Tifani Katof: My fist real interaction with Tifani was back in October, on a Thursday night when she was finishing setting up for the monthly Temple Shabbat happening the following evening. We started talking and ended up working through the Torah portion together and co-writing a Dvar Torah that she would read for the whole community on Shabbat. This started a great relationship that has really grown over the year. I feel that I have become one of Tifani's close confidantes. In addition to being the Shabbat chair on the student board, Tifani planned our RENT trip and our tie-die tallit making during Chol haMoed Pesach. She will be leading Reform services next year and will be attending Leaders Assembly. Additionally, Tif has shown me an interest in participating in the wider Philadelphia Jewish community. She has substitute taught at Har Zion Temple, attended davenning workshops in Mt. Airy, and come to many different kinds of Shabbat services with me through the year. I have been so touched by the times she has said that I am her "Jewish role model." That's what JCSC is all about!


James Saul: I have to refer to James as my "golden child" of the year. Of all the initial encounters that I had, my first lunch with James at the Owl's Nest stuck out as something special, even though I sensed some initial reluctance to get involved with Jewish life. However, I stuck with it, and soon I realized that he was friends with some other Hillel actives from NFTY PAR, so he came to Shabbat dinner. We kept meeting every once in a while, and James really started to open up to me. Second semester, starting with a coffee date at the Center City Xando, we started planning a "Take and Bake Party," an idea he had done in youth group. James was really excited about the event, which was the first time he rolled into "empowerment mode." Shortly after the Take and Bake Party, James was asked to be the Reform songleader at our Shabbaton, a task which he really put his heart into, and due to the success of this, he will now be leading Reform Shabbat services on Friday nights next year!

Matt Toll- One afternoon at the end of winter break, one of our student leaders, Isaac, stopped by my office with another AEPi brother. We were shootin' the breeze for a while, and started talking about food, restaurants, and the Iron Chef show. Suddenly I jumped up in my chair and said, "We should do our own Iron Chef!" Matt and Isaac thought it would be cool, and we started talking about doing it in the AEPi house. In no time, Matt and I were meeting regularly to plan all the details of Ramen Noshin and Hamentaschen, which you have probably already seen on this web page. I found out that although we hadn't met before, Matt was very invested in the Jewish community and was in fact working with the high school kids at Gratz College! Because Ramen Noshin was so time consuming, I backed off for a while in terms of inviting Matt to programs. However, I have seen that Matt is a hard worker and great leader with a lot of friends, and I plan to keep building our relationship. Side note- Hillel's relationship with AEPi is often contingent on personal relationships that staff builds with the brothers. If you can crack the shell, you are in!!!

Marla Theodore- Marla first stopped by Hillel to find out where High Holiday services where happening. She wanted to run in and out but I caught her long enough to give her a smile and make her fill out an information card. A week later we went to coffee, and kept doing so for a few months and she started coming to some programs after we built a rapport. I asked her if she was interested in planning a big party with Penn for Chanukah, and she was, and she did a great job! Between all the schools in the region, we had 300 people there! When Marla gets back from Rome for the semester, she is on our list to be social chair of the student board! This story proves that persistence pays off, and that you CAN meet students and be effective by using traditional engagement methods, not just the wacky stunts.

Elana Smith- Elana is a music student who has been in and out of Hillel for the last few years. We met for coffee a few times and bonded over music. She then came with a friend to the Jewish Studies/music school concert, which I invited her to. I also attended her senior flute recital, which I thought was important because I expressed interest in her as a whole person rather than purely a potential body to have at a program. I believe Elana will be staying in the Philadelphia area now that she has graduated, and I plan to invite her to some events planned for graduate-age students.

Reyna Fendel- I met Reyna in the winter at a BZBI event, through another friend who knew I was working for Hillel and was good at welcoming new students into the community. Reyna was a transfer student from Portland State who had been living in New York for a semester, and barely knew anything about Temple, or Philly. I gave her my card and told her to call me when she moved out. Over winter break, I helped her look for an apartment online, and gave her a campus tour and took her to the music school, and she really appreciated me taking a few hours out of my day for her. (It was also easier because classes hadn't started yet, so I had extra time.) I checked up on her to see if she found a place, and she was still thankful for my help. I invited Reyna to the first Shabbat dinner of the semester so she could start meeting other Jewish students, and upon learning her interests in music, the arts, women's events and text study, asked her to be on my committee to plan the programmatic content for the Shabbaton. Through the process of working together, she became more comfortable in the community, and at the Shabbaton really cemented some friendships. We get along very well and will actually be working together at Camp Ramah this summer!


Nancy Kohn- In the fall, Ken and I took a carload of res hall students to South Street for dinner.  These were mostly friends of Tifani and Sara from Peabody who were clear engagement cases.  Since then, I have been spending lots of informal time with Nancy (also Sara Spangler, Rebekka, and Xandra) along with their friends in our core community, Tifani, Sara and Charlie, such as eating dinner at Hillel and lounging out in the sun on campus.  At this point I feel I have developed a very friendly rapport with these students and plan to invite them step up their leadership with Jewish activities on campus.


Rachel Parisse- is only on campus a few days a week and we always have to make plans far in advance. One day around Election Day, I was tabling at the bell tower with some fun games and information about Birthright. She was talking on her cell phone nearby and was eyeing my table. I decided she looked like someone who would come over if she was interested but would want to be treated maturely, so I waited it out. Soon enough, Rachel came over and asked me if I know of any Israel trips. Believe it or not, I said, the deadline for a FREE trip is the end of this week! We ended up having lunch and schmoozing a few times, when I learned more about her. Although she hasn't been able to come to any programs, we keep in touch regularly over email and I feel that our connection has at least reminded her of her Jewish identity.

Julie Berger- Julie and I have played a little bit of a cat-and-mouse game this year.  We met right away, in the beginning of the year, and she quickly became interested in Birthright Israel.  Unfortunately, as the time for the trip approached, Julie was not comfortable going to Israel, and withdrew her application.   Julie is a theater major and was very busy with different shows throughout the year.  However, I know that I am her main connection to Jewish campus life.  I told her I understand how overwhelming freshman year can be, and that I know it was a hard year to be really active at Hillel.  She was very appreciative that I understood that, and wants to be more involved next year.  I think Julie can provide access to many more Jewish students in the theater department.

 

Inbar Gilboa- Inbar was in Laura Levitt's class with me 2nd semester.  She is Israeli, and interested in journalism and women's studies.  Inbar is passionate about Israel and not afraid to speak her mind.  Though she is very busy (and lives in West Philly), Inbar is stepping up as a key student for Israel Advocacy.  On  the day of our debate with the International Solidarity Movement, the Israeli Consulate cancelled that day and she agreed to be on the panel as the moderate Israeli voice.  Although this was a fairly traumatic experience, it really pushed Inbar into action, and I think I have engaged her enough that in the fall, she will be a storng voice in our new Israel Advocacy Network.

 

2002-2003

 

Elena Botkin-Levy.  During one of my small Chanukah parties in the residence halls, Elena saw the blue and white decorations and tentatively walked into the J and H social lounge.  We started talking, I fed her latkes, and introduced her to other students.  After the first coffee date, it was clear that Elena and I made a deep connection.  Her commitment to social action and community building was fascinating and inspiring to me.  I invited her to Shabbat dinner a few times and she resisted, saying formal religious stuff was not where she felt comfortable.  The week she finally came to Shabbat was right when the Alternative Spring Break trip was beginning to come into formation.  Elena caught on to my excitement about this program quickly, seeing that she a) worked in a preschool for a year between high school and Temple U, and b) she loves working with her hands in nature.  A spring break trip where she could be both working in a classroom and in the outdoors was very appealing, and because of the depth of our relationship, she trusted me enough about the Judaism aspect of ASB.  Elena and I shared the driving to North Carolina, and the many hours sitting in the front of the Buick as well as working side by side on the trail led to very open and honest conversations about Judaism and life.  She also quickly befriended many of the empowered students on ASB from our Hillel, and it became clear to me that she was also a natural leader.  After ASB, Elena has spearheaded the creation of our new Hillel Community Garden (a Grinspoon project) in which we plan to use our harvest not only for our own Shabbat and holiday meals, but also involve the North Philadelphia community by donating our vegetables to the local soup kitchens and inviting local schoolchildren to help with the harvest.  Elena was invited by her peers to be the social action chair on the Hillel board in the fall.  I believe that my articulation of Judaism and the experiences I have provided for her have opened a new, positive chapter in her relationship to Judaism.

 

Richie Abrams.  Richie is a senior in the AEPi house.  We havent spent very much time together at all over the last two years, but one gloomy day in February that changed.  I was strolling through campus on one of those days where everyone is cold, grumpy, and generally depressed because of the weather when I ran into Richie.  I asked him how he was doing, and he said, actually, not so well.  I think he was expecting me to not take notice and tell him to have a good day and move on with my life.  Instead, I asked him if he could use a cup of coffee and a good listener.  He said he would really like that but needed to turn in a paper and deal with a professor.  I told him I didnt have anywhere to be and I could meet him afterwards.  After a look of surprise at my commitment to being there for him, he agreed to meet me at Dunkin Donuts in 15 minutes.  During the next hour or so, Richie opened up to me about school, friends, girls, family, and Judaism.  Throughout our talk, he kept telling me how he couldnt believe I would take the time to hear his problems!  I told him that was truly what I was here for, and that it was the most important aspect of my work at Hillel.  Although I didnt think he was on the edge of danger, I do feel that this student changed his feelings of wanting to drop out of school and essentially give up, after our time together.  I email him every few weeks and generally do not get a reply, but I think thats because guys have a really difficult time allowing themselves to be vulnerable, and he simply could not handle the level of intensity and openness we had created during that hour for a while.  Not every student that a JCSC engages is a long term project- sometimes its really about being a compassionate person and knowing when someone truly needs support.

 

Ian Goldwasser. I met Ian and his friend Josh Krevsky last year and engaged them both on a very global level.  Usually, they would only come to Shabbat dinners and spend their other social Jewish time with JHP (Jewish Heritage Program.)  In the fall semester, Ian and I were having coffee and I was learning about his background in day school.  I shared with him that I recently began studying Chumash with Rashi with a friend of mine and that it really excited me.  Ians eyes lit up and he told me about how much he also enjoyed studying texts back in high school and even missed it a little!  (This is a student who is very laid back and seems to be more culturally identified with Judaism right now.)  I suggested that we try studying some Jewish texts together once a week, and he eagerly accepted.  Ian and I studied together for about a month and a half.  It was truly exciting to grapple with the texts with a student who, on the surface, doesnt seem like the type that would be interested in such a thing.  Additionally, Ian had to write a paper for a class on Adam and Eve, and asked me to help him explore the subject in depth.  Again, I feel that I was able to propel him to a deeper understanding of Jewish issues and still have a good rapport to joke around together.  This semester, Ian has been consistently coming to Hillel events, and bringing a group of 4-5 friends with him, with whom I have also connected.

 

Missy Rubin.  One day I was tabling in the SAC and consistently getting a crowd around me.  One girl whom I had never met started asking me questions about Hillel, but I wasnt sure if she was even Jewish.  After a few minutes, I learned that Missy was a senior and had never ventured into Temples Jewish community in four years.  Being only two years my junior, I felt that my time with Missy, through lunches and coffee dates, was closer to a peer relationship than some of my younger students. Missy is full of ideas and mature enough to implement them.  For example, my Kollker Saxon program spring semester was called Jew Walking.  Based on Jay Lenos Jay Walking sketch, we video-interviewed over 100 Temple students on different Jewish questions.  This program was targeting Journalism and Media students for involvement with the production, and the general engagement population for the interactions on campus. As soon as I told her the idea, Missy was clearly interested in helping me make this a reality and being my partner for the program.  Although other students indicated a desire to work on Jew Walking, Missy was definitely the lead student who brought energy and clarity to my vision.  I could not have done this without her, and I am proud that this program became so close to her heart. My relationship with Missy is proof that not all engagement students have to be freshman, and that not every senior is a lost cause.

 

 

Elena B-L.  During one of my small Chanukah parties in the residence halls, Elena saw the blue and white decorations and tentatively walked into the J and H social lounge.  We started talking, I fed her latkes, and introduced her to other students.  After the first coffee date, it was clear that Elena and I made a deep connection.  Her commitment to social action and community building was fascinating and inspiring to me.  I invited her to Shabbat dinner a few times and she resisted, saying formal religious stuff was not where she felt comfortable.  The week she finally came to Shabbat was right when the Alternative Spring Break trip was beginning to come into formation.  Elena caught on to my excitement about this program quickly, seeing that she a) worked in a preschool for a year between high school and Temple U, and b) she loves working with her hands in nature.  A spring break trip where she could be both working in a classroom and in the outdoors was very appealing, and because of the depth of our relationship, she trusted me enough about the Judaism aspect of ASB.  Elena and I shared the driving to North Carolina, and the many hours sitting in the front of the Buick as well as working side by side on the trail led to very open and honest conversations about Judaism and life.  She also quickly befriended many of the empowered students on ASB from our Hillel, and it became clear to me that she was also a natural leader.  After ASB, Elena spearheaded the creation of our new Hillel Community Garden (a Grinspoon project) in which we plan to use our harvest not only for our own Shabbat and holiday meals, but also to involve the North Philadelphia community by donating our vegetables to the local soup kitchens and inviting local schoolchildren to help with the harvest.  Elena was invited by her peers to be the social action chair on the Hillel board in the fall.  I believe that my articulation of Judaism and the experiences I have provided for her have opened a new, positive chapter in her relationship to Judaism.

 

Richie A.  Richie is a senior in the AEPi house.  We havent spent very much time together at all over the last two years, but one gloomy day in February that changed.  I was strolling through campus on one of those days where everyone is cold, grumpy, and generally depressed because of the weather when I ran into Richie.  I asked him how he was doing, and he said, actually, not so well.  I think he was expecting me to not take notice and tell him to have a good day and move on with my life.  Instead, I asked him if he could use a cup of coffee and a good listener.  He said he would really like that but needed to turn in a paper and deal with a professor.  I told him I didnt have anywhere to be and I could meet him afterwards.  After a look of surprise at my commitment to being there for him, he agreed to meet me at Dunkin Donuts in 15 minutes.  During the next hour or so, Richie opened up to me about school, friends, girls, family, and Judaism.  Throughout our talk, he kept telling me how he couldnt believe I would take the time to hear his problems!  I told him that was truly what I was here for, and that it was the most important aspect of my work at Hillel.  Although I didnt think he was on the edge of danger, I do feel that this student changed his feelings of wanting to drop out of school and essentially give up, after our time together.  I email him every few weeks and generally do not get a reply, but I think thats because guys have a really difficult time allowing themselves to be vulnerable, and he simply could not handle the level of intensity and openness we had created during that hour for a while.  Not every student that a JCSC engages is a long term project- sometimes its really about being a compassionate person and knowing when someone truly needs support.

 

Max N.  Max and I first connected when I started a basic Judaism class on campus called RealJudaism. It was held in Dunkin Donuts on campus every Wednesday for the first half of the spring semester, and I created a curriculum that covered many topics in Jewish life, including Shabbat, kashrut, and intermarriage.  About five students per week showed up, including many engagement students. Twice, Max was the only student, and we had very deep conversations.  As we continued to connect, we found out we are both interested in Jewish music as well as high levels of leadership in the Jewish community (he wants to be a cantor).  As I write this yearbook, Max and I are meeting tomorrow to have a flute and guitar jam session for our final coffee date.  I really enjoyed connecting with students who truly had similar interests as me- it was very natural and energetic, and I think that is part of the reason our relationship was so strong.

 

Ian G. I met Ian and his friend Josh last year and engaged them both on a very global level.  They both seem to be more culturally identified with Judaism right now.  Usually, they would only come to Shabbat dinners and spend their other social Jewish time with JHP (Jewish Heritage Program.)  In the fall semester, Ian and I were having coffee and I was learning about his background in day school.  I shared with him that I recently began studying Chumash with Rashi with a friend of mine and that it really excited me.  Ians eyes lit up and he told me about how much he also enjoyed studying texts back in high school and even missed it a little!  I suggested that we try studying some Jewish texts together once a week, and he eagerly accepted.  Ian and I studied together for about a month and a half.  It was truly exciting to grapple with the texts with a student who, on the surface, doesnt seem like the type that would be interested in such a thing.  Additionally, Ian had to write a paper for a class on Adam and Eve, and asked me to help him explore the subject in depth.  Again, I feel that I was able to propel him to a deeper understanding of Jewish issues and still have a good rapport to joke around together.  This semester, Ian has been consistently coming to Hillel events, and bringing a group of 4-5 friends with him, with whom I have also connected.

 

Missy R.  One day I was tabling in the SAC and consistently getting a crowd around me.  One girl whom I had never met started asking me questions about Hillel, but I wasnt sure if she was even Jewish.  After a few minutes, I learned that Missy was a senior and had never ventured into Temples Jewish community in four years.  Being only two years my junior, I felt that my time with Missy, through lunches and coffee dates, was closer to a peer relationship than some of my younger students. Missy is full of ideas and mature enough to implement them.  For example, my Kollker Saxon program spring semester was called Jew Walking.  Based on Jay Lenos Jay Walking sketch, the project involved video-interviewing over 100 Temple students on different Jewish topics.  This program was targeting Journalism and Media students for involvement with the production, and the general engagement population for the interactions on campus. As soon as I told her the idea, Missy was clearly interested in helping me make this a reality and being my partner for the program.  Although other students indicated a desire to work on Jew Walking, Missy was definitely the lead student who brought energy and clarity to my vision.  I could not have done this without her, and I am proud that this program became so close to her heart. My relationship with Missy is proof that not all engagement students have to be freshman, and that not every senior is a lost cause.

 

Liz S- Liz is an example of a student who quickly crossed from engagement to empowerment.  After our first month or so of coffee dates, Liz began stepping up as a leader.  Through leading songs on Shabbat and planning the city-wide Seder, Liz did a really good job of getting involved without having Hillel overtake her life.  For every event she was involved in, we had at least as much one-on-one time.  I think its especially important to make sure students that seem to automatically flow into leadership roles still have meaningful, engaging relationships with JCSCs and staff.