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Less than two weeks after its debut, this music video has gone viral, as evidenced by its 9700+ views. This latest collaboration is part of our focus on engaging with the broader campus community and beyond.
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By the Numbers
40...Students registered for Birthright this January.
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Brown RISD Hillel provides an exciting, welcoming, and vibrant space for students at Brown and RISD to gather, explore their Jewish identity, and prepare to take their place as our next generation of Jewish leaders.
All of this activity requires funding, and our increased offerings necessarily require increased expenses. As we celebrate Hanukkah, please consider lighting a candle at Hillel by making a donation before December 31.
Note that donors to Brown RISD Hillel can now receive gift credit with Brown University, although not toward the Brown Annual Fund and its associated recognition societies.
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Interested in learning more about Jewish life on campus? Please visit our website, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Flickr. You can also sign up for our weekly campus e-newsletter here.
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First- and second-year students enjoy the first ever "Chai on Life" retreat at Camp JORI in Wakefield, RI.
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Israel
- Over winter break, 40 Brown and RISD students and our Israel Engagement Fellow, Elan Cohen, will travel to Israel through our partnership with Taglit-Birthright Israel. Soon after they return, registration will begin for our summer 2015 trip! If you know any current students who might be interested in a free trip to Israel with other students from College Hill, please visit tinyurl.com/israelbrownrisd.
- It was a busy semester for our two Israel groups. Brown Students for Israel (BSI) hosted New York Times and Jerusalem Post journalist Etgar Lefkovits and provided students with Israel Inbox, an interactive newsletter with updates and opinions on Israel and the Middle East sent directly via e-mail.
- J Street U Brown (JSUB) brought influential speakers to campus including PLO Ambassador Maen Areikat and Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Rabbis for Human Rights in Israel.
- Brown RISD Hillel, BSI, and JSUB partnered with the Watson Institute for International Studies to bring author and Haaretz columnist Ari Shavit to college Hill. Hillel, BSI, and JSUB also helped bring Consul General of Israel to New England Yehuda Yaakov and David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy to campus.
To watch a recording of Israeli author and columnist Ari Shavit's November lecture, click here.
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Jewish Life and Learning
- Rabbi Michelle Dardashti led 12 students on a "Journey Into Judaism," a weekly opportunity to learn about the basics of Judaism. During High Holy Day services and throughout the semester, Rabbi Dardashti encouraged students to sit down with her for coffee and conversation. Rabbi Dardashti also led a session on the roots of Justice in Judaism in partnership with our Tzedek (social justice) committee.
- Hillel offered many opportunities for students to engage with the languages of Israel through Hebrew conversational lunches, beginner Hebrew, and Arabic lessons.
- Students will have the chance to travel to Poland this March as part of Professor Adam Teller's course JUDS 0901 - "Brothers Betrayed: Jews and Poles from 1500 until Today." The trip is a highly-subsidized, Hillel-organized opportunity to explore Jewish life in Poland - past, present, and future.
 | | Student leaders gather at the annual Student Leadership Retreat. |
 | | The Ice Menorah is lit on Wriston. |
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- Our Shabbat lineup this semester exposed students to a diverse set of interesting speakers and topics. Highlights included:
- Dean of the College and Professor of History and Judaic Studies at Brown University, Maud Mandel was the featured speaker at the Tenth Annual Rabbi Bernard Mandelbaum Memorial Student-Faculty Shabbat Dinner.
- Jim Ryczek, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, spoke about homelessness in Rhode Island, student activism, and the importance of this work as the winter months approach.
- Sacred Foods Shabbat, an annual favorite, featured fresh, locally-grown vegan recipes prepared completely by students.
- Pizza in the Hut: Sukkot Unheard featured live, acoustic music from Brown and RISD musicians in our very own terrace sukkah in partnership with Brown Unheard.
- As you can see from our Flickr photo stream, students enjoyed the break from finals offered by our Hanukkah Bash, Hanukkah Community Dinner, and "Miracle on Wriston" ice menorah event in partnership with Chabad of College Hill.
 | | Students enjoy bagels and lox at our Yom Kippur break-fast. |
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Arts and Culture
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- Shai Afsai presented a gallery exhibit of photos from his visits to the Igbo Jewish Community of Abuja and, along with director Jeff Lieberman, brought the film "Re-Emerging: The Jews of Nigeria".
- The Alef Beats and Yarmulkzi each had numerous performances and appearances at Hillel events and around Brown's campus.
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Opening night for "The Igbo Jews of Abuja."
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Tzedek (Social Justice)
- The third year of our Moral Voices series is focusing on Gun Violence. The semester kicked off with an interdisciplinary panel discussion bringing together professionals from organizations of nonviolence, the Providence Department of Public Safety, and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence. The culminating event will be a keynote speaker in April.
- Our Tzedek Committee partnered weekly with Judy's Kindness Kitchen to prepare food for those in need.
- Recycling and composting continued to be an integral part of Hillel events this semester thanks to our partnership with Brown's Green Events initiative.
 | | Students lend a hand at "Judy's Kindness Kitchen." |
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 | | Fall 2014 Engagement Interns gather for their year-end celebration. |
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 | | Over 500 students gathered for food, music, and an opportunity to learn more about Jewish life at Brown and RISD at our annual Orientation Barbeque. |
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