Hey Everyone!

I hope you are all studying hard for finals!  Don't forget - the Kraft Center has extended hours during finals so if you need a quiet, comfortable place to study - come on over! Please read the important announcement from Simon Klarfeld below - it is about some Hillel staff changes.

On another note, next week will be my last announcement to you. I am leaving Hillel at the end of the school year to start law school in the fall. It has been my pleasure to work with all of you this year, and I hope that my cheese-y announcements brought a smile to your face!

Shabbat Shalom, good luck with finals, and have a great weekend.

Marnina Cherkin
Program Coordinator

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IN THIS ISSUE:
Highlights

1) Important Announcement from Simon Klarfeld 
2) BUTLER SMELLS, COME TO HILLEL!
3) Lalekhet Shabbat with Sara Hurwitz
4) Senior Week Shabbat Dinner
5) Salute to Israel Parade 
6) Hillel Survey with Prizes!
7) Pizmon End of the Year Concert

CALENDAR:
See this weeks events!

Additional Information

1) Shalva's Miles for Smiles

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1) Important Announcement from Simon Klarfeld

I am sad to inform you that, after four years of wonderful contributions to this community, Rabbi David Almog will be leaving to pursue an academic career. Please see his personal message to the community below. I am are sure that you will join me in offering the very best of wishes to Rabbi David as he travels along his journey, no doubt continuing to touch the lives of countless individuals. On a personal note, I will miss his collegiality and support – a working relationship that has developed into a personal friendship.

At the same time, I am delighted to announce that our new Hillel Rabbi will be Yonah Hain – who many of you may already know from his internship and part-time work here over the past three years.  Yonah says: "I am really looking forward to hearing from the students, to participating in new initiatives and to really becoming part of the community." With eclectic interests, Yonah anticipates stimulating conversations about everything "from Reacting to the Past and Lit Hum (Confessions is a fave) to ancient and contemporary Jewish scholarship, to the latest in Indie rock and New York Mets baseball." Thanks to all of you who provided invaluable input in this process. Welcome, Rabbi Yonah Hain! 

Sincerely,
Simon Klarfeld
Executive Director
* * *

From Rabbi Almog:

It is with an overwhelming mixture of sadness and excitement that I am announcing that after four years as the campus rabbi for the Columbia/Barnard Hillel, that I will be stepping down in order to pursue a doctoral degree.  These past years here on campus have been absolutely inspiring, and this was no easy decision to make.  Working with students of such high caliber and character is a precious gift and this is a time I will always treasure.  I have tried to live according to the rabbinic maxim 'yehi khevod talmidekha haviv alekha k'shelkha', 'let the dignity of your students be as valuable to you as your own' and I hope that I have succeeded to the best of my abilities. Yet, amidst other reasons both personal and professional, watching eager minds grapple with learning has pushed me to return to my own studies which, with God's help I will be doing in Israel next year followed by a return to New York once again as a doctoral student.

Over the remaining weeks of the semester I hope to share good-byes and well wishes with all of you.  It has been an honor to work with students, student leaders, the amazing staff here at Hillel, and my colleagues at the different campuses. 

May you all continue to grow in learning and wisdom!

With the deepest love and respect,
Rabbi David Almog

2) BUTLER SMELLS, COME TO HILLEL!
The Kraft Center has plenty of comfy study spaces and is open until 2:00am on most weeknights during Reading Week and Finals!  Enjoy FREE snacks all afternoon and evening.
*Hillel is located at 606 W. 115th Street, across from Schapiro.*

3) Lalekhet Shabbat with Sara Hurwitz
Join Lalekhet for an activity filled Shabbat featuring Scholar-in-Resident Sara Hurwitz!
Friday:  Friday Night services at 7:35 pm on Third Floor Terrace (rain location - 3rd Floor Hillel)
Saturday: Lunch and Learn DAIRY potluck on the fifth floor of Hillel
*Sara Hurwitz is part of the Rabbinic staff at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, where she serves as Mahara”t (Manhiga, Hilchatit, Ruchanit, Toranit). She graduated from Drisha’s 3-year Scholars Circle Program and for the past 5 years has studied Jewish law under the supervision of Rabbi Avi Weiss. She received a B.A. from Barnard College, Columbia University . She also helped create JOFA’s Gender and Orthodoxy Curriculum Project. Sara has lectured at JOFA, Drisha, the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School , the JCC in Manhattan , Lights in Action, CAJE, CLAL, and at various synagogues across the United States.

4) Senior Week Shabbat Dinner
Calling all HILLEL SENIORS! Senior Week Shabbat Dinner is on May 15th…

Dinner details:
- 8:45pm at Hillel in Rennert Hall (606 W. 115th Street)
- RSVP required - - register at www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/7188395  by May 13th
- Dinner costs $10
- You must register BEFORE 5:00pm on Wednesday, May 13th

Any questions?  Email lasteinberg@gmail.com. Can’t wait to see you there!

5) Salute to Israel Parade
Do you want to march in the Salute to Israel Parade on Sunday, May 31st? Do it as a member of the Hillel team!
The Salute to Israel Parade (http://salutetoisrael.com/parade/) is one of the largest Israel events in the world. Millions of New Yorkers, and non New Yorkers alike, march down 5th Avenue in support of Israel.
The Hillels of New York will be marching together under a Hillel Banner. Want to join? email Brandon Hammer for more details israel@hillel.columbia.edu. T-shirts cost $8
 
6) Hillel Survey with Prizes!
You all have an exciting opportunity to be part of Hillel National’s survey of Jewish students.  Hillels from across the country are participating in a survey that will allow us to better understand who you are, what your interests and needs are and to think through how best to provide you with the right kinds of programs, services and support. For any undergraduate student from here (Columbia, Barnard, JTS) who completes the survey, you will (a) automatically receive a coupon for a free cup of coffee at Café Nana and (b) be able to participate in a local-campus raffle where we will be giving away an i-pod as well as i-tunes certificates! Please go to the link to get to the survey http://researchsuccess.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0ibuaa2QXbY33PC&SVID=Prod&campus=Columbia  Your participation is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

7) Pizmon End of the Year Concert

Come see Pizmon's end-of-year concert! This Friday night in Rennert at 10:30pm Pizmon, Columbia's Co-Ed Jewish A Capella group, is performing for the last time this year. Come hear their wonderful melodies, rhythms, and say goodbye to their graduating seniors!

05/07/2009

No public events scheduled

05/08/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
10:30 PM-11:59 PM Rennert Hall	Pizmon Concert	Pizmon
7:00 PM-11:00 PM Other space	Community Shabbat Dinner	Hillel General
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

05/09/2009

Time and place	Title	Sponsoring group
12:30 PM-3:00 PM 5th Floor Auditorium	Lalekhet Lunch 'n' Learn	Lalekhet - Jewish Law and Modernity

05/10/2009

No public events scheduled

05/11/2009

No public events scheduled

05/12/2009

No public events scheduled

05/13/2009

No public events scheduled

Save the date:

Additional information:

1) Shalva's Miles for Smiles

Marine Corps Marathon and Weekend Getaway
October 23-26, 2009
Supporting Shalva: The Association for Mentally and Physically Challenged Children in Israel (www.shalva.org). Shalva has partnered with the Marine Corps Marathon with the goal of raising vital funds to support Shalva's incredible services. The Marine Corps Full Marathon and 10K Marathon will be held on October 25, 2009 with the run starting off in Alexandria, VA and continuing through Washington DC past all the major U.S. monuments. More than 30,000 marathoners will be there for a run known for its aesthetics and "relative ease".  Please visit www.shalvamarathon.org.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact Jonah Halper at 212-725-0900 or jonah@shalva-usa.org.