On SUNDAY, APRIL 6 from NOON-5PM, in the University Center of Drew Univerity, Drew University’s Hillel will be hosting one of our major annual events, Passport to Diaspora.

This year’s event features booths about Jewish communitites in Yemen, Lebanon, Egypt, Argentina as well as our Cuban Jews Relief Effort.

Enjoy kosher food from around the world: Ben’s Bagles, Yemenite Delight, and Avi’s Felafel.

The highlights of this year’s event will be live music from Indian-Jewish band ONE and Mizrachi music of DIVAHN, with a talk by ethnomusicologist Galeet Dardashti

There will also be a lecture and photo display from Gloria Golden, photographer and author of Remnants of the Crypto-Jews Among Hispanic Americans.

Also, there will be a reading and talk from Liliane S. Diammond, editor of The Lost World of Egyptian Jews.

It should be a lot of fun and we hope to see a lot of you there!

A new, exciting opportunity for young Jewish activist from Hagshama:

Shalom, everyone. I’m David A.M. Wilensky, a freshman at Drew University in beautiful Madison, NJ. Starting immediately, I’ll be keeping readers of this blog updated on Israel-related programming going on here at Drew.

You can also always check out my thoughts on Reform litrugy and ritual at my blog, The Reform Shuckle.

Drew’s spring break begins soon, but after that you can expect to see updated from me here regularly.

a photo contest in UJCNJ. Submit your Birthright photos, and enter the competition! You might wiin $500!

“E-mail us your favorite meaningful, funny,
or gorgeous photo from your trip
and you could win a cash prize!

The winning photos will be prominently displayed at
the MetroWest’s community Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration
on Thursday, May 8, 2008.

First prize will be $500,
second prize $250, and third prize $100. “

The New Jersey Jewish Film Festival is coming on March 27! Mark your Calendar!

“Founded in 2000 by Caren and Herb Ford, the New Jersey Jewish Film Festival has earned the reputation as one of the premier Jewish cultural events in the state. For seven years, we’ve been bringing the best of Israeli, American, and international films of Jewish interest and content to enthusiastic MetroWest audiences. As we have grown, so too has the number of high quality films. We promise a roster of first-run Israeli films that are nothing short of remarkable. These are films you cannot see anywhere else in our area! We will also offer a mix of other Jewish films, the best speakers and commentators available, and several out-of-festival events. The Festival is one gateway for people to explore what it means to be Jewish through a cultural experience that enriches the lives of thousands.”

To check out what movies are playing, when and where, click here.

David Broza will be preforming on Satruday, February 23, at the NJPAC in Newark.
From the NJPAC website:

“Israeli singer-songwriter David Broza has been classified as everything from a “post-modern Leonard Cohen” and “the Stevie Ray Vaughn of folk-rock.” Part rocker, part poet, and part troubadour, his flamenco-infused, salsa-tinged rock (performed in Hebrew, English and Spanish) is one of the richest, most distinctive on the world music scene. For this engagement, he continues to transcend national and musical boundaries, collaborating with four superstar musicians: saxophonist Jay Beckenstein and guitarist Julio Fernandez (both of Spyro Gyra), acclaimed bassist Francisco Centano, and Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista, a world music sensation who’s played alongside Paul Simon and Sting. This special concert, presented as part of NJPAC’s Alternate Routes, will honor the 60th Anniversary of the founding of Israel.

Dag Nachash was happy to pose with UJCNJ staff who handed them flyers, tickets and paper sheets of various sizes to receive autographs after the live preformance.

“It was the first time I have seen so many teens in the building for an Israel Program,” said Michal Tzur, IPC’s Israel correspondent who participated in the event. “I think they all shared the great and exciting atmosphere and energy that was brought into the building and to the community that night.”

A short clip of Dag Nachash in action at UJCNJ:

Come join us this Saturday!! tickets are still available.

Dag Nachash in live performance below:

Dag Nachash’s famous “sticker song” clip:

Click Here for the flyer!

1.  Recruit Teens

            - Diller

            - Mifgash

2.  Recruit College and Post-College Adults

            - Cherkassy

            - Kefiada

            - MASA

            - Birthright Israel

3.  Commit to participate in the community concerts

4.  Schedule Israeli speakers in your synagogues’ events

5.  Use Israel @ 60 logo and post your events on the community calendar

6.  Celebrate all the participants that will become 60 this year together

7.  Participate in Yom Hazikaron initiative

8.  Participate in the community performance

9.  Participate in the Israel Day Parade

10. Encourage your synagogue to communicate and stay involved!