A few weeks ago, I attended the most recent University of California Regents’ meeting as a public commentator. Along with with many other concerned students, I stood before and pleaded to the UC Board of Regents to revise the language…
Old mosaic, new eyes: Israel in 3D with the Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies
Two weeks ago I wrote an article about Jerusalem, its vibrant energy, and the stubborn distance between its different groups. I ended with a suggestion, a hope, and a recycled Lennon lyric: let us recognize that despite the differences, we…
Art: an alternative means of interfaith?
Sponsored and funded by the Pamela and Randol Schoenberg Foundation, the Fine Art Show located at Hillel on May 21 drew dozens of applicants and 150 viewers, and left the winner with $1,000 and the Philliss and Lou Mann Prize…
L’Chaim to Rabbi Chaim: Celebrating 40 years of service to Hillel at UCLA
Portrait of Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller in his Hillel office at URC, a selection from “Looking for a Rabbi: Photographs by Shelley Gazin, 1999-2001.” (Copyright 2015. Shelley Gazin. All Rights Reserved.) _______________ Some would start a farewell address to Rabbi Chaim…
The path from Hebrew major to the Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies, 56 years in the making
Illustration by Rivka Cohen ________________ Assuming all other suitable conversation topics have been dealt with, sitting around a bar table, one might wonder aloud what the role of Jewish Studies is at a large public university. Is it to provide…
What is SWANA?
Cartography by Simone Dvoskin _________________ A new paradigm has been gradually emerging at UCLA. Iranian students, Armenian students, students from Arab countries and others are coming together to create a new, broader identity. SWANA, which stands for Southwest Asia and…
A New Kind of Israel Advocacy
Illustration by Rivka Cohen _______________ The end of the year marks an unexpected beginning for our Jewish community: a new pro-Israel group. Students Supporting Israel has been growing internationally since 2012, recently embarking on a chapter here at UCLA. The…
Connection between Kippah and Hijab
Illustration by Jordana Attias __________________ The print version of this article contained an error and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for more information. If you were to take a walk around the UCLA campus, you would…
A First Amendment problem and what UCLA should do about it
Illustration by Allison Hernandez __________________ It’s the first day of the quarter and your professor has just handed out copies of her syllabus and course schedule. Scanning down the list of assignments, quizzes and exams, you pencil them into your…
Two years later: Q&A with former USAC president David Bocarsly
Photo courtesy of David Bocarsly ________________ David Bocarsly is a former Undergraduate Student Association Council member who served as General Representative from 2011-2012 and USAC’s 100th president during 2012-2013. He is currently in New York finishing a 9-month Coro Fellowship…