Educator, will host a "Dine-and-Discuss" group learning session from

1-2 p.m. every Tuesday.

Lunch will be from 1 to 2 p.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m., Avital will be available for individual appointments.

The session is open to learners of all backgrounds and levels, and will encourage group members to explore various topics in Judaism. Ideas, debates, questions, soapboxes...everything will be welcomed at this group learning session!

This semester we will have weekly lessons from Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers.

Click here for Avital's bio.

Speech Ethics with Rabbi Josh

Goucher Hillel is looking to create a community speech guideline. We want to improve the way people communicate in the Hillel space so we can continue to grow as a welcoming community.

Join Rabbi Josh on

Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. in the Hillel Lounge for study and discussion.

The sessions will begin on February 6th.

Together we will write guidelines based on our discussions that will be shared publicly at the end of the semester.

JNF Alternative Spring Break to Israel

What are you doing for spring break this year?

Spend an amazing week doing community service in Israel for FREE.

Join other Jewish young adults making a difference in Israel. Trips available March 1st, March 8th, March 15th, and March 23rd.

Space is still available! Sign up TODAY at www.jnf.org/break. For more information contact education@jnf.org or 212-879-9305, extension 245.

hadassah academic college case study jerusalem

Case Study Jerusalem: Society, Culture, Politics

Hadassah Academic College (HAC) Jerusalem invites you to participate in our summer study program open to students from all over the world and taught in English.

Case Study Jerusalem offers a deep understanding of Jerusalem's complex fabric while allowing participants to experience the vibrancy of everyday life in this world capital, sacred to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

For more information on courses, costs, crediting, housing, scholarships and more click here.

To apply online, click here.

Staff a Trip to Israel, Europe, Africa & More!

BBYO Passport is seeking staff for our summer teen travel experiences worldwide.

Staffing positions range from 2-5 weeks. Most programs are based in Israel, but there are also staff openings for trips to Costa Rica, South Africa, Europe and the Western USA.

Staff will receive a weekly stipend and all program travel expenses are paid.

If you're interested, start the application process today! If you have any questions, feel free to email BBYO Passport at staff@bbyopassport.org.

Israel Government Fellows Program

Endorsed by the Office of the Prime Minister, the Israel Government Fellows Program offers its Fellows a unique opportunity for professional and personal development with a 10-month placement within the Israeli government or a leading Israeli think tank.

Fellows will be assigned a mentor and benefit from an intensive Hebrew course and educational program exploring the complex issues of Israeli society today.

Click here for a short informational film on the program and go to www.igf.org.il/ for other information.

Learn How to #MakeItHappen

Want to improve your Jewish community? Then #MakeItHappen!

Founded by Lynn Schusterman, #MakeItHappen is a site where YOU can create and share ideas for creating a Jewish experience that will make a meaningful difference in your community.

Between October and December 2013, up to 50 ideas from around the world will be selected to receive a micro grant of up to $1,000. Five ideas could receive up to $5,000.

Click here to check it out!

February 6, 2014

Goucher Hillel Newsletter

February is a busy month for Hillel. Stay tuned for exciting events and great opportunities!

Rachel Laser from Religious Action Center comes to Goucher

Rachel Laser, the Deputy Director of the Religious Action Center (RAC) of Reform Judaism, is coming to Goucher to speak about equal opportunity employment and minimum wage.

In addition to her recent work on these issues, she has also done advocacy for women's rights and the LGBT community, and interfaith work.

Her talk will be in the Batza Room on Wednesday, February 12th at 7:30 p.m.

This speaker is sponsored by Goucher Hillel and Community-Based Learning.

Yours & Mine: A Jewish-Christian Conversation Series

Explore your own religious tradition and learn about the traditions of others in this four-part encounter with sacred texts, in an open community of Christian and Jewish students. Participants are asked to commit to all four sessions to build trust and make deep connections.

The sessions will take place on Tuesdays (2/11, 2/18, 2/25, and 3/4) from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Pinkard Room, fourth floor of the Athenaeum.

For more information, or to sign up for the series, please email Chaplain Cynthia Terry at cynthia.terry@goucher.edu by Friday, February 7th.

Accommodations may be made for students who are not able to attend all four sessions.

Shabbat this Friday!

Shabbat is here and with it a chance to collect ourselves and rest. Come stop by Hillel Lounge and chill with us!

This week's theme is Contemplative Shabbat! Join us for meditation and chanting. During dinner we will contemplate the future of Jewish life on campus. Rabbi Josh will share proposed changes to the kosher dining plan and the creation of a new Hillel Lounge.

5 p.m. - Services in Welsh Piano Room

6 p.m. - Shabbat Dinner in Hillel Lounge

AJC Goldman Fellowship

Want to experience a paid, international internship that focuses on diplomacy, policy, intergroup relations, human rights, and non-profit management? Then apply for the AJC Goldman Fellowship today!

Fellows are sent to AJC locations around the world and further their passion for making a difference and looking at domestic and international policy through a Jewish lens.

The fellowship runs from June 2nd through August 1st, 2014. Fellows receive a stipend of $3,000 plus major travel expenses.

The deadline to apply is Friday, February 7th. For more information and to apply, click here!

Valentine's Day Roses from Israel Committee

Hillel will be wishing students 'Happy Valentine's Day' by handing out real red roses.

Each rose will have a small postcard attached with an Israeli couple saying, "America, Israel loves you! Happy V-Day!"

Roses will be handed out on Tuesday, February 11th from 1-3 p.m. in the front of the Athenaeum.

Come by for some Valentine's Day cheer!

Send a Valentine-O-Gram with Hillel!

Buy a Valentine-O-Gram with a special note from Hillel wishing someone a happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine-O-Grams will be sold in varying places:

Monday, Feb. 10th: 4:45-7 p.m. outside Stimson Dining Hall

Tuesday, Feb. 11th: 4:45-7 p.m. outside Heubeck Dining Hall

Wednesday, Feb. 12th: 3-6:30 p.m. (happy hour!) near Pearlstone

Thursday, Feb. 13th: 7-9 p.m. in the front of the Ath & 9-11 p.m. in Alice's

One (1) gram will 50 cents and three (3) grams will be $1. Gophers Bucks will be accepted!

AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps

The application for AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps is now open!

AVODAH helps young adults combat domestic poverty through a year-long service program, which combines full-time work at non-profit agencies with pluralistic communal Jewish learning and living.

Our application deadline is February 10th, 2014.

Click here to apply today!

The Inner Dimensions of Life According to Kabbalah

When we're born, there is no instruction manual attached to us that helps to guide us through life and answer our most difficult questions. We sometimes feel frustrated because we can't explain or answer the most fundamental human questions like, "What is the purpose of life?" and "What am I here in the world to do?" and "Why do things happen the way they do?"

But then there is Kabbalah, the thousands-of-years old mystical tradition of Judaism that contains in it answers and practical wisdom for these questions and much more.

Join our visiting speaker, Akiva Gersh, as we explore teachings of the Kabbalah that can help enhance our understanding of life, ourselves and what this whole world is about.

The event will be on Sunday, February 16th at 2:30 p.m. in the Hillel Lounge.

Summer Internships with Hillel International

Hillel International is accepting applications for the position of Conference Coordinator Intern. These interns will assist Hillel's Schusterman International Center in preparing for Hillel's August Convening, a gathering of hundreds of Hillel Professionals and students that will take place at Washington University in St. Louis.

Visit www.hilleljobs.com for complete application instructions and the full internship description.

The application deadline is Friday, March 7th. If you have any questions, please contact Bradley Mighdoll.

Additionally, Hillel International is offering an internship in the Advancement Department. Check it out!

The Helix Project

The Helix Project is a 3-week summer adventure, bringing full-time college and university students on an intensive cultural studies immersion in European Jewish cultural history. The Helix starts with a series of workshops and language training in Los Angeles, followed by a journey through the historical heartlands of Jewish life in Europe.

This July, Helix invites you to travel with us through the contemporary republics of Belarus, Poland, and Lithuania. From the sacred to the mundane, from the liturgical to the literary, the Helix Project introduces you to the beauty and complexity of Jewish history, creating a richer, fuller, more positive and inclusive view of Jewish life than you ever imagined possible.

Find out more about how to apply for Helix and partial to full scholarships for the program, click here!

1 semester. 8 meetings. 2 field trips. Amazing discussion. $350 stipend.

Big News! Every semester 12 of Goucher's top students will join a society dedicated to intellectual discovery and lively discussion; a society that explores the fundamental principles of Jewish faith - in fact, of human civilization - as put forth in the Ten Commandments; a society that exists at 60+ schools across the country: the Sinai Scholars Program.

The group meets for 8 classes on Monday nights. Students participate in the discussion, embark on a field trip, experience a Shabbat, and write a paper. When they're done they can meaningfully discuss Judaism's approach to such issues as faith, family, property, medical and business ethics, relationships, and much more.

Qualified students completing the course are awarded a stipend of $350 (or a free trip to Israel) and are invited to participate in follow-up leadership events both locally and nationally.

Limited spots available. Click here for more information and to register.

Steinhardt-Israel Institute Interns Program

The Israel Institute will match young scholars with top Israeli think-tanks and research institutions for the period of one year. At the commencement of this period, interns will convene for a one-day intensive workshop in Israel. During the course of their year in Israel, interns will have two additional enrichment days, or yemei iyyun. These enrichment days will allow interns to interact with a broad community of scholars and policy practitioners while assessing the lessons they have already learned during their internships.

The program provides each intern with a stipend of $2,000 per month for twelve consecutive months. In addition, the Israel Institute covers airfare expenses for travel to and from Israel.

Following the conclusion of the program, the intern cohort will be expected to become integral parts of the Israel Institute's alumni network, attending Institute sponsored events, submitting essays for Institute publications, participating in ongoing programming and mentoring future interns.

Requirements:

The Steinhardt-Israel Institute Interns program is open to college students or graduates from the classes of 2012, 2013, or 2014. Explicit preference will be given to Birthright Israel alumni. Applicants must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale in their college major. Applicants will also have established a record of leadership potential as evidenced by the activities and roles that they have undertaken in relation to Israel during their college year.

To apply for Fall 2014-Fall 2015, submit the following documents to applications@israelinstitute.org by May 1, 2014:

1. A resume

2. College transcripts from all schools attended

3. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member

4. A 2-page, double-spaced statement of purpose that specifies issue areas you are interested in exploring during the internship and explains what you believe you will gain from the internship experience.

Goucher Hillel: empowering Jewish students to advance their Jewish journeys, and inspiring all students to lead lives of meaning and impact.

Goucher Hillel | josh.snyder@goucher.edu | http://www.goucher.edu/hillel
1021 Dulaney Valley Road
Baltimore, MD 21204