by Isaac Yerushalmi and Tzvi Raviv About one hundred years ago, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto realized that 80% of Italy’s wealth was owned by 20% of the population. Now known as Pareto’s principle, this concept is universal in nature. For example, in a supermarket, roughly 20% of customers will generate 80% of the income. Building on this principle, is it possible that 20% of the campuses in North America inspire 80% of anti-Israel activity? If we look at patterns of anti-Israel activism, the same campuses appear over and over again. Two campuses from California, two campuses from the northeast area, and two Canadian schools. The pro-Israel network tries to respond to all the anti-Israel activities across the continent, but in reality, only a handful of schools actually serve as … Continue Reading
Getting Next Generations
by Wayne L. Firestone At first blush, it is flattering that there is a no-holds-barred race on campuses around the country to “get” (or connect with) the next generation of Jewish student leaders. An increasing percentage of the approximately one hundred thousand Jewish students who enroll annually in college participate in birthright, MASA, Yeshiva Gap Year, alternative service learning and camp counselor immersive experiences, domestically and around the world. They head back to campus with a revitalized appreciation of Jewish identity, Israel and the importance of Jewish values in an era of global citizenship, but also with probing questions that they want to explore further. At this year’s General Assembly in Denver, feedback from student leaders and young professionals in their … Continue Reading
Sandy Cardin: “Viva La Revolución”
With representation from 16 countries, ROI’s Ibero-American Gathering opened last night in Buenos Aires. This, ROI's second Latin American gathering, was hopping from the opening minutes. The ruach of almost 50 Latinos electric throughout the hotel. Developed in co-ordination with local program partners including Hillel Argentina, ORT Mexico and Taglit-Birthright Argentina, this five day program of unique networking and skill-building sessions will move the needle by "harnessing and elevating our collective impact in creating a Jewish future that is vibrant, relevant and widely accessible." (Justin Korda, ROI Community's executive director). Speaking at the opening program, Sandy Cardin - president of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, discussed "the role each of you play … Continue Reading
Let My People Go
by Marcos Askenazi Have you ever made a difference? What about taking action? Well, on Thursday, November 3rd, a group of over 200 young professionals and college students celebrated those who did. Through a joint collaboration, spearheaded by the Tanger Hillel at Brooklyn College and in conjunction with the Hillels of Queens, Hunter, Baruch, Long Island University, the College of Staten Island, COJECO, RAJE, and generously supported by Jewish Agency for Israel and the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs, Beit Hatfustot, the museum of the Jewish people, presented a photo exhibit highlighting the emotional stories of the "Jews of Struggle" - The Jewish National Movement of the USSR, 1967-1989." Participants had a chance to meet with two former members of the movement: Alla … Continue Reading
Reminder: Global Day of Jewish Learning is Sunday
The Shema Prayer, this year's theme of the second annual Global Day of Jewish Learning, to be held this Sunday, November 13th, opens with six seemingly small words - words that carry within each segment of each letter a declaration of the bond, principles and identity of the Jewish people. "For the Jewish people, the Shema is a call, a slogan, a sign of identification and an expression of great emotions," says Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz as he explains the choice of theme for this year. "Shema Yisrael, 'Hear O Israel,' has been with us from the very beginning of our history." Around the United States and across the globe - from Oregon to Florida, from Vermont to California, from Latvia to Uruguay, from Canada to China, over 300 events are being held. People in more than 250 communities and in over … Continue Reading
Jews of Siberia
Filed under In Case You Missed, Life in the FSU Countries, PresenTense Magazine
Jews of Siberia: in the jewish autonomous region by Jason Pressberg The Soviet Union was a terrible place to be a Jew, and Siberia was terrible place to be no matter what your background was. In 1934, Stalin created the “Jewish Autonomous Region” in Siberia. It was his attempt to solve the “Jewish question.” While a small number of Jews had been forced to Siberia under the Czarist government, Stalin took Jewish settlement in Siberia to a new level. Yiddish advertisements encouraging Jewish migration promised a better life for those who went willingly to this new region, where Jews would have autonomy and Yiddish heritage and socialism would predominate. In a historical anomaly, a small number of Jews even migrated from the United States. Until around 150 years ago, Siberia was mostly … Continue Reading
Campus Shlichim Initiative Planned Ahead of UN Vote
Ahead of the UN General Assembly, where the Palestinian Authority is taking its bid for an independent state, young Jewish Agency shlichim are launching “Talk Israel” on 20 major North American campuses. This initiative aims to foster dialogue about the complex realities in the Middle East by creating spaces on campus which will serve as venues for students to engage in respectful dialogue and raise questions and issues relating to the peace process and the Palestinian Authority’s initiative at the UN. These large white tents will be pitched on campuses on September 20th and 21st, in a joint initiative of the Jewish Agency and Hillel. The tents will house AV equipment, including a video conferencing system to allow various speakers to address the students, as well as educational materials … Continue Reading
Hillel Announces David M. Cohen Fellowship for Hillel Professionals
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is pleased to announce the creation of a new program to support the global organization’s campus professionals. The David M. Cohen Fellowship will provide the resources to enable professional leadership development for up to 16 Hillel professionals, all of whom have completed at least three years as an executive director of an affiliated Hillel foundation. Through the generosity of Abby and David Cohen, the David M. Cohen Fellowship guarantees that Hillel’s highest-performing and highest-potential directors are supported with tools to strengthen and sharpen their skills, resulting in greater professional excellence and increased capacity for the Hillels they lead. The program builds on the success of such innovative Hillel professional … Continue Reading
Wayne Firestone: Hillel is the Living, Tangible Facebook of the Jewish People
Hillel President Wayne Firestone told Hillel professionals gathered at the organization’s annual training conference, the Hillel Institute, that “today Hillel is the living, tangible Facebook of the Jewish people.” Recalling a recent meeting with Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, Firestone described how the Jewish campus group helps students build their personal social circles and connects these circles into a greater web of international relationships. By providing these students with opportunities to create their own Jewish activities, Hillel is helping them to take ownership of their Jewish identities. Firestone added that today’s economists and sociologists would call these students “prosumers,” that is, consumers intimately involved in the creation of their own … Continue Reading
Hillel Invades St. Louis
This week, Hillel is bringing more than 1,000 student activists, professionals, partner agency representatives and lay leaders to Washington University in St. Louis for the Hillel Institute, an annual conference that combines student and professional training. Over the course of the program, Hillel will train hundreds of Jewish students in how to engage their peers and help them advance their Jewish journeys through meaningful conversations and experiences. Many of these young people will go on to help needy communities at home or abroad through Hillel-sponsored alternative breaks or will travel to Israel for the first time through Taglit-Birthright Israel. You can follow all the action on Twitter #HillelInst #Hillelengage. In addition to sessions on building Jewish identity through peer … Continue Reading
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