An Education: In and Out of the Classroom

By Andrea Bromberg
University of Delaware

Since age three, I have always been in touch with some form of Jewish education. My first formal taste of Judaism was in nursery school, when my parents enrolled my in the program at our shul (synagogue). We sang songs about Shabbat, King David and Passover and baked hallah every Friday. I am proud to say that to this day, I still remember the songs verbatim…and let’s not forget the hand motions. Once I reached school-age, my parents grappled with the decision of whether or not to send me to a Jewish day school. However, when push came to shove, day school simply wasn’t in the budget and our public school was top notch. Although I did not attend a Schechter or other Jewish institution, I still consider myself a product of Jewish education. In lieu of a Jewish primary school came Hebrew school– my twice a week classes on Jewish Culture, Torah and everything in between. I learned prayers in preparation to become a Bat Mitzvah, did various acts of hesed (loving-kindness), and listened to Holocaust speakers tell their tales. These formal years of Jewish education were just the tip of the iceberg.

Just because the school year would end, didn’t mean that my Jewish education had to. In fact, I owe the majority of my knowledge to the summers I spent at camp. My Jewish education flourished courtesy of Ramah Day Camp in Nyack where informally, I learned how to bentsch (recite Grace After Meals), how to wrap tefillin and, more importantly, learned how Judaism existed all around me. Day in and day out I perfected my Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) skills and my Hebrew vocabulary, as well as my dance moves on the migrash (field). However after four incredibly fulfilling summers, I relaxed my disciplined commitment to my Jewish education. It took me a few years away from the Jewish bubble to realize how much I yearned for it. In my high school years, when I became active in my chapter and region of USY, I never quite got into the learning sessions as much as some of my peers. It's not that learning Torah or studying laws didn't interest me; it's rather that my enthusiasm at that time existed elsewhere -- specifically, on the volleyball court. But with a future in education in mind, returning to Ramah as staff only seemed natural. And after three sababa (cool) summers as a madrikhah (counselor) in which I enriched the lives of many seven year olds just as my own madrikhot had done for me, I knew that the bubble was where I belonged. Everything had come full circle.

Looking back on my experiences, I am proud to have taught people about Judaism and to have learned about it myself in such an intriguing way. My years of formal and informal education have built a strong foundation for the positive way I think about Judaism and inspired my desire to attend a college with a strong and diverse Jewish community. Through my participation at University of Delaware Hillel, I have encountered many different types of Jews and have realized how much more there is to learn. I love being in an environment where I am able to get answers to my questions as well as answer questions for others. I admit, it can be hard to find a place for Jewish learning in the busy life of a college student, but every moment is a teachable one. Learning does not only mean the study of text, but also active participation. I have chosen to invest myself in Hillel, and Hillel has graciously invested itself in me – as a student, as a person, and as a member of the Jewish community.

Andrea is in her junior year at the University of Delaware where she is majoring in Spanish Education. This past summer marked her third on staff at Camp Ramah in Nyack. She is co-chair of this year’s KOACH Kallah. Upon her return from her a semester abroad in Spain, she will serve as president of UD KOACH. In her free time, Andrea enjoys playing Bananagrams and munching away on Special K.

[Posted 12/26/11]