JEWISH LIFE ON CAMPUS — Hillel International launched “Hillel College Guide: The Official Hillel Guide to Jewish Life on Campus” this summer, providing unique insights for students and parents on organized Jewish life, Israel programming, the availability of kosher food and the relative size of the Jewish community on campuses across North America. The magazine also includes rankings of what schools Jewish students are choosing. KU Hillel is ranked 50 out of 60! Topping this year’s lists are Rutgers University on the list of public schools and New York University on the list of private schools. The rankings are based on self-reported enrollment data from the schools on the list.
The magazine will allow students and parents to understand the full spectrum of options for building meaningful, pluralistic Jewish community on campus, top-notch Israel engagement and education, innovative social justice programs and advice on finding kosher options. {mprestriction ids="1,3"}Additionally, it features several essays by current Jewish college students and profiles the innovative work of Hillel students and staff across the country.
The magazine will be published twice a year, and will supplement in-person campus visits for parents and students. Hillel International also provides analytical information at www.hillel.org/guide, accounts for 45 percent of the approximately 1.2 million annual visits to Hillel’s online properties.
The Hillel College Guide: The Official Hillel Guide is available online at: http://www.hillel.org/magazine.
BRIT BRAJA NEEDS JUDAICA — Brit Braja, an international organization that helps people around the world return to Judaism and live fuller Jewish lives, brings Judaica to needy Jewish communities in the third world. Led by Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn, Brit Braja collects Jewish objects that folks don’t need or want anymore and don’t know what to do with and delivers them to those who will value them. He asks that Chronicle readers consider donating their unwanted Judaica to Brit Braja. He said, “Please know that your unwanted Judaica will be used and cherished by someone else!” Brit Braja is a tax-exempt organization and can provide a donation letter by request. At this time Brit Braja is not collecting books. To learn more contact Rabbi Cukierkorn at 913-940-1011 or .
LEMON-AID FOR LIFE — Our friends at Panera Bread of Kansas, with 24 Kansas City metro locations, five in Wichita and additional locations in Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka, St. Joseph and Sedalia, is holding their annual Lemon-Aid for Life Promotion this weekend on July 10 and July 11.
Donate at least a dollar at one of seven area stands and receive a refreshing cup of Panera Bread’s lemonade. Panera Bread will also donate a portion of the proceeds from lemonade and frozen drink sales at any of the K.C. metro locations to Operation Breakthrough. Lemon-Aid stands will be located at the following locations: 83rd and Mission Road in Prairie Village, 119th and Blackbob in Olathe, 6145 Barry Road in North KC, 135th and Metcalf in Overland Park, 8580 N. Church Road in Liberty and College Blvd and King in Overland Park.
MOZZARELLA MADNESS II — This week I was also contacted by a couple of Jewish folks who suffer from lupus asking for support for Mozzarella Madness II, a food-filled fundraiser to benefit lupus research on Friday night, July 10, at Jasper’s restaurant 1203 W. 103rd St., in Kansas City, Missouri. Jasper’s will donate a portion of proceeds from its food sales to the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR) Greater Kansas City Metro Area Walk with Us to Cure Lupus, scheduled for Oct. 3. Former K.C. Chief Eddie Kennison and the Roasterie’s Danny O’Neill will join restaurateur Jasper Mirabile at the event. . More information can be found at www.lupuswalkkc.org.
ISRAEL’S RELIGIOUS SERVICES MINISTER: ‘REFORM JEWS CANNOT BE CONSIDERED JEWS’ Jerusalem (JTA) — Israel’s religious services minister said in a radio interview that Reform Jews cannot be considered Jews.
“A Reform Jew, from the moment he stops following Jewish law, I cannot allow myself to say that he is a Jew,” David Azoulay, of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party, said Tuesday morning on Army Radio. “These are Jews that have lost their way, and we must ensure that every Jew returns to the fold of Judaism, and accept everyone with love and joy.”
Azoulay spoke with Army Radio two days after Israel’s Cabinet reversed regulations reforming conversion policy that were passed by the previous government.
“Those who follow Reform Judaism living in the Diaspora are in the majority people who are wrong,” he said, stressing that halachah, or Jewish law, determines the rules for conversion. “We want to take care of all those Jews returning to Judaism according to Jewish law.”{/mprestriction}
