FALL 2010 – vOLUME XXI SJSP To Pilot New National Service Learning Initiative uring Spring into the community. In discussing the topic of the course, Quarter 2010, SJSP Second, we will gain an Professor Pianko says, “Young adults DProfessor Noam important avenue for today have a tremendous passion Pianko received a grant creating new and for pursuing social justice through to design a new service- strengthening existing social activism, civic engagement, and learning course on social relationships with Jewish community service. In this course, justice and Judaism. Repair and social service students will take advantage of a the World, a national non- organizations in the larger sophisticated resource for considering profit organization dedicated Seattle community,” notes how to work effectively and mindfully to inspiring young adults to Professor Pianko. toward the ideals of justice: the rich give their time and effort to Rabbi Will Berkovitz, textual tradition of Judaism and the serve those in need, granted Noam Pianko Vice President of Partner- experiences of American Jewish social the funds to Professor ships for Repair the World, activists.” Pianko and the SJSP to pilot this new says, “UW is the ideal place to develop Rabbi Berkovitz adds, “If we can class and format for replication across this project both from an academic combine classroom learning and the country. and a student life perspective. Noam students’ passion and idealism into Service learning, a popular feature in a variety of UW courses, is an “UW IS THE IDEAL PLACE TO DEVELOP THIS PROJECT BOTH FROM AN instructional method that integrates ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE PERSPECTIVE.” service with the community and Pianko and the leadership in the directed action, we can demonstrate academic coursework. While Stroum Jewish Studies Program have that they have a vital role to play in attending classes and learning about the forward-thinking vision and inno- improving our world. Our hope is social justice in the Jewish tradition, vative spirit to understand the models that UW will be an incubator for a students will be matched with local we are trying to inspire on campuses new language toward living a life of organizations where they will provide and communities around the country.” service.” 20-40 hours of service over the quarter. This structure enables students to have a learning lab in which to apply $25,000! Are You Up To The Challenge? the lessons they are taught in class. A generous anonymous donor has created a $25,000 Challenge Match to In addition, students will reflect on benefit the Stroum JSP. their service and course work in small NEW GIFTS and INCREASED DOLLAR AMOUNT gifts from current donors group sections. received before June 30, 2011 qualify for the 1:1 match. “The creation of a service learning This gift is absolutely critical for the Stroum JSP to maintain its current course is a wonderful opportunity for operating levels. Drastically reduced payouts from endowments have cut the Stroum JSP on two levels: First, we our budget in half. have a chance to expand our Program Double your gift! Help us meet this exciting challenge by making a gift by responding to our students’ to any of the Program’s funds today. Gifts may be made online at growing interest in taking their jsis.washington.edu/jewish/gift or contact Jennifer Cohen, Assistant education out of the classroom and Director, at 206.543.0138 or [email protected]. Thank you very much for your generous support and for helping to sustain a world-class Jewish Studies Program at the University of Washington! The Stroum Jewish Studies Program is a beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle The Stroum Jewish Studies Program is enormously grateful to the Exploring Israel—Unveiling State, members of its Advisory Board who Society & Politics raise critical funds for the Program and student scholarships, serve as nly a small number While touring the liaisons to the broader community of countries in the country from its far and advocate for the Program’s world have been North to its deep South needs. We wish to acknowledge O members for their time and effort on so prominent in media the students experienced behalf of the Stroum JSP. coverage, certainly in and studied about the proportion to geographical histories of Israel, its 2010-2011 SJSP ADVISORY BOARD size, as Israel. Students systems of governance, Terry Azose are attracted to exploring economic development, Rabbi Will Berkovitz Israel because it is the only social structures and Jeremy Brochin Jewish state in the world communities, capitalism Dr. Joseph Buchman and the largest Jewish and its costs, state-religion Bob Center, Chair Gad Barzilai Arlene Ehrlich community in addition relationships, civil society, Carole Goldberg to the engagement of diversity of Jewish trends, Sonny Gorasht the country in a protracted conflict, NGOs, national security, foreign Eric Hasson the 1967 occupation, its vibrant policy, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Janet Lackman economy, its ability to maintain the Arab-Israeli conflict, the 1967 Rabbi Anson Laytner effective democratic procedures, occupation and its ramifications, the Al Maimon and its national ideology of a ‘Jewish refugees issue, the labor market and Herb Pruzan and democratic state.’ During the foreign workers, technology, military- Lucy Pruzan past three summers, UW students state relations, the status of women, Michele Rosen Iantha Sidell have been given a rare opportunity the Israeli Arab-Palestinian minority, Rabbi Rob Toren to conduct research while traveling immigration, social movements, Thank you to Dr. Leslie Mackoff who around the country, exploring more political institutions, political elite, completed his service on the Board than 110 different sites, meeting with the judicial system, human rights this past summer. members of various communities, issues, global-local relationships, discussing major issues with non- the main institutional and cultural governmental organization (NGO) characteristics of a ‘Jewish and activists, politicians, lawyers, public democratic’ state, and the competing figures, intellectuals, and university ideologies among Jews and non-Jews. WANT TO TAKE A JEWISH professors. The international program, Exploring Israel through systematic STUDIES PROGRAM COURSE? led by me and Professor Karine study and engaging the students with If you are age 60 or older, you can Barzilai-Nahon, allowed the students diversity of narratives embedded in through the UW’s ACCESS Program. to benefit from the knowledge of scientific knowledge allowed UW BENEFITS: professional native Israelis who are students—Christians, Jews, Buddhists, immersed in the country, its cultures, Muslims—to unveil one of the most • For a nominal registration fee per quarter, you may take up to two courses languages, and institutions. interesting international spots on Unlike other organized travel earth and the only country where Jews • Access to UW libraries programs to Israel, the purpose is constitute a governing majority. • Eligibility to purchase a U PASS for bus not ideological nor to endorse any transportation specific narrative about the country. Gad Barzilai • For a small pro-rata Technology Fee, The program is purely independent Lucia S. and Herbert L. Pruzan Professor of Jewish Studies gain access to a UW email account and and paid by the students with some use of computer labs Chair of the Samuel and Althea Stroum University of Washington funds and Jewish Studies Program For more information, visit http://jsis. travel grants, some of which were washington.edu/jewish/access.shtml or call granted by the SJSP. For three weeks, the Office of the Registrar at 206.543.8580. we exposed the students to diverse and competing narratives and yet allowed them to see for themselves For a complete listing of Jewish Studies the multifaceted and multicultural courses please visit our website at experiences of being an Israeli. jsis.washington.edu/jewish or call 206-543-4835 to have a list mailed to you. Page 2 CONGRATULATIONS & BEST WISHES TO OUR 2010 GRADUATES! SJSP Students Helen Bennett • Zachary Grashin Emily Mapel • Raquel Rosen Joshua “Yoshi” McLeod, Jewish Studies Major Shayna Rosen • Ruben Shimonov 2009-10, Seattle Jewish Film Festival Intern CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ’ve attended the American Jewish 2010-2011 SCHOLARSHIP & Committee’s Seattle Jewish Film TRAVEL GRANT WINNERS! IFestival (SJFF) since I was young, I. Mervin & Georgiana Gorasht but I never imagined working for the Scholarship in Jewish Studies festival. But, during fall quarter 2009 I KYLE BOND received an email from the UW Jewish Graduate student Studies Program announcing an JSIS – Comparative Religion internship opportunity with SJFF, which Research Project: comparative study of I accepted. From November through oral tradition in early Rabbinic Judaism May I worked as the Social Media and and classical Chan/Zen Buddhism Communications Intern for the SJFF, Rabbi Arthur A. Jacobovitz creating and managing the festival’s Memorial Scholarship in Facebook presence. I also used other Joshua “Yoshi” McLeod Jewish Studies types of marketing and communication ETHAN CHEssiN through email, graphic design, YouTube and Twitter. I loved the position for its Graduate student – Music creative exploration and exposure to new experiences. The positive contribution Research Project: the application of that the festival makes locally was enough reason to be involved, but I also gained Jewish music and culture to music new insight into the functioning of a non-profit organization, marketing, and more education, focusing on klezmer music specifically, the use of social media tools in a professional environment. Richard M. Willner Memorial I like UW because of the wide array of opportunities for learning and community Scholarship in Jewish Studies involvement. Besides the SJFF internship, I’ve enjoyed other valuable experiences, ANAT GOLDmaN such as working with the UW Dream Project to help high school students apply Graduate student to college and volunteering with Hillel on social justice projects. I appreciate a JSIS – Interdisciplinary Graduate variety of experiences and that partially explains my eclectic choice of majors.