Mazel Tov, Graduates

Well, finals are over and summer has begun. We would like to congratulate the seniors on the accomplishment of their graduation and wish them all the best in their future endeavors. In addition to the seniors, Penn State Hillel will be saying good bye to Lauren, the Director of Engagement as she takes her next steps on her Jewish journey. Lauren will be studying in Israel this upcoming year. Student had the chance to say good bye to Lauren and to each other at Hillel's end of year picnic held on the steps of Old Main. Complete with falafel and cake, it was a beautiful afternoon to catch up with friends before the craziness of finals took over and we were all headed off in our separate directions.

During the summer, Hillel will be preparing to meet all of the new students in the fall. We are so lucky to be welcoming three new staff members to Hillel as well. Working with Elizabeth in the engagement suite is our new engagement associate Kayla, a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins University. Michal, the past student board president, will be joining Lizzy in the development office as a campaign associate, responsible for managing and coordinating the logistics of the capital campaign for our new building. Finally, Hillel is hiring an Israel Fellow. This program is coordinated through local Hillel chapters, the national Hillel offices and the Jewish Agency in Israel. The program works to select Israelis to coordinate all things Israel on a college campus--Taglit-Birthright trips, Israel advocacy groups, and other Israel oriented programs. Assaf will be joining the Hillel staff in the States this summer, however, he will meet up with the Taglit-Birthright group going to Israel next week.

We are very excited for the upcoming year and hope you all have a wonderful summer!

Passover

Tuesday night, around 70 students gathered at Brother's Pizza on College Avenue to celebrate the end of Passover. It was a great (although late) night to catch up with friends and enjoy some much loved chametz.

Eight days earlier, Penn State Hillel hosted close to 500 students for the largest first night seder ever. No, 500 people were not sitting in one room. Instead, we had three different seders going. There was a large traditional seder downstairs, a smaller traditional seder upstairs and a women's seder upstairs. The week leading up to Monday night, Hillel students kashered three kitchens and cooked enough kugel and chicken and stuffing and dessert for 500 people. The work paid off because the first night was amazing.

I'm going to share a little more about the women's seder for a few reasons: it's new to Penn State this year, I compiled the haggadah, and led the seder. When posed with the idea of having multiple seders this year, I immediately knew I wanted to lead a women's seder. My mom had introduced the tradition at our synagogue back home and now the sisterhood holds one every year. Using her resources, I compiled a haggadah over spring break, using stories, explanations and interpretations with a women's twist. I really enjoyed reading all of the different commentaries, and picked a few to incorporate into the haggadah.

The seder itself was also different. I wanted everyone to be involved in the leading of the seder. Our evening started out with participants introducing themselves to the others sitting around their table while also getting to know a little more about the women that came before us. During the seder, each table was responsible for reading part of the hagaddah. Everyone had a role, everyone participated. This wasn't just my seder. It was our seder. I loved the communal aspect this evening highlighted--an aspect that is essential to the holiday of Passover and the idea that we are a Jewish people celebrating our freedom after experiencing our suffering.

I had a lot of fun and was really excited about Passover this year because of the new traditions that were being started. I hope everyone had a lovely Passover and is enjoying chametz once again :)

Artists 4 Israel

Jayne, student board member and coordinator for the Artists for Israel event held at University Park on Thursday April 21 reflects on the event as a whole. Check out the articles in the Daily Collegian from April 21, 2011 and April 22, 2011

The event may have been advertised to start at 11, but by 7 a.m. the artists and I were up preparing for the day ahead of us. After figuring out how to get all of the supplies onto the HUB lawn, the artists started building the temporary wall while I spread the remaining flyers, lugged the t-shirts across campus, and collected as many copies of The Daily Collegian as I could to prove that our event was a big deal on campus.

By 10:30, we were all ready to go, anxious for people to start showing up. The event may have started slowly, but it gradually built up to a fantastic afternoon. By noon the event was in full swing, with music playing and students crowding around the tent to meet the artists and see their mural. The graffiti artists were greatly received, and visitors seemed genuinely interested in learning about their cause. The event was definitely a new experience for Penn State’s campus, being both its first spray paint mural creation as well as one of it’s only outdoor educational programs accompanied by rap music. Throughout the day 200-300 students stopped by to see what was going on, and with each person that showed up, the artists used their outgoing enthusiastic characters to interact and get students excited about their piece. They got students so involved, that by mid-event they spontaneously built another wall (separate from their mural) for students to test their hand at graffiti art and voice their own passion for Israel.

Looking back on last Thursday, I can’t imagine the event going any better. I have had countless people contact me to learn more about the artists and find out how we can bring them back to campus, and I couldn’t be happier. I am so glad I was able to coordinate an event that combined two of my passions – art and Israel. This campus could definitely benefit from more public cultural events, and I hope to be involved in many more artistic and Israeli events within the next 2 years.

Relay for Life

The achievement that the Tikkun Olam/Hillel team made this year was nothing less than incredible in the 3 weeks the team was together. Creating a team, with only 23 days until Relay for Life, Nicole Wasilus, and Justin Taylor were highly motivated to get people involved in this amazing event. Participating in online and downtown fund-raisers, the team gave it their all in the few weeks they had to reach their team goal of 1,000 dollars. With a team of only 15, the outcome was truly remarkable.

Rain didn’t stop the Tikkun Olam/Hillel team at Relay for Life 2011. On Day one of Relay the team arrived at the AG fields excited and ready. Even with difficulties setting up the tent and keeping it dry, the team was enthusiastic with high spirits. The rain subsided Friday evening late, but the amount of mud was tremendous. With cars getting stuck, mud covered shoes, and drenched clothes, walkers kept going to continue in the fight against cancer. Mud overtook the site, making walking for 24 hours even more difficult, but nothing could stop the supporters. Friday night went off with a bang, with bands playing late into the evening, teams grilling warm food by their campsites, endless amounts of purple cupcakes being eaten, getting beads every 4 laps (to make bracelets) and people donating their hair to cancer patients. The Overall for Relay for Life Nicole Leo, shaved her head in honor of her mother who has cancer. She said she would do it, if she raised 1,000 dollars, and she did. The Luminaria ceremony took place last Friday evening. Speakers and a slide show in honor, memory, and support of loved ones, brought tears to the crowd. The word “HOPE” was lit up bright at the stage, and “Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back” was the motto of the weekend. Following the emotional ceremony, there was a glow stick rave to keep the energy high. Late into the night, events such as “Relay Idol” and a viewing of Finding Nemo had the participates excited in the 30 degree weather.

Saturday morning, you could tell people were in it for the long run. Participating in raffles, Car Smash fundraisers, a volleyball tournament, and a numerous amount of activities. Starbucks, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts arrived early in the morning with coffee, breakfast sandwiches and donuts. Walking the Mud covered track, was no easy
task, but during every hour, there were always people walking. The Tikkun Olam/Hillel team, walking in their matching red bandannas found excitement from games like Bop-It and Catch Phrase while they walked. The team was overjoyed and was excited to see how much their team raised by the end of the weekend. Finding out that it was 3,500 dollars!!!! brought such happiness to our team. This amount was all thanks to the hard work of the members, and of generous family and friends. Throughout Relay weekend, the overall committees made sure that everyone was having a good time, and had everything they needed. An amazing DJ kept the music going, the entire time, so that walkers always had some tunes. Over 15,000 people participated in Relay for Life this year, and the total amount raised surpassed last year, with 97,880.95 dollars!!! All the money raised goes to the American Cancer Society. Although the weekend was rainy, very muddy, and a bit chilly, that didn’t stop The Tikkun Olam team or anyone else from supporting the fight against cancer.

Overall, it was a great experience and we hope to do it again next year! Thanks to everybody on the team, and to all the committees for making it such a memorable event!

Save a Child's Heart

Save A Child’s Heart is a humanitarian organization that provides free heart surgeries to children in developing countries. People from the organization also travel to these countries to train doctors on how to perform these difficult surgeries.To date SACH has helped for 2500 children since 1995 with a 96% success rate.

On Monday night, March 28^th 2011 at 7pm Hillel co-sponsored an fund-raising event for Save A Child's Heart. Along with Hillel, Penn State Israel Alliance, the Latter-Day Saints Student Association, the Jewish Studies Department, and the Muslim Students’ Association co-sponsored the event. Around 7:30 Sara Glassman spoke briefly about her time volunteering with SACH. Preceding her, Dr. Melina T. Czymoniewicz-Klippel, the Penn State Global Health Minor Coordinator, spoke about the importance and relevance of global health.

Over all, the event was a great success. Approximately 70 people attended, and in total we raised over $450. I am very excited about this, especially because most of the attendees were college students. Everyone I talked with said they really enjoyed the exhibit and the photos were amazing.

Shabbat

I personally love ending my weeks at Penn State Hillel and this past week was no different. After being crazed running from classes to meetings and snacking in between, it is very nice to relax for three hours with all of my friends. At 630, students begin to gather in the lobby, schmoozing and greeting each other, inquiring about the past week and wondering what's for dinner. Introductions begin a bit later. We all wonder down the hall to light the candles and hear how Shabbat at Penn State Hillel works--there are two different services (sometimes an alternative Shabbat discussion makes a third service option) and we all come back together for a communal meal. The attendees break into the two services and welcome in the Sabbath together. I attend the Reform service. I love the community that we create when we introduce ourselves and say a fun fact like the title of our favorite movie. Our chairs are arranged in a circle, making everyone feel included. The prayers are mostly song using "camp versions," tunes I'm familiar with from going to Hebrew School and Jewish summer camp. However, as our leaders announce every week, the tunes are sung in such a way that na-nas or la-las can be substituted for the words. It is our intention, our kavanah, in addition to the actual words that make up a prayer. Students dance and clap along, adding in their own phrases or motions, making the songs personal. This past week we were even privileged with an interpretive dance from a younger participant during the opening tunes :) After we pray, both services and a number of students who join us just for the meal gather in the dining room to bless the wine and the challah before we eat the main course. The dining hall was packed with over 110 students chattering and anxiously waiting the delicious-smelling dinner. New friends were discussing why they came to Hillel and old friends were making plans for the weekend. It is such and amazing way to end the week and I encourage you all to experience it for yourself this Shabbat! Have a wonderful week--Shavuah Tov!!

Spring Break in LA

Here's an email Penn State Hillel received from participants on its Alternative Spring Break to Los Angeles California last week. Enjoy!

Hi friends and family!

Where to begin?! So much has happened here in LA in the past three
days-- I'd tell you every detail but you'll have to fill in the gaps
from the students here on the trip :)

Today was our third day working at Nora Sterry Elementary, and I think
that each day has been more rewarding than the last. The past three
mornings we've helped with a physical project that the school
identified to our City Year partners. On day 1, we painted storage
sheds outside classrooms that were desperately in need of a fresh
look. There were 7 in all, and we had a lot of fun taping and then
painting. They look great.

Yesterday, we built planters that will be used outside the classrooms
as part of planting/gardening lesson plans and will surely liven up
the school grounds with flowers and vegetation. It was fun to see the
project begin with big wooden boards in a pile and end with well-built
planter boxes. We've improved our hammering skills, that's for sure.

Today we painted several murals on the walls inside the school. I've
attached a picture of one of them. The team assigned to the murals
yesterday (the group of boys from AEPi that are here working with us)
had done most of the basic painting already, but we came in and coated
everything again, touched up the edges, and added our own flair :).
The walls went from cold and white to lively, bright, and colorful. So
cool.

And that's just been the mornings!

Each afternoon for the past three days, all of the college students
here have participated with the elementary schoolers in their
after-school programs. We've spent a lot of time tutoring students
(and many of us have been able to tutor the same student all week,
allowing us to form stronger relationships with them), and after they
finish their homework (I should have brushed up on my long
division...I'm rusty!), we all hang out, play outside, play games, and
talk. These past few afternoons have been really meaningful, and it's
been awesome to have so many positive role models providing one-on-one
attention at a school where the student-staff ratio in the
after-school program is sometimes 80-1.

We're excited to learn what our project will be tomorrow morning, and
then we'll get ready to celebrate Shabbat in style here in LA with our
big group of universities as well as many students from the UCLA
Hillel. Hope all is well on your ends, and we'll talk to you soon!

Sending so much sunshine (we have more than enough to share),

Your Penn State friends