Tag Archives: judaism

EVENT
Jewish Resistance at Aipac: Wesleyan Community Action Meeting

Matilda Ostow ’17 and Josh Bloom ’17 write in:

hello Wesleyan community!! we (matilda & josh) just completed a two day training with IfNotNow–a movement led by young Jews leading a Jewish resistance and seeking to end American Jewish support for the occupation.

we think the goals of this movement match up with a lot of feelings that young people across our country and on this campus specifically are feeling right now: the desire to fight for freedom and dignity for all! If you’re interested in learning more about this amazing organization that is fighting for the rights of palestinians, jews, and oppressed people’s all over the world and the HUGE action that they will be doing protesting outside of the annual AIPAC conference on March 26th, come to this event! It will be an inclusive space for learning, discussing, and understanding how we can develop our desires for resistance into organizing and action.

email jpbloom[at]wesleyan[dot]edu or mostow[at]wesleyan[dot]edu for any thoughts/inquiries/questions/comments/feelings ?

Date: Thursday, March 2
Time: 4:30-6 PM
Place: Albritton 311

FEATURED
Procrastination Destination: Bar Mitzvah Throwback Tunes

I know this is a pretty big claim but throwback Bar Mitzvah-esque tunes might just be my favorite thing in all of cyberspace. For all of you who didn’t have the experience that is a Jewish coming of age ceremony, simply imagine a crowd of pre-pubescent tweens, shitfaced middle aged Jewish professionals, and your grandparents and all of their closest friends shaking their ~tuchus~ to these tunes. Sufficiently horrified? 

Anyway, I’ve curated a selection I feel sums up the vibe. Admittedly, I’ve been listening to these while studying all semester and they’re awesome. So awesome, in fact, that my non-Jewish friends now all want to be Bar Mitzvah-ed. Such is the power of the Bar Mitzvah tune.

Let’s start with a classic: the Hora. Except that this Hora is re-imagined as all the worst parts of music production circa 2007 rolled into one. Warning: you will find yourself singing this one. I’ve caught at least three of my friends listening to this while they study.

Continue reading →

FREE CHANUKAH MENORAHS

From Jared Fineberg ’17:

In need of a menorah, candles, chocolate gelt, and/or dreidels to properly celebrate Chanukah at Wes? Rabbi Levi will arrange to have all of these things delivered to you for FREE! Just fill out the linked form (your mother will be so proud), and keep your eyes out for more Chanukah events in the coming days.

Link to Form

 

EVENT
CHINA’S JEWISH HISTORY & JUDAISM’S CHINA TRADITION

Flag-Pins-Israel-ChinaHMs Lynn Ma ’16 and Talia Baurer ’15 present to you this program:

Join us for a discussion led by Professor Vera Schwarcz of the History department on Jewish identity in China!!

Sponsored by the Bayit and Chinese House, this event will cover the “youtai of China as an example of enduring Jewish attachment in our time.” (VS)

Chinese food will be served for dinner!!!

Taken her class on this topic before? Never even knew Jews existed in China? It doesn’t matter how much you know! Come out and listen in for a little bit on this fascinating topic :)

Date: Tuesday, November 19th
Time: 5-6:30pm
Place: The Bayit
Cost: FREE!

EVENT
Modern Food Ethics from a Jewish Perspective

Adam & Eve

From Miriam Kudler-Flam ’15:

Ever wonder what ancient Jewish wisdom has to say about eating meat vs. being vegetarian, compassionate treatment of animals, organic farming or conscious eating in general? Come and learn with us as we explore various Jewish teachings related to the modern ethical and sustainable food movement. Akiva Gersh, teacher and co-founder of Tiyul B’Aretz, will be leading the discussion.

Akiva will also be speaking about his amazing study abroad opportunity, an on-the-road college program in Israel with a strong focus on environmental ethics, spirituality and modern Israel. He will be happy to answer any questions you might have about this really special program!

Definitely come!

Definitely tell you’re eco-inclined friends!

Definitely!

When: February 8th (this Friday !) from 12 -2 pm
Place: Usdan 108
Cost: Bring your lunch!
Link: Learn more about Tiyul B’Aretz here .

MUSIC
Sukkot = Harvest Fest = Music + Art + Pie + Love

Sydney Hausman-Cohen ’13 knows the math behind Sukkot:

Come celebrate Sukkot with a harvest festival! Bring: instruments (guitars, ukeles, drums, pots and pans…), flashlights, blankets/sleeping bags, any other art supplies, friends (Jewish and non-Jewish welcome!). We will bring: apple pie from Lyman orchards (yay local seasonal food!), guitar and lots of fun/silly music (and our beautiful voices), more sleeping bags, finger paint!

We’ll meet in the Sukkah! Or the Bayit if it rains. We might even sleep there. Who knows.

Date: Wednesday, October 3
Time: 07:22 pm – 10:30 pm
Place: The Sukkah in CFA Courtyard
Cost: Free

EVENT
Sukkah Part: Pizza in the Hut

Sydney Lewis ’14 literally begs me to make an irritating and unfunny Spaceballs reference:

Join the Jewish community to celebrate Sukkot and eat pizza in the beautiful Wesleyan sukkah! (Rain date: 10/1)

Date: Monday, October 1
Time: 6 pm – 7 pm
Place: The Sukkah (CFA Courtyard)
Cost: Free

EVENT
Judaism and Islam: Between History and Polemics

New professor alert! Elisha Russ-Fishbane will be joining Wesleyan’s Religion Department and Jewish and Israel Studies in July. If you can’t wait that long to hear about interactions between Judaism and Islam in medieval Egypt, check out this lecture tomorrow, details courtesy of Clare McGranahan ’13:

The talk will address Jewish approaches to Islam from a historical and modern perspective.

Elisha Russ-Fishbane received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations in 2009. His dissertation, Between Politics and Piety: Abraham Maimonides and His Times, is a historical investigation into Egyptian Jewish society in the thirteenth century. It explores religious transformations of Egyptian Jewry, whose rituals and inner ideals reflect profound impact of contemporary Sufism, in the social and political context of contemporary transformations and upheavals in Egypt. Elisha Russ-Fishbane is now a Tikvah Postdoctoral Fellow in Jewish Thought at Princeton University and will be joining Wesleyan’s Religion Department and Jewish and Israel Studies in July.

Date: Thursday, April 19
Time: 4:30 pm
Place: PAC 004
Cost: Free

EVENT
Contemporary Radical Jewish Thought student forum

From Miriam Kudler-Flam ’15:

Where can connections be drawn between traditional and modern Jewish practice? How can we invigorate ancient traditions in ways that feel meaningful and responsive to contemporary needs? How, and to what extent, can Judaism align contemporary values and support the quest for social justice? Where can we seek alternative answers to big questions that modern Jews often ask?

In this student forum, we will investigate these and other questions regarding contemporary Jewish thought and practice, exploring topics like race and whiteness, feminism and gender, sexuality, Israel/Palestine and Zionism, Shabbat, meditation, and radical denominationalism. We will develop a collaborative learning community, with opportunities for students to share readings and other media about their own areas of passion.

All students, of all class years and any or no religious and spiritual backgrounds, are welcome!

Please come to our first meeting to learn more , even if you’re not sure you’ll be able to take it. If you are interested but have a scheduling conflict, or for more information, please contact Allegra Stout (astout[at]wesleyan[dot]edu) and Miriam Kudler-Flam (mkudlerflam[at]wesleyan[dot]edu).

Date:   Jan. 31
Time:   7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Place:  Allbritton 311