KU Hillel’s What the Bleep programming returned this past week following a successful inaugural year.
Last week’s meeting was held at KU Hillel’s new location at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday and will continue to do so each week.
“I love What the Bleep because it gives me a chance to hear a variety of opinions on current events and issues in the world and pushes me to evaluate my own beliefs,” KU Hillel student Josh Goldstein said.
What the Bleep last week primarily featured discussions about political battles regarding raising the national debt ceiling and passing a federal infrastructure bill. That said, the discussion followed the path of students’ interests and ultimately ended with a conversation about space exploration and the future of life on earth.
“I always love showing up to What the Bleep and being able to talk about whatever is on my mind,” Paul Samberg, senior, said. “I am very interested in current events, and this program allows us to discuss what’s going on around the world with my peers.”
Amid a busy week for most KU students with fall break approaching, Hillel staff involved in What the Bleep programming are also excited to welcome more students in the coming week and utilize the programming as an extension of Wellness Wednesday.
What the Bleep was initially conceived by Rabbi Neal Schuster and recent KU alumna Jade Groobman last year. The two believed it was important to foster a setting for students to discuss current events and ask questions they might not feel comfortable asking elsewhere.
“To me, one of the most important things is to come to the table with questions,” Schuster said. “Bring your ideas that you want to explore and pose them as questions. So much of our culture right now is about declaring your position on something and then you have to stand by that position forever and ever, amen. What the Bleep is the opposite of that. The participants have really diverse viewpoints, and instead of jumping down each other’s throats, they actually engage in genuine conversation. It’s so energizing and refreshing. I look forward to it every week.”
As programming continues for the duration of the school year, KU Hillel invited its students to participate in What the Bleep; the staff believes it is a great way to keep up with current events in a comfortable manner and make some friends along the way.
