| Sara's University of Minnesota JCSC Homepage |
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| HOLIDAYS |
| High Holidays- For Rosh Hashana I made very fun goodie bags. I burned some of my favorite songs on cd and sent that with candy and an explanation of Rosh Hashana. The bag also included the High Holiday schedule. I handed out parts to the congregation and gave the dvar torah on Yom Kippur. The second year I had several converastions with Rabbi Sharon about my role in the services. I handed out parts to the congregation both english and hebrew. I also gave the dvar torah on Yom Kippur. I was feeling very uncomfortable with traditional services and wanted something different. In retropsect I wish I had planned a discussion group for students about the meaning of the holidays and the lack of enthusiasm I had for attending a traditional type services. Possibly a discussion about the more of the meanings behind the rituals and prayers of the services |
| Purim With a committee of students and the Social Chair we planned an outrageous 80's Flashback Purim. We performed a Purim Shpiel and then danced to a dj, had blow up boxing, caricatures and an ice cream sundae bar. The second year Purim was a part of the Jewish Culture Week event. We had a simpler than usual megillah reading and hamentashen at HIllel on Thursday. Then on Sunday night we featured Jewish artistst for Not YOur Rabbi's Purim Party at the Cabooze Bar. With the help of Yoni Reinharz and other local musicicans such as: Dan Israel, Pleasure Pause, Adam Levy of the Honeydogs and DJ Applejewz we had an incredible party. There were 150 people there total along with Jewish students there were regular fans of the musicians and the bar where it was held. |
| Tu B' Shevat- I tabled on campus under a sign saying " Want a Date?" I had different dried fruits (including dates) and explained the holiday to many students who walked by. |
| Passover- I tabled on campus outside with Free Matza Ball soup. I also wrote a Passover Women's seder that we co -sponsored with the Women's Student Activist Collective. The second year I tabled at Coffman with the left over challah we had at Hillel two days before Passover. I did not plan in advance and so at the end of my last challah I got shut down for not having a food permit or tabling in the right area. I will again be doing the Women's Seder co-sponsored by the WSAC Womens Student Activist Collective. |
| Sukkot- The second year I did Ushpizot: A Women's Gathering in the Sukkah. We had food, discussion and candles in the evening in the sukkah. I also did a wine and chees event in the sukkah with TAG (twenty something and grad students) |
| Simchat Torah- The second year I collaboarated with Ilana Volovdarsky from the Russian American programs at the United Jewish Fund and Council to a program targeted at Russian students. We did a modifyed service, accessible and easy for Russian students, then had dinner and discussion about Russian Jewish life. After the dinner and discussion we had Mark Stillman play accordian including Russian songs and danced with the torahs. After this KVAYAN the Russian Comedy Club performed. |
| Hanukkah- My second year Hanukkah luckily fell during the school semester. So I did a program called "Light it UP int eh Residence Halls: Hanukah Style" We had dinner and lit candles in a different dorm room every night. The host of the evening was the freshman whose dorm we secretly lit hanukah candles in. Remember to bring the words to the prayers and some gelt to give. |
| ENGAGEMENT STORIES 04-05 |