Its hard to believe that finals are just around the corner! Don't forget that Hillel is a great place to study, especially with extended hours during Reading Week and finals (see details below).

We are excited to present the new Hillel Student Executive Board for 2009:

President: Sarah Brafman
Vice President-Groups: Sarah Sherer-Kohlburn
Social/Cultural Coordinator: Aviva Buechler
Treasurer: Doug Yolen
Interfaith/Intercultural Coordinator: Stephanie Riederman
Religious Life Coordinator: Gabe Seed
Israel Coordinator: Brandon Hammer
Education Coordinator: Michal Cohen
Social Justice: Rachel Loebl

We wish each of these students the best of luck in their new positions, and we're excited for all the great ideas they will bring to our community.  We also want to extend enormous thanks to the outgoing 2008 Executive Board for all their energy and efforts this year!

Shabbat Shalom and good luck with finals!

Marnina Cherkin
Program Coordinator

IN THIS ISSUE:
Highlights

1) Limmud NY 2009: For Jews of All Stripes 
2) Kraft Center Extended Hours
3) Chabad Candle Lighting Ceremony Tonight
4) JelLO Beach Party
5) First Year Study Break
6) Study Break: Israel Send off Party!!
7) Hillel President Wayne Firestone at the 92nd Street Y
8) S'madar Spring S'mauditions

Calendar:
See this week's events!

http://www.limmudny.org/content/view/75/99/
If you have already registered or if you are interested in doing so, come to a Columbia/Barnard Hillel Limmud NY information STUDY BREAK on Tuesday, December 9th at 7:00pm to discuss how to make the most of the trip.
STUDY BREAK DETAILS: Tuesday, December 9th 7:00pm in the Bishop Library (back of 2nd floor of the Kraft Center - 606 W. 115th Street between Broadway and Riverside) FREE FOOD!
Questions?  Email Rabbi Dave at rabbi@columbia.edu)

2) Kraft Center Extended Hours!
Butler Smells, Come To Hillel!
We’ve got plenty of comfy study spaces open until 2:00am on weeknights! Come to the nightly study breaks and enjoy the free snacks all day.
Study Breaks at 9:00pm on the third floor of Hillel every night!
Keep an eye out for huge blowout study breaks on Wednesday, December 10th and Sunday, December 14th!
Hillel is located on 115th Street, across from Schapiro. All are welcome!
Starting Monday, December 8th, we’re open til 2:00am (except for Friday and Saturday, when we’re open til midnight).

3) Chabad Candle Lighting Ceremony Tonight 
Please join us for a Candle Lighting Ceremony at the campus Chabad House on Friday. We will gather to find comfort and strength through unity. We will hear words of remembrance and words of inspiration. We will take a few moments to reflect, and then use this opportunity to turn our pain into a catalyst for good; bringing more light to this world as a direct result of the dark atrocities that occurred last week. There will be a short and moving video presentation about Gabi & Rivki and the other Jewish victims at the Chabad House.
Host: Chabad at Columbia University
Date: Friday, December 5, 2008
Time: 3:45pm - 4:15pm
Location: Broadway & Riverside
Street: 625 W 113th Street, btw Broadway & Riverside

4) JeLlo BEACH PARTY!!!!
Leave your coat and gloves at the door this Saturday night for our First Year end of semester beach party!
Everyone is welcome for tropical drinks, snacks, music and games as well as a beautiful beach 'bonfire'.
The party is happening on the 3rd floor of the Hillel building, 606 115th Street on Saturday, December 6th, 8-9:30 pm.
This event is brought to you by Jewish Life Orientation 2008!

5) First Year Study Break
You deserve a break! Ease into your first finals by taking a study break at Hillel. Unwind and relax with food (ice cream sundaes!), first years, and friends.
Monday, December 8th, 9:00-10:30pm in the Bishop Library (2nd floor of the Kraft Center, 606 West 115th).

6) Study Break: Israel Send off Party!!
Going to Israel over winter break? Spring semester? Wish you were going? Did you go recently? Come meet other people who will be there, share tips, and get excited for your trip! Of course there will be food too!
Tuesday, December 9 – 9-10pm
3th Floor, Kraft Center (606 West 115th)
Co-sponsored by LionPAC and Benjamin.

7) Hillel President Wayne Firestone at the 92nd Street Y
Jewish Survival on College Campuses and in the Ivory Tower. A FREE event at the 92nd Street Y  
Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Hillel President Wayne Firestone / Thane Rosenbaum, moderator
With anti-Israel attacks coming from university professors and students, threatened economic divestments and academic boycotts, lingering Holocaust denial and subtle anti-Semitism, Jewish life on today’s college campuses is very complicated. Join us for a provocative conversation about the challenges that Jewish students and faculty face as the politics of the Middle East and global anti-Semitism invade colleges.
Date & Time: Mon, Dec 8, 2008, 8:15pm
Please contact jpepper@92y.org to reserve your free ticket

8) Look out for S'madar Spring S'mauditions!
S'madar, the Jewish Women's A Cappella group of the Columbia/Barnard Hillel will be having auditions in the Spring.  We are looking for Freshman and Sophomores specifically, but all grades are welcome to audition!  S'madar performs both in the Columbia University community, and in the Jewish communities of the tri-state area.  Auditions are going to be Sunday 1/25 and Monday 1/26.  We will let you know the rest of the details shortly.  We look forward to seeing you there, and remember - if you're S'mart, you'll S'maudition!

12/05/2008

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
10:01 PM-11:15 PM Rennert Hall	Concert	Pizmon

12/06/2008

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
8:00 PM-9:30 PM 3rd Floor	First Year Winter Beach Party	JelLO

12/07/2008

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
6:00 PM-7:00 PM Philosophy	Klezmer Performance	Klezmer Band

12/08/2008

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
9:00 PM-10:30 PM Bishop Library (2nd Floor)	First Year Study Break	FYSH (First Year Students at Hillel)

12/09/2008

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
7:01 PM-8:00 PM Bishop Library (2nd Floor)	Study Break/Info Session about Limmud NY	Hillel General
9:00 PM-10:15 PM 3rd Floor	Study Break	LionPAC
5:00 PM-7:00 PM Bishop Library (2nd Floor)	Meditation Study Break	Meditation

12/10/2008

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
9:00 PM-10:00 PM 3rd Floor	Koach, Kesher, Yavneh - Pre Haukkah Art Bash Study Break	Koach

12/11/2008

No public events scheduled

Save the date:

Additional information:

cuBHANGRA Presents Basement
The hottest event of the semester, BASEMENT, is just around the corner!
Bring your friends, your finest moves, and dance the night away!
Join cuBHANGRA for our second annual event- BASEMENT! A night featuring the award-winning teams NYU Bhangra, Rutgers Bhangra, NYU Pandemonium, RU Dhol Effect, and your own cuBHANGRA! PLUS, performances by campus groups Dhoom and Sabor. Then, dance the night away to a mix of Hip-Hop, Bhangra, and Bollywood music! Free food and t-shirts for the first few to arrive!
Check out our event video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIH225nGm88
Friday, December 5th
Roone Arledge Auditorium
Doors open @ 9:30pm.
Tickets (CUID) $4 in advance, $5 at the door for everyone.

Are you up for a challenge? JOIN us.
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The Jewish Organizing Initiative (JOI) builds a vibrant, pluralistic community of Jewish young adults who learn grassroots community organizing, explore their Jewish identity together, and become leaders in the pursuit of social justice.
Our year-long paid community organizing fellowship is a year of field experience and professional development for young Jewish adults (21-30) who are interested in systemic change and community building. 
Applicants: We are looking for passion, commitment, and a drive to work for social justice.  We want people who are interested in co-creating a pluralistic Jewish community and who want to know more about their roots and what Judaism teaches about social justice. JOI Fellows are critical thinkers who see problems in the world and have some track record of working to address these issues. 
Placement:  Fellows work as full-time paid grassroots organizers with organizations in the Boston region that are working for social change. Past placements include the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, UNITE HERE Local 26, Chelsea Neighborhood Housing Services, Jewish Community Relations Council, North Shore Labor Council, Boston Youth Organizing Project, Keshet, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation and Stand for Children.
Training: Our JOI training program consists of regular, intensive workshops and reflection on campaign building, power analysis, and building leadership. We focus on topics such as relationship building and developing the leadership of volunteers, and we study Jewish texts and history to give context to the work we do. JOI trainers include veteran organizers, seasoned activists, politicians, rabbis and Jewish professionals. Building a pluralistic Jewish community is also an important component of our program, and once a month Fellows come together to celebrate Shabbat.
For More Information
Please visit www.jewishorganizing.org, call the office at 617-350-9994, or email Vered at vmeir@jewishorganizing.org with other questions.