[Jewish] Dinner and Israel/Palestine dinner discussion Wednesday Night

[Steven Nathan]

Dear JSU and UPZ students:

As you are all aware, there has been much discussion happening on campus 
in recent weeks concerning Israel and Palestine, the Occupation of the 
West Bank and how this relates to the Hampshire community.  In addition, 
there have been reports of occurrences on campus, across the spectrum, 
where students have felt personally attacked for their political views, 
their connection to Israel and even for being Jewish.

Given the fact that Hampshire has always valued open dialogue, these 
last occurrences have concerned my and others among the staff, faculty 
and student body.

Part of my responsibility as Campus Rabbi is to provide a safe space for 
Jewish students to discuss not only their feelings about Israel and 
Palestine, but to share there feelings and concerns relating to these 
coinsurances on campus.

For that reason, there will be an open dinner meeting for the Hampshire 
Jewish community tomorrow (Wednesday) at 5:30 pm in the Spiritual Life 
Center to talk about their feelings, express any concerns and hopefully 
come up with some ideas for how we can address these issues.

I realize that there are non-Jewish students who are on the jsu and upz 
list serves because of their connection to the Jewish people or Israel.  
In general, any program that is sponsored by me or the student 
organizations is open to ALL students.  However, given the particular 
nature of this meeting, it will be limited to anyone who identifies as a 
member of the Jewish community.  I hope that you all understand why this 
is appropriate, but you are certainly willing to contact me if you have 
any questions.

In addition, I am sure that there will  opportunities for open dialogue 
in which the entire community can participate in the future.   I look 
forward to those opportunities as well.

Shalom/Salaam,

Steve Nathan

 


Steven P. Nathan

Campus Rabbi and

Interim LGBTQ Advisor

Hampshire College 
                                                           

Office of Spiritual Life -- Box SA

Amherst, MA 01002

Phone: (413) 559-6234

Fax: (413) 559-5663

snathan at hampshire.edu <mailto:snathan at hampshire.edu>


 

"The more deeply immersed I became in the thinking of the prophets, the 
more powerfully it became clear to me what the lives of the prophets 
sought to convey: that morally speaking there is no limit to the concern 
one must feel for the suffering of human beings. It also became clear to 
me that in regard to cruelties committed in the name of a free society, 
some are guilty, all are responsible."

-Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

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