Festivals and crowds of people I don’t know have never really been my ‘thing’. On top of that, people kept telling me the Queen Mary is haunted – which is also not really my ‘thing’. However, after going to my second Jewlicious Festival, I find myself wondering how much it would cost to fly back to Long Beach and attend next year’s Jewlicious Festival.  And this only a little bit has to do with the fact that I did not encounter any ghosts while staying aboard the beautiful and not at all haunted Queen Mary.

As a senior at Cal State Long Beach, I have long been aware that there was an infamous gathering of Jewish youth and professionals that happened annually in our city. I’ve heard stories upon stories of amazing and sometimes unreal-sounding experiences that range from getting zero sleep for three days-straight to having a life-changing epiphany while in a heated discussion with a Rabbi at 2am (I’m sure you’re seeing a pattern here…). Now, as I mentioned before, I was never really interested in not sleeping and getting in arguments with Rabbis and so I stayed away for a few years, which is something I now mildly regret.

This past weekend was my first time back at Jewlicious Festival  in a few years and certainly my first time attending on the Queen Mary. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t absolutely nervous and even stressed about it. Who will I meet? Will my friends be there? Are people going to be nice? Are they just trying to convert me and get me to be more religious? What If I don’t want to pray all the time? As I checked into my room on Friday, these and many other questions were running through my head. The biggest, though, was ‘What in the world did I just get myself into?’. Lucky for me though, I had gotten myself into something very good indeed.

Not only is everyone a little nervous on Friday, as it turns out, but everyone wants to make a friend, too. So as I wandered around the boat, hopelessly lost and still pretty sure I may see a ghost, people reached out and talked to me. I ended up looking for rooms and going to talks with new friend after new friend and absolutely everyone I passed in the hallways said “Hello.” Just like that, a community of Jewlicious Festival-goers had been built. And we hadn’t even had dinner yet.

As a camp counselor, I couldn’t help but think Jewlicious Festival is like camp for young adults. Other than the fact that we are fed and entertained all day, camp is the only other place I have ever been with a community this intense in this short of a time. It doesn’t matter what we had been doing with our lives up until this point, because simply by arriving we all had something huge in common and to bond over.

Every Jewlicious Festival event, crowd and experience is different. The talks you attend and the activities you do will change every year and be different for every person. But there are a few things I feel happen at every Jewlicious Festival regardless of who you are and what you’re doing.  First, is that food will be provided every hour of every day.  Second, is that Rockstar will be provided every hour of every day. Third, you will walk away with a new friend, whether or not you are trying to make new friends. Going through an eye-opening and new experience is one of the strongest bonds humans can have and, just by being on that boat for the weekend, you automatically have things in common with people around you. Fourth, you will learn something new. I learned about myself and my comfort levels in making new friends, but others shared with me their life lessons that included things like their future job career and new hobbies. Fifth, and finally, you will do something new. And that, is not an opportunity that comes around very often.

Friday began with an open art area and a café that allowed the attendees to explore the boat and grab a bite to eat while meeting each other and getting acquainted. The night really began during the sunset yoga sessions followed by multiple services offered to match any religious level. After the Shabbat feast and some much needed peer bonding (food has a way of doing that, especially in Jewish culture), we all headed into the evening’s main attraction: TED-style talks. The talks revolved around edgy and current topics like entrepreneurship, Jewish lust and erotica and even social media. Going on at the same time as the TED talks were a talk on business stuff by Elia and one on tattoos and Judaism by Rabbi Drew Kaplan. The night culminated in a talk by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on “Kosher Lust” and other dating advice. Though some of the talks led to shocking and occasionally uncomfortable places, they were all the more interesting and insightful for having done so.

Shabbat continued on Saturday with more yoga, meditation and services of all kinds. Rabbi Drew also led a discussion on the four cups of wine at the Passover Seder. The main event of the morning was a more than moving visit from Megan & Grace Phelps, two ex-congregants of the Westboro Baptist church. These two amazing girls candidly spoke on their emotional and spiritual journey from leaving their family to arriving at Jewlicious Festival. Candice Lebowitz, a CSULB student, said that “they are inspiring because they said to stick to your beliefs and to not let others take control over your life, they have that incentive to fight for what we believe in.”

   After lunch, a few more talks were offered concerning relationships, mentorships and puppy ownership to fit any interest a Jewlicious Festival attendee may have. Just before dinner, the second major talk of the day occurred with Rob Eshman, publisher and Editor In-Chief of the Los Angeles Jewish Journal and Consul General David Siegal. The two men chatted about diversity and current affairs in Israel, the negatives and positives. We then gathered for a beautiful musical Havdallah service by candlelight and filled with singing and dancing.  Dinner was served with a series of hilarious screen shorts by Jessie Kahnweiler called “Dude, Where’s My Chutzpah?”. The night was capped by a boat-rocking concert with the famous Rami Jaffee playing with Jonny Kaplan and the Lazy Stars and an epic dance party. Zach Katona, another CSULB student, summed up the night very well, by saying “no matter what music is playing, the people at Jewlicious Festival know how to have fun and get down.”

Sunday began with a morning service out on the deck in the sunshine and a bagel brunch. Rabbi Drew led a discussion on Jewish wisdom about sleep, which was particularly appropriate, since we everbody hadn’t gotten enough sleep during the weekend.  Everyone took advantage of the wonderful weather and hung out outside for mimosas and some talks regarding medical marijuana and how to stay involved in festivities like Jewlicious. Sunday ended with a lively and fun Samba carnival with dancers on stilts, drums and of course lots of audience participation.

The weekend was a roaring success for all those who attended and spoke. Young Jewish adults from all over were able to come together and enjoy not only each other’s company, but explore their own Jewishness and learn from Jewish leaders and mentors. Everyone who was in attendance took home something vital, whether it be a new friend or a new outlook on their own Jewish identity.

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As Director of Beach Hillel. I am working 24/7 to reach Jewish students in Long Beach – with more than 25 programs in the last month alone.  I coordinate on-campus and off-campus programs that are having a huge impact every day on hundreds of students lives, and on the future of the Jewish community.

Just in the last weeks we have sponsored huge Shabbat Dinners, Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur services, delicious kiddushes, Break-the-Fast, Hebrew Hammer Softball Team & Post-Game parties, Apple & Honey Table, Campus Sukkah, Hunger Relief Tzedek program, and the Sukkah Hop.

50-80 students and recent alumni come for Shabbat dinner at our home. They squeeze around the table, which stretches into the hallway, and sit on the floor.

In our backyard, we have a 30 ft. long  Sukkah where students and young adults sang and enjoyed being together, and ate delicious meals for Sukkot, our Fall harvest Festival.

Making sure each student is reached and can participate takes a huge investment in time and money. Please be a partner for our Support a Student for Shabbat Campaign in any amount today online. It will go directly to pay for Shabbat Meals for Jewish college students.

Consider this – if we were not hosting students for Shabbat Dinner – Jewish students would be without a vibrant Jewish activity where they connect with Jewish friends.

Any amount will make a big difference – $100, $50, $36 – please sponsor a student today and  make a donation!

Thank you for your time and your generosity. May you and your family be blessed with a sweet and healthy New Year.

Rachel Bookstein
Director,
Beach Hillel

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 — The United States maintained its role as the leading supplier of weapons to the developing world in 2006, followed by Russia and Britain, according to a Congressional study to be released Monday. Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia were the top buyers.

The global arms market is highly competitive, with manufacturing nations seeking both to increase profits and to expand political influence through weapons sales to developing nations, which reached nearly $28.8 billion in 2006.

If you want to keep up with the American Arms biz you can check out the Federation of American Scientist’s Arms Sales Monitoring Project. In the last ten years, while we know alot more about where the arms go, the numbers just keep growing. They get shipped to one region to fight one war. Stolen, sold, or transferred to another region to fight another war. They end up in the hands of children and teens posing as soldiers gunning down innocents. But if you believe the NRA, it’s not guns that kill people – people kill people. Right Mr. Two-Gun Rudy formerly the politician known as Tough on Guns Mayor Rudy? Who all of a sudden made a u-turn on guns, when he realized the power of the NRA. But lest we digress. Guns are big biz, and Uncle Sam is the main Arms Mart to the world, and it doesn’t look good on our balance sheet.

From the Narrows I Was Liberated
A Rosh Hashanah Drasha/Dvar Torah
Prepared for Hillel by Rabbi Yonah Bookstein

“Min ha-meitzar, karati Yah, anani ba-merchav Yah. Out of the narrows of distress I called upon God, God answered me with liberation (Psalm 118:5).”

With these words we introduce the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. Hearing the shofar is the only precept/mitzvah we have on Rosh Hashanah. Shofar is the essence and symbol of the holiday.

With these same words we cast our sins metaphorically into fresh waters during Tashlich, one of our most esoteric and forgotten rituals. After understanding the meaning of this verse, and the Tashlich ceremony, a beautiful way to unlock the spiritual mission of Rosh Hashanah is revealed.

In the Me’am Loaz, 18th century Ladino-Turkish commentary, it is written that this verse recounts the occasion of King David’s deliverance: “Out of a narrow place, where I found myself standing, with no way to turn, right or left—from the depths of my despair—I called upon God for deliverance…. God took me out into a broad expanse. Just as King David did not despair of redemption, we are not to give up hope even in the midst of the most terrible distress of exile….”

The Hebrew word tashlich means “you shall cast away.” The entire custom is based on Micah (7:19) “And You shall cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Tashlich is performed in the afternoon on the first day of Rosh Hashanah (except on years when the first day is Shabbat, and the custom is moved to Sunday). Some recite Tashlich on the eighth day of Tishrei, and it can even be recited until Hoshanah Rabba, which is, according to real kabbalah, the last opportunity for repentance.

Tashlich is preferably recited near running waters that sustain life. Praying by a body of water reminds us of Creation and its purpose, and Rosh Hashanah is also the anniversary of Creation. Water is a sign of humility, as it says in Lamentations, “pour out your heart like water before the face of God.” Our insecurities and weaknesses, which were blocking our growth, can be washed away like water and disappear. The Shechinah, the indwelling presence of God, symbol of purity, mikvah, is strong near water. We pray by water as we seek to purify ourselves and seek the presence of the Shechinah in our lives.

The verses that make up the main prayers of Tashlich have special kabbalistic meanings and are taken from Micah, Psalms, and Isaiah. They correspond to attributes of God mentioned in the Torah, such as “God is slow to anger, great in love, and forgiving sin and rebellion….The Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, as water covers the sea.” After shaking out our garments and pockets, casting crumbs in the waters, many have a custom to recite a prayer for parnasa, to make an honest living.

Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews observe Tashlich, though there is no direct reference of it in the Talmud or early rabbinic writings. Even the16th century Codex of Jewish law, the Shulchan Aruch, has barely a mention of it. Tashlich seems to be an invention to help Jews complete their spiritual mission on Rosh Hashanah.

The spiritual mission of Rosh Hashanah emanating from the sound of the Shofar is strong, penetrating, yet ultimately wordless. The Shofar is a primal, genetic call. However, as the distance from the Shofar blasts accompanying the giving of the Torah grew, the message of the shofar needed to be deciphered. That is why Tashlich was created.

Tashlich does not have more potential or reach spiritually higher than the shofar. Tashlich translates the meaning of the call of the shofar into terms and prayers that we can fathom. That is why the Shofar and Tashlich use the same verse, “From the narrows…liberation.” And what are we saying?

God, I am really stuck here, in this rut, these habits, bad relationships, unhealthy modes of thinking, in dead end jobs. I am broke — financially and spiritually — and I ask you from the depth of this despair, can you help? Can you offer me a hand God?

As we stand by living water, in the presence of the Shechinah, we pour out our hearts like water, the barriers to spiritual and personal growth are washed away, and we hear the voice of King David echoing throughout Jewish and personal history, from Egypt till the Crusades, from Babylon to the Holocaust, from enlightenment to assimilation — I will not give up on you Jewish people, don’t give up on Me. Here, take my hand.

“Out of the narrows of distress I called upon God, God answered me with liberation.”

…Those who know the retired federal judge say Mukasey, an Orthodox Jew, is a political conservative who kept his politics and religion out of the courtroom.

That’s in marked contrast to his predecessor, the scandal-plagued Alberto Gonzales, who resigned this month despite Bush’s best efforts to retain him. Gonzales’ tenure was marked by his loyalty to Bush and oft-repeated only-in-America story as the child of Mexican immigrants.

As a judge, Mukasey broke with the White House on a key anti-terrorism issue by ruling that a suspect must have access to a lawyer. And unlike some other judges, he has abjured involvement in Jewish advocacy.

“Some judges have improperly remained active in Jewish organizational life while they were on the bench,” said Marc Stern, counsel to the American Jewish Congress. “It’s a testament to his probity that he was not among them.”

That does not mean his Judaism is not deeply felt….

Voting will take place May 1st-May 5th, so we invite your candidate applications ASAP! If you are interested, please email Rachel at Rachel@beachhillel.com, or call Lisa or Rachel discuss anything. Each candidate should write a BRIEF platform stating what thier goals are for Hillel next year. You can come into the office on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday next week and vote in person! And Tuesday we will bring the voting to the Friendship Walk for Israel’s birthday! We look forward to hearing from you. We know next year is going to be a great one!

click here to watch video

http://www.memri.org/video/

Tehran, Iran, Apr. 20 – An Iranian man was flogged in public in the city of Karaj, north-west of Tehran, for drinking alcohol, a state-run daily reported on Thursday.

The man, identified only as Afrasiab H., was flogged 74 times on Wednesday morning, the daily Javan wrote.

The sentence was carried out in a public in the district of Mohammad-Shahr.

Afrasiab was also charged with selling alcoholic beverages.

Thousands of young people are flogged in Iran each year on trivial charges that include drinking alcohol, attending mixed-sex parties, and sexual misconduct. Iran’s Judiciary views flogging as the appropriate punishment for combating moral crimes, particularly among the youth. Islamic judges insist on carrying out the punishment in town squares, as “a lesson for all to see”.

Note: Abdel Malik Ali praised Iran as the only “true” Islamic country in the world during his recent talk in Feb. on behalf of the MSA of CSULB, a club which receives nearly ten of thousand dollars of student money annually. I wonder if there will be a “FLogging 101 Workshop” during Islam Awareness Month at CSULB?