Critical Conversations, Prospects for Peace: Past, Present and Future with Dennis Ross and Ghaith al-Omari
2024-02-01 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | MA
An Israel Education Series

RSVP Below!

What might peace between Israelis and Palestinians look like, and what needs to happen to reach that point? Join diplomats Dennis Ross and Ghaith al-Omari, experienced negotiators and experts, in a conversation about past initiatives to make peace, the present situation, and what the future in the region might look like.

Dinner will be served.

Registration strongly encouraged, and student IDs and sign-in will be required at the door.

Speaker Bios

Ghaith al-Omari is the former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine. He served as advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team during the 1999–2001 permanent-status talks and has held various other positions within the Palestinian Authority.

Ambassador Dennis Ross has served in a multitude of positions in the White House, including as special assistant to President Obama and the point person on the Middle East peace process for the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations. He helped broker the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty and the 1995 Interim Agreement (Oslo II). They’ll bring their expertise together to give a glimpse into the challenges faced in the region and offer insights into the current situation.

Israel Book Club
2024-02-02 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-02-09 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-02-16 12:00 - 13:00 | MA
Students and faculty members will meet weekly to discuss readings from Aaron J. Hahn Tapper and Mira Sucharov’s book “Social Justice and Israel/Palestine: Foundational and Contemporary Debates.” We will allot time during the meetings for participants to read the texts that we will be discussing, so no outside reading is necessary. All reading materials will be provided, and discussions will be run so that weekly attendance is not necessary to participate. Feel free to join us whenever you can! Lunch will be served each week.

All are welcome! Please contact Professor Hedda Harari-Spencer or Skyler Goldberg with any questions.

Shabbat Friday Night
2024-02-02 18:00 - 20:30 | Tufts Hillel-Dining Room, 220 Packard Ave, Medford, MA, 02155
Join Tufts Hillel on Music Shabbat, for an evening full of song, music, and community. Everyone is welcome! Bring your voices, music/poetry/short stories, listen to your peers, join in dinner and games, and much more.

There will be a Pre-Candles Coffee House: From 5:00-6:00. Bring an instrument, a song, a poem, or any form of music or thought you would like to share with the community! Live music (including instruments), a hot chocolate bar, and more.

Candle Lighting and Services: At 6:00, we will bring in Shabbat with candle lighting, followed by reform and conservative services.

Dinner: At 7:00, there will be a free community dinner, with games and more. Post-Dinner Tish:

Following dinner, we will be holding an evening song session and Tish, from 8:00 – 9:00. There will be songs, nigguns (wordless melodies), and more. Come with songs in mind or learn new tunes – we hope to see you there!

To help us accommodate you for dinner please sign up via SMS/text: Text HILLEL TO 617 420 7411

Shabbat Lunch at Hillel
2024-02-03 12:00 - 13:30, 2024-02-10 12:00 - 13:30, 2024-02-17 12:00 - 13:30 | MA
Join Tufts Hillel on Saturday for Shabbat lunch! No need to pre-register – just show up! All are welcome, we hope to see you there!

Dinner and Discussion: Building Community Across Difference
2024-02-05 18:00 - 19:00 | MA
Shiur with visiting scholar R. Matthew Anisfeld

How do we Build Community Across Difference?: The Case of Amei Ha’arets in a world that can feel increasingly divided across social, political and religious lines, how do we go about sharing communal spaces and working towards shared goals? We will study the case of amei ha’aretz (people of the land) as a model for thinking about this question.

All are welcome!

Community Gathering
2024-02-06 18:00 - 19:15, 2024-02-13 18:00 - 19:15, 2024-02-20 18:00 - 19:15 | MA
Find community, process with you peers, and eat dinner at Hillel.

Food. People. Comfort.

For the most up to date info please see our social media

instagram.com/tuftshillel

facebook.com/tuftshillel

Succulent and Pot Decorating
2024-02-06 19:00 - 20:00 | MA
This is your chance to shmooze and relax while decorating a lovely succulent.

Join for succulents, pot decorating, arts and crafts!

Critical Conversations: What is Zionism? With Gil Troy
2024-02-07 19:00 | MA
An Israel Education Series

RSVP Below!

Registration strongly encouraged, and student IDs and sign-in will be required at the door.

7:00pm Dinner and Presentation

Often when we talk about Israel, we pass over the ideology that’s at the center of its existence: Zionism. What does it mean to be a Zionist? How do perspectives differ within schools of Zionist thought? What is the relationship between Judaism and Zionism? Historian and writer Gil Troy, editor of The Zionist Ideas: Visions for the Jewish Homeland—Then, Now, Tomorrow, will share his understanding of Zionism, shedding light on different historical and contemporary streams of Zionism and their impacts on present-day Israel and Jewry.

Gesher: Building Bridges
2024-02-07 20:00 - 22:00, 2024-02-14 20:00 - 22:00 | MA
Since October 7th, we’ve felt many things—grief, mourning, anger, fear, confusion. And one thing has been missing: dialogue. “Gesher: Building Bridges” is a new Tufts Hillel initiative aimed at bridging the divides within the Jewish community.

Gesher fellows will engage in weekly seminars over 10 weeks to study diverse perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a focus on seeing the other and building bridges, particularly amid the ongoing war. We will delve into important themes, including identity, diaspora, humanization, and challenging hate. This is a student-led fellowship designed for all students—Jewish and allies alike—committed to shared learning, open to new experiences, and respectful toward diverse voices. Fellows will have the opportunity to explore their own views in a challenging, tolerant, and respectful environment. The fellowship will feature a highly subsidized trip over Patriots’ Day Weekend to hear insightful speakers and come together in pursuit of collective healing.

Club Cholent
2024-02-08 14:00 - 15:00 | MA
Come join Tufts Hillel’s first-ever Club Cholent, where we’ll be making cholent for this week’s Shabbat lunch. Feel free to come for as little or as long as you’d like – drop by once or come every session! Don’t enjoy cooking? Come taste each of our Cholents on Saturday afternoon, during Shabbat lunch.

What is cholent, anyways?

Cholent is a traditional stew, prepared prior to Shabbat and slow cooked throughout the day. It stems from both Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewish traditions, with variations on recipe and flavor profile. Bring a favorite recipe, chop some veggies, or just come to taste test! Meat and vegan options (both gluten-free) will be offered.

Challah For Hunger
2024-02-08 15:00 - 20:00 | MA
Challah for Hunger is a group dedicated to doing Tzedakah (charity) through baking and selling Challahs! The current flavors are Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Sugar, Everything Bagel, and Plain. 100% of the proceeds go to Family Table, one of the largest Jewish Food banks in the Greater Boston Area.

Join us to bake, make new friends, and make a difference.

Sign up HERE!

Challah for Hunger - Challah Sale
2024-02-09 10:00 - 13:00 | MA
Are you hungry? If so, stop by the Campus center to buy delicious Challahs! The current flavors are Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Sugar, Everything Bagel, and Plain. 100% of the proceeds go to Family Table, one of the largest Jewish Food banks in the Greater Boston Area.

Shabbat Friday Night
2024-02-09 18:00 - 20:30, 2024-02-16 18:00 - 20:30 | Tufts Hillel-Dining Room, 220 Packard Ave, Medford, MA, 02155
Services and Dinner

Join us for Shabbat services and dinner at Hillel! To help us accommodate you for dinner please sign up via sms/text: Text HILLEL TO 617 420 7411

Shabbat dinner is provided compliments of Hillel. If you are on an unlimited meal plan, or have the resources to do so, please allow us to subsidize your meal by using a meal swipe.

Schedule

6:00pm Candle Lighting & Services

7:00pm Kosher Dinner Vegetarian and meat options

Saturday Morning Services
2024-02-10 10:00 - 12:00 | MA
Join Tufts Hillel for Saturday morning Conservative services throughout the semester. Services will take place at Hillel then followed by lunch.

J-QUEST Diamond Dotz
2024-02-12 19:00 - 20:00 | MA
Would you like to mingle and do fun crafts? Then come to Hillel to do Diamond Dotz with J-QUEST.

All supplies will be provided! All are welcome!

GIM Hispanic/Latin Jewish Community
2024-02-15 20:00 - 21:30 | MA
This snack-based community gathering will be a space for the latin/hispanic jewish community to get to know each other and plan future events to consolidate the community.

Cummings/Hillel Program D.C. Trip
2024-02-17 16:00 - 2024-02-19 20:00 | MA
Join the Cummings/Hillel Program for Holocaust and Genocide Education on its trip to Washington D.C. over Presidents’ Day Weekend (Saturday 2/17-Monday 2/19, 2024).

On this trip, students will visit the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, speak with survivors of various genocides, visit other museums, attend workshops, and engage in activism.

The cost of this trip is $25, which covers all meals, travel, and accommodations.

Reform Inclusivity Conversation
2024-02-20 17:00 - 18:00 | MA
The Reform Inclusivity Conversation is your chance to ask questions and engage in conversations concerning topics like the “right” amount of Jewishness, inclusivity within the Reform community, and how to get involved with your community at any level of observation. Join us for an engaging & insightful conversation!

Casino and Game Night
2024-02-20 19:00 - 20:00 | MA
Casino and Game night is a chance to play poker, black jack, and other fun games with friends after the Tuesday community dinner!

All are welcome to enjoy the games and company!

The Great Yiddish Baking Show Sign Up
2024-02-21 08:00 - 2024-03-01 12:00 | MA
SIGN UP HERE!

We will have four teams of 3 to 4 people compete to be our 2024 Great Yiddish Baking Show champions! Team A will bake from 10-11am. Team B will cook from 11-12pm. Team C will bake from 12-1pm. Team D will bake from 1-2pm. All teams will decorate from 4-4:30pm and judging will be from 4:30-5pm. We ask that at least two of your team members are there at any given time (we know it’s hard to do an event on a Monday!) This is a limited event and spots are first-come, first-serve. Once we have our teams set, we will reach out about recipes (you get to pick your own!) and more details.

With your group, come up with a list of ingredients you will need for your cake – the challenge is to incorporate at least one traditional Jewish ingredient or flavor into your recipe. Send us your recipe no later than March 1st so we can verify kashrut + procure your items! We will also be getting cake pans, so let us know if you have any size/shape specifications. We will be providing frosting/icing/decorative elements so no need to include that in your recipe. Keep in mind the limitations of the Hillel kitchen (no stand-mixer or hand mixers.) You will have exactly one hour to prepare your batter using the ingredients in front of you and get it in the oven. Once your cake is finished cooking, it will be put into the fridge to cool, and later you will come back and decorate your cake with your team. You will have half an hour to decorate. The judges will be brought in to judge your cakes based on their presentation, flavor, creativity, and Jewish-ness. After the judges make their decision, all members of all teams will be able to try any/all of the cakes! The winning team will receive a special prize…

Challah For Hunger-
2024-02-21 15:00 - 20:00 | MA

Forgiveness and Responsibility: Dinner and Discussion
2024-02-21 18:00 - 19:00 | MA
What does the Talmud say about interpersonal drama, forgiveness, and responsibility? And what does this mean for us today, particularly as college students? Join us for dinner and a student-led Talmud study/discussion, about Forgiveness and Responsibility from the days of the Talmud to our own lives today. Everyone is welcome – no experience in text study necessary!
