Misunderstanding
and misconception seem to be common themes in the Jewish community
at the University of Rhode Island.
"We
do have to defend ourselves," says Meredith Kaufman, program
director at Hillel, referring to the fact that as a minority,
Jews are misunderstood. "People don't understand what Hillel
is about either," she adds.
"We
have to explain that we are simply people with different views,"
says Alex Hershey, student co-president at Hillel.
The
Jewish community makes up approximately 10 to 15 percent of the
student population at URI, according to Kaufman, and the Hillel
website. Of those students, there are some who are Orthodox
, some who are Conservative,
and a lot who are Reform Jews.
Orthodox Judaism is the strictest, and Reform Judaism is the least
strict. There are some kosher Jews who are strict about what they
eat, and there are some who eat Jewish foods because they are
tasty.
What
does kosher mean?
According
to Kaufman, most students equate being Jewish with not eating
pork products. Part of being a kosher Jew is to not eat pork products,
but there are other dietary guidelines as well.
Terms
to know
Yahweh
means "I am." Jewish word for God.
Pentateuch/Talmud The first five books of the Bible
(Pentateuch literally means five books). They are the
most sacred books in Judaism.
Torah The Old scripture of the Bible; the sacred
literature of Judaism
Sabbath Friday sundown to Saturday Sundown. Day
of rest to observe Yahweh.
Seder Passover meal to honor the Jews being spared
during the final plague, death of the first born son.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Right of Passage into adulthood
that occurs at age 13. Bar mitzvah is the right of passage
for a male, bat mitzvah for a female.
Kosher Specific dietary restrictions dictated by
the Torah. Includes no scavengers (fish and shellfish),
cloven-hooved animals (pigs), and no mixing of meat and
dairy.
Orthodox, Conservative, Reform Most conservative
to least conservative forms of Judaism.
High Holidays Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year; planning
for a better year and contemplating past year's sins).
Yom Kippur (day of atonement set aside to atone for sins
of the past year; Includes a fast from food and drink).
|
Describing
foods as kosher refers to the way those foods are prepared. Certain
animals are not eaten at all, and those that are eaten must be
killed in a particular way (slit the throat instead of bashing
the animal over the head). Meat and dairy cannot mix. At Hillel
there are two kosher kitchens, one for the preparation of meat
and one for the preparation of dairy.
"Basically,
we come here on Fridays to eat meat," one student said at
a recent Sabbath meal. Her sentiment was echoed throughout the
meal, because the meat served in the dining halls is not kosher.
"It's more expensive," explains Kaufman, because a rabbi
must be present when the animals are killed to certify that they
are kosher, "and the demand isn't high enough, or its not
voiced loud enough," she continued.
Sue
Ash, the nutrition specialist at Dining Services, echoes those
reasons, but she also says that she is willing to sit down with
Jewish students and show them what fits into their kosher diet.
Ash adds that matza and other kosher foods are offered during
Passover and a few other times during the year.
What
is Hillel?
Hillel
is the center of Jewish life on campus, according to its website.
Hillel was started in 1923 at the University of Illinois, according
to the website. Today Hillel can be found on more than 400 U.S.
campuses.
At
URI, Hillel is located at 34
Lower College Road, two buildings down from the campus police.
The building holds offices, two kosher kitchens and two common
rooms.
Kaufman
says that a lot of people misunderstand the nature of Hillel.
"We're not just a religious place," she says. "People
get pushed away by the religious aspect." Kaufman thinks
students see it as a place for "stupid religious dorks."
She wants Hillel to become more of a community center where Jewish
students can come to hang out, study, meet and relax with other
Jews.
According
to Kaufman, many scholarships and internships are available for
Jewish students through Hillel, as well as birthright
israel, an all expenses paid trip to Israel for young adults
age 18-26 with at least one Jewish parent.
"There
are a lot of traditions in the Jewish faith," Kaufman says,
explaining that this is why a lot of people think Judaism is an
ethnicity and a religion. "It's a very cultural faith,"
she says. This is why it is important to practicing Jews to marry
in the faith; they want to continue those traditions. Kaufman
also explains that the traditions are the reason there is a need
for a community of Jewish people.
The
Sabbath meal on Friday night is a perfect example of the traditions
and community feel of Judaism. On a recent Friday night, the meal
was quite festive.
"Does
everybody have a hold of the bread?" asks Hershey, who leads
the prayers and the meal.
When
they do, the 10 or more Bar or Bat Mitzvah Jewish students (10
is the required number for a minyon, a group that can say certain
prayers) say a blessing in Hebrew over the bread and the Sabbath
meal. What comes next is unexpected by a visitor. The students
viciously rip the beautiful challah bread into pieces of varying
sizes, and then one guy shouts, "I win!" Apparently,
he wins weekly by obtaining the largest piece.
One
bite of Challah bread
and you will understand the competition. The bread is a slightly
sweet, eggy bread that tastes almost like Portuguese sweet bread,
but with a better consistency. In reality, though, the ritual
is for good luck, and whoever gets the biggest piece gets the
best luck.
The
rest of the meal
consisted of meatballs, chicken, roasted veggies, stuffed grape
leaves, lavash bread, soup, dates, kugel (a Jewish potato or rice
casserole) and mallomar-like cookies. The meal is free to anyone
who goes, and all the food is fresh, gourmet quality -- and delicious.
Friendly
banter about dating goes around the table, and the group of friends
gets loud and boisterous. They talk about their classes ("You
really should take. . ."), plays or musical groups that they
are in ("Next Friday everyone! I expect to see you there"),
and the birthright trip. The ones who have gone urge those who
haven't to go. They all echo the same sentiment, "It is the
best experience I have ever had." In general, the meal is
like any gathering of friends bound by common interests. Here
the common interest is their Jewish heritage.
Other
Misconceptions and Stuff You Might Not Know
