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PressHere are some links to a few articles about the center [warning: opens in a new window] NYPD's own imam helps Muslims and US engage (11/16/2009) On a cold but bright morning in late October, Mr Latif and some Muslim students met with some Jewish students led by Yehuda Sarna, a rabbi at the Bronfman Centre for Jewish Student Life at NYU. The two groups were discussing the programme for an upcoming dinner and discussion evening, part of a series of events for Muslim and Jewish students called Bridges. The half-dozen people sat around a small table as bright sunlight streamed through the room’s large windows, dispelling any remembrance of the chill outside. Gardening in Wash. Sq. Park (10/6/2009) As the leaves turn orange and red, the NYU community is turning greener: Yesterday, a group of students spent two hours gardening in Washington Square Park as part of the JNF Bronfman Green Fellowship organized by the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life. Food For Thought While Fasting (9/22/2009) To keep your mind off those waiting lox and bagels during Yom Kippur, this week's column serves up some deeply filling insights from our Yom Kippur collection. These interview highlights can all be viewed at www.jinsider.com. Julia Deutsch Weigensberg makes Aliyah!
Our Hillel is the most successful! 36 Under 36 2009: Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, 30 (4/29/2009) Watching him in the kosher café at NYU, his BlackBerry on the table while he talks with a student, you would be forgiven for mistaking Rabbi Yehuda Sarna for an undergraduate himself. But Rabbi Sarna has served as the rabbi for the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at NYU since 2002, also founding the Jewish Learning Initiative on campus in 2005, building a reputation for engaging Jewish students in creative ways and for encouraging interreligious dialogue, especially through his close friendship with NYU Imam Khalid Latif. Gaza On Washington Square (2/25/2009) The students' demands, at first glance, seemed like standard-issue ones: a tuition freeze, requests for budget transparency, student representation on the board of trustees, and fair labor contracts for all employees. But the 64 New York University students who barricaded themselves inside a cafeteria for two days last week had two other demands, that seemed out of left field: Provide 13 Palestinian students from Gaza with scholarships to the university, and donate all excess supplies to rebuild the University of Gaza, damaged in Israel's recent war against Hamas. Project (Persian) Runway (11/25/08) There are so many student clubs at New York University that it takes a lot for one of them to get noticed. So the Iranian Jewish Club, which was launched five years ago but has kept a low profile, tried something guaranteed to make a splash: a little glamour. It worked. Shuls, Mosques Nationwide Join In New Dialogue (11/25/08) Sponsored by NYU’s Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life and the university’s Islamic Center, the project was part of a much broader "Weekend of Twinning" involving 50 synagogues and 50 mosques throughout North America. As part of the "twinning," houses of worship in 20 states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario, Canada, paired up to hold joint events, including public forums, dialogue efforts and visits to each other’s congregations. Video of Dershowitz (Download) Film of the Dershowitz event by Mark Pearlman Campus Life 201: When Jewish Friends Are Hard to Find (Fall 2008) NYU invites the freshman class to move into dorms one week before the start of classes for "welcome week," a university-sponsored week of activities to allow incoming students to make new friends, get acquainted with a sampling of NYU's extracurricular activities, and become more comfortable with the university and surrounding areas. During welcome week I went to several events sponsored by NYU's Hillel—The Bronfman Center, and each time I met people, talked to them, exchanged phone numbers, and then, for the most part, never saw or heard from them again. It was the classic situation of "Yeah! We'll get together!" and then nothing. Young Jerseyans perform 'tikun olam' in Israel (8/21/08) Seven New Jersey college students spent July in Israel on a program designed to apply the Jewish values of social responsibility, social justice, hesed, and tikun olam. Israel experience inspires U.S. Jew to help in Lebanon (6/26/08) Josh Martin's experience helping rebuild northern Israel after the 2006 war with Hezbollah inspired him to go to Lebanon to do the same -- and to try to heal some of the war's emotional wounds. Back To Burma, And Into The Wreckage (5/14/08) When the Samuels family moved to Burma about 80 years ago from Iraq to pursue business interests in the rice and teakwood trade, the community numbered in the thousands. Most Burmese Jews fled to Japan during World War II. The rest left when the military seized power in 1962 and nationalized many of the businesses. Jewish LGBT group hosts Seder (4/23/08) A traditional meal took an unorthodox spin last night when 17 Jewish lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people gathered to celebrate Passover at NYU's first ever "Big Queer Seder." The event was hosted by Keshet, the Jewish LGBT group on campus. Keshet means "rainbow" in Hebrew. Culture Corner: Just the Beginning (4/6/08) During winter break, I joined a group of NYU students as part of one of the Joint Distribution Committee’s Short-Term Service Programs. More than a year after the second Lebanon War was over, we wanted to make a difference in an underprivileged community - a community that was hit with rockets week after week, where children were kept home from school and where the only places that provided safety were bomb shelters, many of which had no electricity or plumbing. As an ex-Catholic, choosing the Chosen People (3/4/08) At NYU, Moses is mega. Between Bronfman and Hillel, Jewish students have so many programs to choose from it's like a belief-systems buffet. Faith in Flux: Photos and Words by Dana Laventure (March 2008) What matters to me is the shared discourse of Jewish culture. Though I would like to believe in God, Judaism has taught me to ask questions and accepts me even if I remain unconvinced. Camel costume brings in record students for Birthright trip (12/04/07) Todd Grabarsky, a Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow, sometimes wanders around Washington Square Park in a camel costume. Although several factors contributed to the record number of students who signed up for this winter's Birthright trip, the enthusiastic advertisement may have helped, Grabarsky said. How Far Can Their Dialogue Go? (11/14/07) More than 20 rabbis and clerics establish warm relations and issue a joint call during a day of dialogue. But most avoid what one calls ‘the 800-pound gorilla in the room.’ Watch out, or you'll make a God out of godlessness (10/29/07) I've always recognized the value of religion in the world. Despite the fate that befell my Christianity, I still recall with fondness the stories of the saints and my ever-so-sacramental childhood. But I feel that way because there was a time when they truly meant something to me. Without belief, those rituals seem empty. Stripped of its magic, it's all just stage directions. If you no longer need the heart of the faith, why cling to its shell? Rabbi Shmuely Boteach came with a list; Michael Steinhardt came with a list; and Noah Feldman, perhaps the most controversial figure of the evening, joked that he had no list at all. All three men, each a thought-provoking figure in the Jewish community, shared the same stage last Thursday night for “A Debate on Jewish Values.” Sponsored by the Jewish Values Network, a new organization created by the rabbi, and New York University’s Bronfman Center for Jewish Life, the event took place at the Great Hall of Cooper Union. A rabbi who doesn't believe in God (10/16/07) Maas, the first ordained Secular Humanistic Rabbi from Israel, spoke at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life last night about her attempts to focus on a non-religious Jewish community in Israel and to create secular Jewish rites of passage. The lecture was produced in conjunction with the Center for Cultural Judaism. AJC Launches NYU Society (10/11/07) The American Jewish Committee last night launched its fifth university society at New York University. "I am very happy about the unique opportunities our relationship with AJC will bring to the NYU campus," said Joe Rosenberg, a sophomore and president of AJC's NYU Society. Spray-Fire Atonement (09/21/07) Plenty of High Holy Day Jews cut corners on the sacred practice by resorting to what Rabbi Yehuda Sarna at NYU's Bronfman Center calls the "spray-fire" method of atonement. Instead of humbly approaching those you know you've wronged over the past year, you dial up everyone in your Rolodex or e-mail everyone in your address book, and seek a pardon for any offenses you might have given—a hollow gesture if ever there was one. Jews choose U. of Florida, NYU (09/05/07) More Jewish students choose the University of Florida than any other public university, while New York University is their top pick among private universities. Reform Judaism Online (Fall 2007) Reform Judaism Online contains various articles from "Reform Judaism", the world's largest circulated Jewish magazine. Fundraising’s Eminence Grise (08/31/07) NYU Philanthropy Center’s Naomi Levine — who was the first and last woman to head a major Jewish organization — has seen a lot of changes in her long career. Blooming In The Desert (08/21/07) Under new leadership, the Arad-based WUJS Institute — one of the few serious post-college Zionist programs — is on the upswing. Seren Levinson, Craig Cepler (08/05/07) Seren Beth Levinson, the daughter of Hilary Levinson and Dr. Elcon Levinson of Avon, Conn., is to be married this afternoon to Craig Matthew Cepler, a son of Helene Cepler and Richard Cepler of Jericho, N.Y. Rabbi Yehuda Sarna is to perform the ceremony at Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford, Conn. Some Treasures Are Easy to Miss (07/15/07) Also in the Village, you might never go down East 10th Street from Fifth Avenue to check out the Lockwood de Forest House, which is now part of New York University, at No. 7. But its intricately detailed teak on the second-floor facade, brought in from Ahmadabad, India, in the late 19th century, is amazing. A Community Stands Together in the Wake of a Tragedy (07/09/07) New York native Sue Kurtz is executive director of Hillel at Virginia Tech; her daughter, Samantha, is an undergraduate studying civil engineering at the university. They spoke to Jewish Woman a few weeks after the tragic April 16 shooting that left 33 dead and at least 15 injured. Ritual Fence Set for Jews in Manhattan Is Extended (06/16/07) Jews living in a large area of Manhattan who regularly observe the Sabbath will have a much easier time of it today. An eruv, a line that delineates the concept of domestic space for Orthodox Jews and dictates where they may carry items on the day of rest, has been extended from Midtown to Houston Street. A Translucent Wire in the Sky (06/15/07) The Jewish Sabbath that begins at sundown tonight will be a particularly significant one for thousands of observant Jews in a wide swath of Manhattan. Today marks a major, southward expansion of an eruv — a symbolic boundary that allows certain actions, like carrying things or pushing a stroller, which would otherwise be forbidden under Jewish law. New Yorkers Don Orange, Maroon for Virginia Tech (04/20/07) Alumni and friends of the university arrived in maroon and orange at Washington Square Park for a candlelight vigil last night. Virginia Tech graduates read out the names of the 32 victims as mourners lit one another's candles. The original flame came from a candle that Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, who traveled to the school the day after Monday's attack, brought back from a vigil there on Wednesday. Jews from across the country respond to Va. Tech tragedy (04/19/07) A Tuesday evening memorial service at the Blacksburg Jewish Community Center drew an overflow crowd that locals said dwarfed attendance on the High Holy Days. When the service finished, students walked to a campus-wide ceremony organized by the student government. Everyone lifted candles at the same time, and the Jewish students sang "Hatikvah," Israel's national anthem. NYU shows Virginia Tech victims support (04/18/07)
As the country begins the process of healing in the aftermath of Monday morning's shootings at Virginia Tech, NYU students are showing support for the massacre's victims.
Tragedy at Virginia Tech (04/17/07) Hillel groups from around the world have expressed their sympathy for Tech community members and solidarity with their grief. A vigil will take place at the Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh. A delegation from the Edgar M. Bronfman Center at NYU will also attend today’s campus-wide meeting. California Campuses Gain a Reputation as Hotbeds of Anti-Israel Rhetoric (04/05/07) The lecture topic was “The Threat to Israel’s Existence.” The speaker was Daniel Pipes, a Middle East analyst known for his hawkish pro-Israel views and sharp denunciations of Islamic extremism. The setting was the University of California, Irvine, a campus with a national reputation as a hotbed of anti-Israel rhetoric. A Hard-Won Coexistence (03/30/07) Gutting houses and helping to build new ones in the Chalmette neighborhood of New Orleans, far from the frenzied, academic environment of NYU, the students were taken out of their usual roles and free to explore each others’ cultures and traditions. Though they expected to find many places of divergence in their beliefs, experiences and lifestyles, they were surprised to find as well how much they have in common. At Sculpture Contest, a Matzo Piece of Modern Art (03/28/07) What can one fashion out of oversize crackers? The finalists in Monday's contest came forth with matzo candlesticks, a matzo Wailing Wall, even a matzo video game, complete with mini matzo Mario. "Super Mario Brothers is a game of conquest but more notably of oppression," the artist's statement read. NYU Hosting Finalists in Matzo Sculpture Competition (03/26/07) The ten finalists in the Manischewitz Matzo Sculpture Competition are showing their entries today at New York University. Area college students were invited to enter their matzo creations inspired by the theme of "home." The winner will get $1,000. Breaking for faith and service (03/21/07) Never could I have possibly imagined a trip that would end with Jews and Muslims sharing their meals in the kosher cafeteria. Or with Muslims asking me if I am coming to Shabbat dinner on Friday night. Or with Jewish students sitting around a bonfire shouting "Takbir," an exclamation Muslims use to proclaim the greatness of Allah. Religions offer alternative ASB trips (03/19/07) At New York University, the Bronfman Center for Jewish Students initiated its first combined Jewish-Muslim Spring Break trip to New Orleans this year in an effort to maintain a working relationship between the religions, said the center's executive director Cindy Greenberg. College students abroad: Invite us to seders and we'll come (03/14/07) Fiegerman is among an increasing number of students opting to spend a semester of their college studies outside the United States. More than 200,000 American college students studied abroad last year, an increase of 8 percent over the previous year, according to a report published by the International Institute of Education. The Rebbetzin Steps Out (03/09/07) The 2007 rebbetzins are fiery, ambitious and varied, no longer relegated to a shadow role but engaging in their own work, writing books and blogs and asserting their own voices and identities. Christians, Muslims, Jews Rebuild New Orleans (03/07/07) Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life will bring six interfaith groups to New Orleans this spring to help rebuild the city as part of its second year of relief work in the Gulf. More than 500 students will participate in the “Hillel Builds” program from 34 campuses. Film’s View of Islam Stirs Anger on Campuses (2/26/07) When “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West,” a documentary that shows Muslims urging attacks on the United States and Europe, was screened recently at the University of California, Los Angeles, it drew an audience of more than 300 — and also dozens of protesters. ‘Israel Apartheid Week’ Begins, Reigniting Carter-Led Debate (2/13/07) Student groups at several New York universities are attempting to equate present-day Israel with Apartheid-era South Africa with a series of “Israel Apartheid Week” lectures and panel discussions. Students travel to D.C. to make voices heard (2/9/07) CAS junior Josh Borenstein coordinated the NYU group's trip, which took place alongside 150 students from other schools, including the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell and Yeshiva universities. Borenstein made individual appointments for students to meet with members of their congressmen's administration to encourage U.S. support for Israel. The students visited the Israeli Embassy later that afternoon, where they heard a lecture from political affairs counselor Oren Anolik on the politics occurring in the Middle East. At NYU, film on extremism shows strength of dialogue — or denial (2/8/07) Screenings of a documentary on radical Islam have brought New York University Muslim and Jewish students together — to bash the portrayal of Muslim extremism. A representative of the filmmakers says the students are in deep denial. Helping heal the wounded (1/22/07) Hurricane Katrina may seem like old news — or at least a distant disaster to us in New York — but the Gulf Coast storm that devastated city parishes and killed thousands nearly a year and a half ago continues to have an enormous impact on the region. I experienced this firsthand when I went with a group of NYU students on an Alternative Winter Break trip sponsored by Hillel, an international Jewish campus organization and one of many groups the National Relief Network recruited to help gut houses in Slidell, La., right outside New Orleans. Captured Israeli soldiers still not back (10/18/06) On Sept. 26th, Caravan For Democracy and other campus groups hosted a talk by 23-year-old Gadi Goldwasser, the brother of one of the Israeli soldiers Hezbollah captured on July 12 this past summer. Two days later, NYU School of Law’s Center on Law and Security hosted a panel discussion about Hezbollah. Peter Bergen, a CNN terrorism analyst, was the moderator. Hala Jaber — a London based journalist — and the Center’s own Michael Sheehan — a counterterrorism guru — were the panelists. United in Hunger and Holy Days (10/17/06) As the holy months of Ramadan and Tishrei converged this year, campuses across the country paid homage to shared holidays, an occurrence that happens every thirty years for a period of just three years. For college students, it also brought an opportunity for serious interfaith dialogue, creative event naming and some serious noshing. Rwanda hero shares his story (10/12/06) Rusesabagina described during his lecture how he communicated with the Hutu militia during the struggle in an effort to save the lives of the refugees he helped to protect. He said even when situations seem hopeless — in the case of the genocide — there’s always a way to persevere. Jewish leader appointed to Hillel board (9/28/06) CAS junior Joshua Borenstein wears many hats. But for him, they’re usually yarmulkes. Rally at U.N. draws NYU students (9/21/06) NYU students from the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life flooded East 47th Street yesterday to promote the war against global terrorism and the role of the U.S. in attaining a real and lasting peace in the Middle East. Netanyahu urges Iran sanctions, rejects Israel villification (9/11/06) Recent conflicts with Israel are not about borders, but an attack on Israel’s existence, the former Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a speech last Thursday night. Facebook Connects Jewish Students on Campus (7/24/06) Initially created to connect his fellow Harvard students to one another, Facebook was launched by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. Today, the site boasts a membership of over 8 million users including students from over 2,200 colleges and universities and 22,000 high schools. It is the seventh most trafficked site in the U.S. The morality and manipulation of “Munich” (2/9/06) Professors and students debated the accuracy and meaning of “Munich,” Steven Spielberg’s latest film, during a panel discussion held at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life last night. Braff Brothers Visit Bronfman Center Book Club (2/6/06) Actor Zach Braff paid a surprise visit to book-club members at the Edgar M. Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at New York University last week. He joined his brother Joshua, the author of the new book “The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green,” which was the topic of discussion at Edgar’s Book Club that evening. And though the star of the TV show “Scrubs” and movie “Garden State” may have greater name recognition than his brother, Joshua was the center of attention among the attendees. Embattled Columbia Prof. Jabs Back at Press (3/1/05) The Culture of Conversation (2/15/05) Harvard Professor Defends Israel (2/8/05) Students Celebrate Hanukkah in Dorms (12/8/04) Bronfman Head to Step Down After 7 Years at NYU (6/28/04) Spin Control (11/29/02) Campus Activists Seek Higher Education (10/10/02) Bronfman Program Keeps the Community in Mind (9/19/00) NYU's Jewish Center Opens Galleries for Campus Art NYU Opens Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life (12/5/96) |