Engagement Stories

Here are ten engagement stories from this year. Some of the students’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

One-on-One

Antonio:

I met Antonio at the FYSH Bowling Night. He seemed very interested in politics, but not so much in doing anything Jewish. I invited him to a couple of other programs, and he came to some of them. In December he went on Birthright. After he got back from Israel he became even more active, and by the end of the year he turned into one of our most active students. He also grew in his Jewish life, as he slowly became more and more interested and enthusiastic about celebrating Shabbat and holidays.

Jim:

Jim took off for a couple of years before going to college after high school, and so he was a freshman this year. He is very active in various liberal political groups, and originally was not very pro-Israel (he seemed to be more concerned with the fate of Palestenians than the Israeli victims of suicide bombers). However, during the course of the year, he became much more concerned for the Israeli side, and is now a very ardent supporter of Israel as the Jewish homeland. He has also become one of our most active students.

Eli:

I met Eli at the Simhat Torah celebration at the Chabad house. His family goes to Chabad, but he had not really been involved in any other Jewish life on campus. A few days later I called him up and set up a meeting with him to talk about the programs that I was doing. I talked to him several times afterwards, invited him to a couple of programs, and he eventually came. It was Eli who suggested the idea of Tzedakah Poker back in January, and it turned out to be one of the most successful programs of the second semester.

Natalie:

Natalie came with a friend to a “JE (Jewish Education) Tuesday” (a very successful weekly program every Tuesday night with free dinner and a speaker on a topic of contemporary Jewish interest). We talked briefly, and I invited her to another upcoming program. She seemed to be interested in social programs, and she came to an AEPi party at Hillel some time afterwards. She has spent some time in Chicago, and it turned out that we have several common friends.

Bernice:

Bernice was a sophomore at Marquette this year. She is from Highland Park, Illinois, and I actually met her last summer in Chicago. I had a coffee date with her and her roommate at the beginning of the year, and she told me that she wanted to be more involved. I called her up several times during the year, and every time she told me that she would try and make it to the next program. She came to the Russian Shabbaton in February and volunteered to be one of the student contacts at Marquette for next year.

Group

Michael:

Michael was a freshman this year. When I first met him at the beginning of the year, he told me that he wanted to be more involved. However, he also worked every day, and had almost no time to make it to any of the programs. During the winter break I went on a Jewish Agency trip to Israel, and Michael turned out to be on the same trip. We spend some time together in Israel, and I found out that Michael is very passionate about Judaism and Israel. After we got back from Israel, he still continued to work for many hours a week, but always tried to stop by our programs, even if for a few minutes.

Ellen:

I met Ellen when she stopped by Hillel at the beginning of the year to get some information about Birthright. I invited her to the Russian Club, and she started to come quite regularly. She also started to stop by whenever I would table at UMM, keep me company, and help with tabling. She signed up to go on Birthright in December, but could not go because of a scheduling conflict.

Vera:

Vera is a friend of Ellen. She also started to come regularly to the Russian Club. She is very intellectual, and always enjoys a good discussion on any Jewish topic. She also signed up to go on Birthright in December, but could not go because of her job.

Arthur:

I met Arthur at the Russian bonfire in Chicago in September, where we took a “field trip” with the Russian Club. Then I did not see him for few months, until he suddenly showed up at a Tzedakah Poker Night. He started to come regularly to Poker, and became one of our most active players.

Jackie:

Jackie stopped by my table at UWM. I invited her to a couple of programs, and she eventually came for Tzedakah Poker. Afterwards I found out that she was Russian (her English was perfect) and invited her to the Russian Club. She came once when we sang Russian love songs and had a good time.