UCSB, Senior HSJCSC Fellow
2003-2004 home page
HSJCSC FELLOWSHIP
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UCSB HILLEL
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ENGAGEMENT
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GETTING TO KNOW CAMPUS
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Helpful Hints
GETTING A LIFE
Downtown
Goleta/IV
LA
Even though this college is not part of our name, we still do programming for SBCC students. However, we don�t really reach out to them very well, if at all. If they contact us, we are more than willing to welcome them to a program or help them, but we don�t really go out and meet them downtown, where their campus is located. However, some of our outstanding student leaders are students at SBCC. It�s good to know that SBCC students do not work on the same schedule as UCSB students, since SBCC runs on the quarter system.
The Typical Week at UCSB Hillel:
We say that there are two bookends to our week and plenty of stuff going on in between. This means our week starts with the Kosher Cookout on Monday evenings and ends on Friday evening with Shabbat services and dinner. Each Monday night anywhere from 75-100 students normally show up for our Kosher Cookouts. This cookout is a kosher meal prepared completely by the students and starts around 6 pm. It�s a great way to start the week, and a great way to welcome someone who is not religious into the organization, as the program is entirely social. Sometimes students show a sports game on the projector to create an even more social atmosphere.
The other gathering that draws a lot of students is Shabbat, when we celebrate with both services and dinner. Services start at 6 pm when we divide into three different prayer rooms: Liberal, Conservative and Orthodox. The liberal/reform group meets in the sanctuary where the rabbi leads services with the help of Zack, our student guitarist/songleader. This is the service that most of the students attend. The Conservative service is held in the lounge, and is typically lead by students. Sometimes this group struggles to get a minyan (10 people, the required number to say certain prayers in the services), but normally this group pulls through at some point. Finally, the Orthdox minyan meets in the conference room, with a m�chitzah (partition dividing the men and the women). This service is also student-lead, but with the help of Rabbi Mendal Loschak, the Chabad rabbi of IV. After all of the services finish (normally around 7:30 or so) we all come together in the lobby area (and sometimes the courtyard if the weather is nice!) to say Kiddush. After that, there is a mad rush to get into the social hall where dinner is served. This is something that we offer free to our students, and is absolutely delicious! Chicken, salmon, challah, matzah ball soup, veggies, potatoes, dessert-who could say no to that?!? On average we get around 150 students per Shabbat.
In between our Kosher Cookouts and Shabbats, there is plenty of stuff to do as well. Normally Rabbi teaches a Torah or Talmud lesson on Mondays at 5 pm before the Kosher Cookout. Monday evenings are a good time for student groups or program committees to meet, since most of them are in the building for the Cookout anyway. Tuesday night oftentimes features �Rabbinic Conversations,� a series where prominent rabbis are invited to give lectures on really cool topics, such as the Abuyadaya Jews of South Africa or Judaism�s view on homosexuality. During our spring quarter this year, we also had a weekly pilates class that met, where approximately 40 students enjoyed a discounted pilates class in the Hillel building. This year, Wednesday nights brought us our meeting of American Students for Israel (ASI), followed by Israeli dancing. Thursdays were the days for larger social programs, such as our Kosher Love Luau, our Texas Hold�Em Tournament and some women�s programming celebrating Rosh Chodesh, the new Hebrew month. Rabbi Mendel also hosts his Caf? Koshers around 6:30 on Thursdays. This is a kosher meal with a discussion about some Jewish topic. This year, students have also gathered on Saturdays to celebrate Havdallah, the ceremony concluding Shabbat and bringing in the new week. Students have also organized IV Unplugged on Saturday evenings, a concert series featuring both local and big-name artists. Finally, while Sundays have less programming offered, we oftentimes sponsor a hike on these days, a BBQ on the beach, a fundraising event or something like our Annual 5K Bagel Run!
Who runs Hillel?
UCSB Hillel is run by three different groups:
1.) The Community/Executive Board;
2.) The Hillel Staff;
3.) Students
For more information on the 203-2004 UCSB Hillel staff and community board, click here.
For more information on some of our UCSB Hillel student groups, click here.