Meor at Yale

Every aspect of the Shabbaton, from the chicken soup to the comfy beds, give students an opportunity to recharge after a stressful week of classes.

This past weekend, 16 Yale undergraduate and graduate student learners in the Vaad/Vaad II programs traveled to Passaic, New Jersey for an intercampus Shabbaton, joining Meor students from Yale, Brown, Penn, and NYU. On Friday afternoon, we were greeted by our gracious hosts. Every host I met was so excited to open up their home to us for the weekend. After relaxing at our hosts, we went to welcome in Shabbat with a song-filled Kabbalat Shabbat service. A delicious home-cooked Shabbat dinner followed, where we had the opportunity to share a meal in small groups with families in the Passaic community. Afterwards all the campuses regrouped for a fascinating talk given by Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, a renowned Jewish medical ethicist, and an Oneg with lots of socializing, and more tasty foods and drinks. Late that evening, we returned to our hosts for a peaceful Shabbat rest. After waking in the morning, we met for more food and a talk with Rabbi Tatz on the Jewish approach to risk in medical procedures, specifically cosmetic surgery. A meal later, we had the opportunity to learn with Rabbi Gershenfeld on the teachings of Purim. This was followed by another meal and a Havadalah service full of beautiful and energetic singing and dancing.

I would say this Shabbaton, or really any, has three main themes: hospitality, rest, and learning. By hospitality I primarily mean food. Everywhere we turned, we were being fed. Nobody goes hungry on a Shabbaton. But more significantly, the Passaic community really loves opening up to its guests. Our hosts were genuinely interested in making sure we were comfortable and having a great experience. Everybody I met was welcoming students back for future Shabbat stays. The Shabbaton also allows us to briefly escape the pressures of school-there are no calls, emails, or assignments. Every aspect of the Shabbaton, from the chicken soup to the comfy beds, give students an opportunity to recharge after a stressful week of classes. The Shabbaton also proves that it is possible to have an academic experience while being totally relaxed. Rabbis Tatz and Gershenfeld each spoke about very deep topics that could be studied for years, but they are both such talented teachers that after a brief session, we were able to walk away with a grasp of a fascinating and new aspect of Judaism. The Shabbaton is certainly not an experience to be missed.

-Josh Kalla, ’13

Our first meeting will be on Thursday, February 10th at the home of David Ross, FES ’12: 101 Cottage St in East Rock, from 6-7:30, including a delicious dinner.

Questions or to RSVP: Please contact Rabbi H.

The perfect way to escape the woes of snow and midterms! Mustard on us . . .

This Thursday, February 3rd from 8-9 in the Berkeley Basement.

Bring friends and appetites.

In partnership with University of Pennsylvania Hillel, this trip will include a distinctly Jewish approach to engage Judaism at its core, wrestle with the struggles of our people, and engrave the lessons and impact of this journey upon our lives. Guaranteed to be the ten most wondrous, awesome and enlightening days of your college career, and quite possibly your life.

Click here for more info or to apply

You’re invited to a very special lecture and discussion:

“Life and Death Decisions in Medicine and Surgery”

By renowned Jewish medical ethicist and captivating speaker

Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz

Author of Letters to a Buddhist Jew and his latest book Dangerous Disease & Dangerous Therapy in Jewish Medical Ethics

This Wednesday, March 2, 1pm at Yale Med School, SHM B-201

Sterling Hall of Medicine

333  Cedar St, B wing, Room 201

A delicious lunch from Claire’s will be served

The following is an excerpt from an article called “Concerning the Jews” that Mark Twain wrote in Harper’s Monthly in 1899 – very poignant and relevant over 100 years later:

“If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one per cent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star-dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvellous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendour, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal to the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?”

Expressly for grad students and professionals, we’ll be kicking off the Grad Circle’s 1st official semester with a 6-part series entitled “Intimacy: With Others and With Ourselves.”

We look forward to our first gathering on Thursday evening, February 10.

Dinner and discussion with Rabbi H and Josh Kohl.

Questions or to RSVP: Please contact Rabbi H