Inside the mind of Kerry Chaplin, rabbinic intern at Hillel

There are many rabbis at UCLA. The Jewish Awareness Movement has two, Chabad has one, and Hillel has three full-time rabbis and one rabbinic intern. Each of these people brings his or her unique perspectives to prayer services, learning groups,…

Flashback to the year

It’s been a long year at UCLA, marked by special Hillel bashes (such as Joe Bruin’s Bear Mitzvah), USAC elections, and USAC- and BDS-related drama. To wrap up the year, Ha’Am has compiled a list of some of the most…

Grand opening of 10th Annual Student Photo Exhibit at Hillel

Every year, the Hillel at UCLA Dortort’s Center for Creativity in the Arts puts on a juried, themed photo contest, open to all UCLA students. This year was the 10th anniversary with a theme of “Home is…,” run by Perla…

Israel in three dimensions, no glasses required

I love Israel. You love Israel. We all love Israel — but in order not to descend into childish song and let the discussion end there, it is necessary to educate ourselves about the nation we love so much. For…

Editorial: A response to accusations of Islamophobia and false light shed on the Jewish and pro-Israel community, and USAC candidates

Despite centuries of hostility and animosity, it is always a refreshing endeavor to explore the many similar experiences and values shared by the Abrahamic faiths. Of central importance to all Abrahamic religions is the sanctity of the spoken and written…

Photo Essay: Yom Ha’Atzmaut 2014

Every year, Bruins for Israel organizes a Yom Ha’Atzmaut or Israel Independence Day celebration in Bruin Plaza (also known as i-Fest), and this year was no exception. In honor of Israel’s 66th birthday, BFI brought music, dance, shwarma, and info…

Jew-SAC Candidates: Jewish Identities and School Politics

If you have a Facebook account, then you are well aware that it is election season at UCLA. The Undergraduate Students Association Council — the governing body of the Undergraduate Students Association — annually holds elections Spring Quarter to elect…

Remembering the Unforgettable

An Encounter with the Past: After high school, I spent a year studying at a yeshiva in Israel. During one of the breaks I joined some of my peers on an organized trip to Poland, called Shorashim. Shorashim is the…

BFI President-Elect Reflects and Looks Forward

The divestment bill most recently proposed to the Undergraduate Student Association Council on Feb. 25 significantly impacted the dynamics of Bruins for Israel; Eytan Davidovits, the newly-appointed president of the Israel advocacy club on campus, aims to alter those dynamics…