[Jewish] JSU Update

[rag04 at hampshire.edu]

Hello Beautiful People-

We just had a JSU open meeting, and included are the minutes (including results
of the JSU Survey) and some information about the future of the Jewish Student
Union and opportunities to get more involved!

As many of you may know we had a Planning Retreat about 2 weeks ago at which we
discussed the fact to make this the best Jewish community it can possible be,
we need to share the burden of making things happen (everything from Shabbat
dinner to Seder) and make sure that everyone is getting to create and
participate in meaningful programming. That said...the signers will not be
responsible for doing, organizing and executing everything. If people from the
community don't volunteer to take care of things, it will not get done. Listed
in the minutes are things people have volunteered to coordinate. By coordinate
we mean they will supervise and corrall (sp?) volunteers. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED
IN HELPING WITH ANYTHING, PLEASE VOLUNTEER!!! We need people to cook for shabbat
(email mhg04), help with Pesach (email srg04), help with shabbat services (email
gpb05) and much more!!!

Most importantly, we need two more signers (both Sharon and Lexi would prefer
not to be signers this semester, both won't be here in the fall as well). If
you want to take this on, or want to find out what 'being a signer' means, feel
free to contact Sharon, Lexi or Gideon.
sooo, read the minutes and email the list or a signer or talk to any of us for
more information!!

Happy, Happy Day,
Rachel Ann

MINUTES FROM JSU MEETING 2-28-06
I   JSU Student Survey distributed to every student mailbox:
       We got 75 responses. 14 of those identified themselves as non-Jewish. The
biggest denominations were Reform (18), Culturally Jewish (18), Non-practicing
(14), and Conservative (11). Keep in mind some people identified as multiple
things. There were also a few responses of Reconstructionsist, Secular
Humanist, and just "Jewish"

On a scale from 1-5, people's priorities from lowest to highest were: Ritual
Observance (2.37 average), Socializing in a Jewish setting (2.61), Cultural
Activities (2.98), Jewish Learning (3.00).

In terms of activies, with the activity and the number of people who said they'd
be interested:
Text Study       -    16
Shabbat Dinner   -    36
Passover Seder   -    45
Shabbat Services -    21
Jewish Movies    -    32
Jewish Bowling   -    26
Jewish Div IIIs  -    25
High Holidays    -    33

40 People would be interested in attending high holiday services if they were at
Hampshire, compared with 20 at 5-colleges and 24 in the local area

One anonymous student is interested in us teaching about Judaism to non-Jews.

II Steps to Restructuring
-Transparency (all information, minutes, ideas should be discussed with the
whole group)
-IF JSU MEMBERS DON'T STEP UP TO THE PLATE TO PLAN THINGS, THEN THINGS WON'T
HAPPEN (this includes shabbat dinners)

III Following People volunteered to COORDINATE the following
Sharon: Seder
Rachel: DIV III Symposium
Gideon: Kabbalat Shabbat (friday evening) services
Mattea: Shabbat Dinner

IV. WE NEED TWO NEW SIGNERS.
-Both Sharon and Lexi would prefer not to be signers this semester (and neither
of them will be here in the fall).

NOAM ENTHUSIASTICALLY CLOSES THE MEETING (WISHES HE HAD A GAVEL).