Hey Everyone!

Now that you have "shopped" classes and have a set schedule, it's time to have some fun at Hillel! There is a lot happening this weekend and all of next week, including a new Shabbat Experience in Barnard Hall and a fun Super Bowl party on Sunday night.

Additionally, Please be sure to scroll down to read an important message from Hillel's Executive Director Simon Klarfeld.

Shabbat Shalom! Have a great weekend!

Marnina Cherkin
Program Coordinator

IN THIS ISSUE:
Highlights

1)  New Shabbat program this Friday: The Liberal Jewish Experience
2)  Lalekhet Services this Friday
3)  Kick off the New Semester with a Super Bowl Shabbat Dinner!!!
4)  Friday Night Hangout!
5)  Columbia University Dance Marathon - Bar/Bat Mitzvah Hour
6)  Watch the Super Bowl at Hillel!
7) New Program - Sitcom Break!
8)  First Super Study Break this Tuesday
9  The Bible Raps Project
10)  Kraft Family Fund - Deadline Approaching
11) Office of University Chaplain Scholarship Fund

Important Message from Executive Director Simon Klarfeld

CALENDAR:
See this week's events!

1) New Shabbat Program this Friday: The Liberal Jewish Experience
Liberal Jew, Reform Jew, Pluralist, Humanist, Conservative Jew, Progressive Jew, Not a Jew, Jew-ish?
No matter which one, you’ve got a place here. Join us for religiously liberal Shabbat services and free Italian cuisine! THIS FRIDAY, January 30th.
Your Shabbat itinerary:
6:15 Services
7:15 Dinner catered by V&T's
RSVP for dinner at

http://www.hillel.columbia.edu/template.php?name=liberalshabbat
** NOTE: Services and dinner will be held in Sulz Parlor, 3rd Floor of Barnard Hall.**

2) Lalekhet Services This Friday Night!
Come this Friday Night and join your friends from around the Hillel at Lalekhet Services! Services are held on the 3rd Floor of Hillel at 4:45pm.
For those unfamiliar with our services, we offer a "Carlebach" style Kabbalat Shabbat that allows for participation from both sides of the mechitza (partition). A woman leads Kabbalat Shabbat and a man leads Mincha and Maariv. The recitation of Shir Ha'Shirim and the D'var Torah are given by members of the community. We welcome questions, comments, and any suggestions you might have. Questions? Email Lalekhet@hillel.columbia.edu

3) Kick off the New Semester with a Super Bowl Shabbat Dinner!!!
Friday Night, January 30th at 6:15 in Hewitt
Sign up at http://www.hillel.columbia.edu/template.php?name=shabbatdinner
Shabbat Meals take place every Friday night and Shabbat lunch in Hewitt! Open to everyone!
Any questions? Email Shabbatmeals@hillel.columbia.edu

4) Friday Night Hangout!
FOOD, TEA, AND FUN!
and.... NEW GAMES at Hillel!!
This Friday, starting @ 8:30, 2nd Floor, Hillel Building!

5) Columbia University Dance Marathon - Bar/Bat Mitzvah Hour!
Columbia/Barnard Hillel Social Justice is Sponsoring Bar/Bat Mitzvah Hour at the Columbia University Dance Marathon.
When: 8:00-9:00 pm, Saturday, January 31st
Where: Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall
The Columbia University Dance is a 28-hour dance party that raises money for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Join us from 8 to 9 pm for Bar/Bat Mitzvah hour, complete with songs from our early teen years and those games we couldn't get enough of. Come dressed up! Come dressed casually! Everyone loves to party, so why not provide morale to the members of our community dancing for the cause at the same time? The Social Justice committee can't wait to see you and your moves!

6) Come Watch the Super Bowl at Hillel!
Enjoy lots of pizza, snacks, and Bruce Springsteen at half time!
Starting @ 6PM on the 5th floor of Hillel!
See you there!
*Please note: This event is separate from the Grad Super Bowl Blowout at the JCC in Manhattan. For more info on that, please contact jbell@hillel.columbia.edu

7) New Program - Sitcom Break
Starting next Monday, February 2, join JelLo on Mondays for a Sitcom Break! (You know you love “How I Met Your Mother,” come watch and laugh with your friends.) 8:00-9:30pm on the 3rd floor of the Kraft Center.
For more information contact Dena Nachman and Sarah Sherer-Kolburn jello@hillel.columbia.edu 

8) First Super Study Break - This Tuesday!
Join us Tuesday night @ 9PM (3rd Floor of Hillel)
for an awesome study break!
See you there!

9) The Bible Raps Project
Come see Matt Bar, on tour of the U.S.A. from the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem, perform the Bible Raps Project!  Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like.  Matt will be performing songs about Jewish identity and Biblical stories in the classical style of the Ra"Mad (Rav Mac Dre) and the Rat"ush (Rav Tupac Shakur), continuing a tradition of alternative learning programs.  Great for any audience!
Place: Rennert Hall
Time: 7:30 - 8:30, Tuesday, February 3rd
For information about the event, email Mike Landes at michaelalandes@gmail.com.

10) Kraft Family Fund - Deadline Approaching!
Spring 2009 Request for Proposals! Deadline: noon, February 6, 2009
Kraft Family Fund for Intercultural and Interfaith Awareness administered by the Office of the University Chaplain (OUC) encourages recognized student groups at Columbia University and Barnard College to collaborate on projects that promote intercultural and interfaith awareness and understanding across the University.
Eligible projects bring together diverse students from two or more recognized groups in a wide range of activities and events that explore unique relationships between culture, religion, race, and ethnicity. Priority will be given to new initiatives.
Email kraftfund@columbia.edu or go to www.columbia.edu/cu/earl for additional information.

11) Office of University Chaplain Scholarship Fund
The Office of the University Chaplain is accepting applications for co-sponsorship from recognized student groups for programs taking place between February and May 2009.
The deadline for application submission is noon, February 13. Recognized Barnard and Columbia University undergraduate, graduate, and professional student groups are encouraged to apply.
The OUC Co-sponsorship fund provides administrative and/or financial support to programs that focus on religion, spirituality, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, gender, social justice and community service. Priority will be given to new initiatives that focus upon issues of faith and spirituality.
For a copy of the application, visit our website at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/earl/. For additional information, contact us at commonmeal@columbia.edu or call 212.854.4194.

Important Message from Simon Klarfeld, Executive Director of Columbia/Barnard Hillel
 
Dear Columbia/Barnard Hillel Community,

It is with deep regret that I have to inform you all that, due to the current economic downturn being felt nationwide and the resulting major financial restraints being imposed at Columbia/Barnard Hillel, we have had to eliminate three staff positions. 

The three staff members affected by this change are:  Benjamin Maron – Engagement Coordinator, Jen Bell – Graduate Student Coordinator, and Nina Alexander-Hurst – Development Associate.  Losing co-workers is particularly hard – Benjamin, Jen and Nina have been an integral part of our community. We wish them all the best, and well in their future endeavors.

These layoffs are in no way a reflection on these staff members as professionals – we enormously appreciate their contributions to the community here and have thoroughly enjoyed working together with them – this is simply a reflection of the reality of the economic environment that we are in. This decision was made only after all other options were exhausted and reductions in other organizational expenses already made.

Due to a significant decline in our annual fundraising this year, and in anticipation of a tough road ahead, we had no choice but to downsize the number of staff positions.

Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to maintain core programs and services for our students at this time, and with the departure of these talented individuals, we will do all that we can to provide those resources.

If you have any questions, ideas or concerns, please don’t hesitate to see me.

Simon Klarfeld, Executive Director

01/29/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
7:45 PM-9:00 PM 5th Floor Auditorium Lobby	Shiur on the development of Halacha (Jewish Law)	Beit Midrash Program

01/30/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
8:00 PM-12:00 AM Cafe Nana (2nd Floor)	Friday Night Hangout	*GENERAL SOCIAL PROGRAMS
9:00 PM-11:59 PM Beit Midrash	Tea & Torah	Beit Midrash Program

01/31/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
8:00 PM-9:00 PM Roone Arledge Hall	CU Dance Marathon	Tzedek/Social Action Va'ad

02/01/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
6:00 PM-10:00 PM 5th Floor Auditorium	SUPERBOWL PARTY!	Social Va'ad

02/02/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
8:30 PM-9:00 PM 3rd Floor	Monday Night Sitcom Break	JelLO

02/03/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
7:00 PM-8:00 PM Cafe Nana (2nd Floor)	Cafe Ivrit	Israel Va'ad
8:00 PM-9:15 PM 5th Floor Auditorium	Mordechai Kedar - Speaker	LionPAC
9:00 PM-10:00 PM 3rd Floor	Study Break	*GENERAL SOCIAL PROGRAMS
7:30 PM-8:30 PM Rennert Hall	Kesher, Yavneh and Koach Present Bible Raps Project	Koach

02/04/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
9:00 PM-10:00 PM 5th Floor Auditorium	Learning Session	Wednesday Night Learning Program

Save the date:

Additional information:

Join JTS for the 19th Annual Jewish Collegiate Festival of the Performing Arts (JCFPA)!!
Sunday, February 8
Two performances!
1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
University A Cappella and Dance Groups from all over the USA!
*Tickets are $5 for students, $8 for community.
Photo ID required for entry.
Tickets are on sale in the JTS Office of Student Life (Unterberg 209) and at the Kraft Center (606 West 115th Street).
Advanced ticket purchases are strongly advised as we may sell out before the show.
For more information, please contact the JTS Office of Student Life at studentlife@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8839.

 
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