Photo courtesy of Shanel Melamed Within the Jewish Bruin community, civic engagement is a matter that is not taken lightly. At Hillel at UCLA, for example, students are given the opportunity to immerse themselves in a number of programs such…
Professor Hakak Retires from UCLA After Over 40 Years on Campus
(Photo by Inbar Goren) As the school year comes to a close, UCLA will be saying farewell to Lev Hakak, a professor of Hebrew Language and Literature in the Center for Jewish Studies and the Department of Near Eastern Languages…
Best of Trader Joe’s: Kosher Edition
Spring quarter at UCLA is perhaps one of the busiest periods of the year for Bruins. In addition to sitting in and studying for classes, students often spend this time preparing for graduate school admission exams, applying for last-minute internships…
Taste of Torah: The Priests
Passover is a holiday filled with learning — friends and family gather to recount the story of the Jewish people’s journey from slavery to freedom and to ask questions throughout the process. Following the Passover seder, the learning continues through…
Hillel Speaker Series featuring Dr. Saba Soomekh
The new Hillel Speaker Series, a weekly event featuring a notable scholar or leader in the Jewish community, has created a forum at which students can explore Jewish identity. This past week, students had the opportunity to learn with Dr.…
The Plasco Building: A Reflection
Panic struck the people of Tehran, Iran on January 19, 2017 as they watched the city’s beloved, 17-story Plasco Building collapse to the ground. The incident is believed to have been caused by a fire that started in the morning…
Persian Jewish Life at UCLA: A Reflection
At UCLA, Bruins are encouraged on a daily basis to familiarize themselves with their origins so as to better understand how their identities were formed and have shaped their lives. Persian Jewish Bruins are no exception to this campus phenomenon.…
Kosher Thanksgiving— Trader Joe’s Style
Photo courtesy of pixabay Thanksgiving is, perhaps, one of the American people’s most beloved holidays and with good reason. It is a day during which we emphasize the values of gratitude, humility and community. At the same time, it is…
Taste of Torah: The Ethical Side of Sukkot
It is fascinating that we can read the weekly Torah portion and find some point that resonates most with us. This week’s Torah reading, that of Sukkot, poses no exception. In the portion we read on Sukkot, found in Leviticus…
Kosher Korner: Oatmeal, a brain-boosting breakfast
Friends and family members have often told me that I am a bit of a Trader Joe’s fanatic. Why not join the club? Just take a trip to the closest Trader Joe’s in town and you will find that they…