Tag Archives: Jewish

Activism in religious spaces:
Smithies pushing for peace at the J Street Conference

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Jenna Haines '19
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A handful of Smithies traveled to our nation’s Capitol last weekend to join 1,200 students at the national J-Street conference, which coincided with the organization’s 10th anniversary. J-Street is a national political movement that advocates for a peaceful, two-state resolution to … Continue reading →

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Women’s Activism on the Religious Right

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Jenna Haines '19
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Dr. Lihi Ben Shitrit, Assistant Professor of International Affairs at the University of Georgia, presented a chapter summary and lecture drawn from her 2015 book “Righteous Transgressions: Women’s Activism on the Israeli and Palestinian Religious Right.” Dr. Shitrit travelled throughout … Continue reading →

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SCJC celebrates Shabbat and fans the “radical flame”

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Jenna Haines '19
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The Smith College Jewish Community is an inviting and engaged group on campus, and they’re in the midst of hosting an array of events. SCJC recently hosted a special Shabbat service open to all; University of Massachusetts alum Molly Bajgot … Continue reading →

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Queer Talmud Weekend

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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On a freezing February evening in the center of Northampton, Jewish students, many wearing yarmulkes, stood in support of Dreamers.  This action epitomizes the focus of the Smith College Jewish Community, the largest Jewish organization on campus. The Jewish students … Continue reading →

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First-year Smithie leads Jewish education workshops

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Jenna Haines '19
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First-year Sarah Biskowitz is leading an impressive initiative: religious learning workshops for Jewish-identified Smithies! Even though Sarah has only been here for a semester, she is already establishing strong roots in the community. Assisting Hebrew school teacher Emily Brocks, a … Continue reading →

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Ancient Standard Time

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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In September, Jewish students entered a slightly different time zone—Ancient Standard Time. Coming to school as Smith students, theirs was the season for back-to-school, classes beginning, and maybe Mountain Day. However, as Jewish students, September was also Rosh HaShanah, the … Continue reading →

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Welcome Across Faiths

Posted on November 11, 2017 by Emmett Wald
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What does it mean to really welcome somebody? Not just to say, “you are welcome here,” but to truly make a space feel welcoming and inviting to someone? We’ve chosen “welcome” as our theme at CRSL for the year, and … Continue reading →

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The Baby Torah

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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“Do you want a Torah?  It belonged to my great-grandfather. My family is either going to donate it to our synagogue or give it to you.” The year was 2011, and the question came from a student, Emma Cooke, as … Continue reading →

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The Glowing Influence of the Spring Equinox

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Emmett Wald
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The spring equinox, which fell on March 20 this year, is considered the first day of spring, and is recognized as a holiday across many religions and cultures. The spring and fall equinoxes mark important moments in our orbit of … Continue reading →

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A Bright Future for SCJC

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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Jewish student life at Smith is in a phase of growth and vibrancy. In the two years since the group officially changed its name from Smith Hillel to the Smith College Jewish Community (SCJC), the organization has grown exponentially. Shabbat … Continue reading →

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