Campus Update: University of Wisconsin-Madison & University of Texas-Austin

University of Wisconsin-Madison

By Joni Appelman

Another exciting school year came and went at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Hillel in our beautiful, new facility. Our wide range of student organizations provided more opportunities for involvement and participation by students, faculty and friends. As a recent graduate, I have many great memories of Hillel events that enriched my college experience.

One program in particular was the Shabbat morning minyan. Held monthly, a growing and dedicated group of students and community members met for Conservative, Egalitarian services. While I admit it was not always easy to awaken to my alarm clock on a Saturday morning (especially when there was no football game), it was worth waking up for. Under the co-leadership of Rabbi Rebecca Ben Gideon and Rabbi Andrea Steinberger, the service was truly a group effort. Many attendees led, were called up for an aliyah, read Torah and haftarah, or contributed in some way to facilitate the service. It was nice to see regular minyan members gradually feel more comfortable participating and trying out unfamiliar roles in the service. Afterward, we gathered for kiddush and a delicious lunch in the dining room. Lunch was a relaxing time to catch up with friends and meet new people.

For many of us, the service was reminiscent of Jewish summer camps, youth groups, synagogues back home and other personal experiences. It was a welcoming environment and everybody there cared about the existence and growth of the community. I hope that this lively and spirited service continues to develop and strengthen. Thanks to the KOACH funding that contributed to the cost of running the service, buying humashim and sponsoring kiddush lunches, we were able to continue creating a meaningful Saturday morning at Hillel.

University of Texas-Austin

Rabbi David Komerofsky

There is a significant disconnect between what the Jewish people expect of campus organizations and what we expect of ourselves. We try to be innovative and cutting-edge in how we engage meaningfully with as many students as we can, aiming to remain ahead of whatever trends may affect our work. We see our students not just in the immediate moment of our interactions, but projecting forward by thinking "what’s next" on their Jewish journey and where will what they are doing now take them in ten years. But what do the Jewish people expect of Jewish life on campus? Friday night services and dinner.

It’s hard to blame our communities for the assumption that Friday night, just four percent of the total hours our facility is open each week, is the most important part of our work. Students love food: for some the Shabbat table is a fond reminder of home. It’s something to which nearly every student can relate. Every synagogue does Shabbat in some way, so why not expect that Hillel will do what synagogues do, but in a more fun and youthful way? Like maybe a more upbeat Adon Olam and free chicken soup will cure all of the ills of the Jewish people and ensure that Jews marry only other Jews and join synagogues the day after they graduate. Sadly, one night a week isn’t going to deliver the Jewish future. But that one night can be the central point of contact around which other campus engagement activities pivot.

Whether Friday night Shabbat celebrations are happening in a Hillel building, on campus, in dorms or student apartments (or all at the same time), these experiences can create communities that propel students along the path of exploring their Jewish identities. The traditional Friday night Hillel experience has a place in all of this. Our Conservative minyan is the largest and strongest of our three groups, and has built a core Shabbat community that has withstood years of Shabbat tinkering. The KOACH grant brought in a rabbinical student for a weekend of celebration and learning in the Fall and added new humashim for use by the informal Shabbat morning group. Resources from the USCJ and its member congregations, especially a committed group from Beth Yeshurun in Houston, are vital to maintain connections with our core students who come from Conservative backgrounds. Some of these students are involved in other Hillel groups, and Shabbat is the one time each week when all of their micro-communities come together.

Friday night is a means to engage students but it is not the end of the story; we want these students to own their identities so that they can seek out or create new communities wherever they end up after graduation. We all have great expectations for the Jewish future, and can look to Shabbat as a critical piece of the puzzle that is the Jewish identity of the college student. Find them, engage them, inspire them and launch them. And feed them. In return, the Jewish people will get a community that values Shabbat and celebrating Jewish life. This is further proof that there really is no such thing as a free dinner.

[Posted 8/1/11]