December 8, 2009
21 Kislev 5770
Dear Friends,
Students are in the midst of finals at Case Western Reserve and Cleveland State and in the last week of classes at Oberlin. It has been a very busy semester for us with a plethora of programs which will be finishing up over the next week or so with a series of programs to celebrate Chanukah, and some special events for graduate and professional students. Then during winter break we will be sponsoring a number of social programs for undergraduate and graduate aged students who are in Cleveland for the break. Besides the opportunity to bring students together these programs will also enable us to start recruiting for the birthright trip we will be sponsoring in May, 2010. In addition, students from Oberlin will be going on a Hillel birthright trip to Israel in January 2010.
With the first night of Chanukah this Friday night, I would like to use this space both for a Chanukah perspective and a personal reflection. In our lives Chanukah has become a very important Holiday, most likely because it occurs near Christmas. As our place in society and our identity became more secure in the United States and elsewhere we needed a companion Holiday. We know that it was not always this way. For much of our history, Chanukah was a minor Holiday on the Jewish calendar and there was a lot of ambivalence about it. The heroes of Chanukah, the Macabees, who fought the battle against assimilation of their fellow Jews and the Hellenists, became Hellenists themselves within a few generations of the military victory and the cleansing of the Temple. The question of who and how Jews carry on the Jewish way of life has been an issue for our People for centuries, just as it is an issue facing us now. But since that is what I normally write about, let me focus on something more personal.
Chanukah is also the Festival of Lights, and that symbolically reminds us of our duty and responsibility to bring light unto others. This can be done in many ways by doing mitzvot, good deeds, and acting justly. For me Chanukah is also the yartzeit, the anniversary, of my mother's death. This Shabbat it will be 14 years. In a way because of her I become involved in Hillel work. When she had a deathly stroke in the mid 1990's we returned to the States from Israel to care for her as Zippora, my wife, and I did not want her to die alone in a nursing home. Instead of getting a job I got a doctorate in education so I would have the flexibility needed to care for her and, I thought, the ability to return to Israel when we wanted. I was mistaken, as my doctorate made it difficult for me to find employment in Israel, so after a short return to Israel, I became involved in the Hillel world.
My mother, Rebecca Coleman, never tried to educate me on how to live my life, but in treating me with that respect, she did educate me. I learned from her, but she was much better at it than I, the importance of respecting every individual for who they are because every person has something to say, the significance of listening as you can learn from everyone, and the need to let each person find their own path. Maybe that is why Chanukah was my mother's favorite Holiday as the lights of Chanukah signify that each person has their unique quality to add their own perspective. In addition the gift giving without expecting a return makes people feel better.
May my mother's memory be a blessing and may we use every day as an opportunity to improve ourselves and the world.
As always I am interested in hearing from you. I can be contacted at gcoleman@clewvelandhillel.org or 216-231-0040.
Best wishes for a Joyful Chanukah,
Gary Coleman |
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Summer Internship Program
Planning for the 2010 Summer Internship Program is already underway. Students can already apply by going to our web site. Businesses or non profits interested in placing an intern can contact Ilana Shafran Mandel at ishafran@clevelandhillel.org
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Board and Staff
A list of our board members can be found by clicking here and a list of staff can be found here
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Cleveland Metro and Oberlin Programming Update
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Shabbat Experiences
Besides weekly Friday evening Shabbat dinners at both Oberlin and Cleveland Metro, some of the special Shabbat experiences included:
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Community Service/Social Justice Initiatives
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Education and Culture
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At Oberlin a Rabbi spoke about life in Argentina for Jews in the 1970's and 80's under anti-Semitic junta
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Professor Mahallati talked about the Eid al-Adha holiday
- Presentation on the culture behind Polish wooden synagogues
- Oberlin hosted a Klezmer concert by local Cleveland Ensemble
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Weekly lunch and learn at CSU and Torah Study at Oberlin and Cleveland Metro
- In comemeration of Kristalnac
 ht, CWRU alum Paul Kerson spoke on Holocaust litigation
- The unique Tree of Life Shtender was displayed and discussed for CWRU students
- Cleveland Metro, JSG, and Spectrum screened and discussed the movie "Trembling Before Gd"
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Art of Healing
This Thursday December 10 Cleveland Hillel in conjunction with the Jewish Medical Students Association at CWRU and the Physicians and Dentist Division of JCF is hosting a special evening for students and professionals in the medical and health related fields at the Museum of Contemporary Art. A presentation on "The Art of Healing", a light supper, and the exhibit of Israeli photography will enable students and professionals to network with one another, enrich themselves, and learn more about the community.
More information on the event is available here. We want to thank the many sponsors who are making this event and our continued work with graduate students possible. This list can be viewed here
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Fundraising Letter and Request
With the calendar and tax year ending, we sent out fundraising letters to many of you last week. If you received a request we hope that you send in a donation to support Cleveland Hillel so we can continue to sponsor programs like those listed above and initiate new ideas to better serve the students.
If you have not received a fundraising letter, you can also partner with us by making a donation on line through our web site or by mailing a check to:
Cleveland Hillel Foundation
11291 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland OH 441
If you are interested in learning about special funding opportunities please look at our web site or contact Harriet Mann at hmann@clevelandhillel.org
Thanks to everyone who is enabling us to continue bringing quality programs to the students at the universities we serve as we assure a brighter Jewish future
For more information on Cleveland Hillel Foundation check out our web site www.clevelandhillel.org
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Jews at Oberlin
money going to Lost Boys of Sudan
the last week of classes
