What Makes You Struggle Makes you Stronger

The summer is nearly over and once again we are headed back to school to enrich our minds and to return to a more regular schedule. I know for myself, this summer has been a learning opportunity as to how it relates to my Judaism.

I spent the summer in Toronto, Ontario where Jews and Judaism is ever present right around the corner. Kosher food in the markets in plenty. Three large synagogues within walking distance. Most of all, there is an overwhelming sense of normalcy in being a Jew.

In Eugene, back home in Oregon, it is a daily struggle, a challenge to be a Jew. Very little Kosher food, few Jews, and yet, those are the major reasons I feel like a strong Jew.

While here, I worked at Jewish Community Center Day Camp that was three or four times the size of the one we have at home. More counselors, kids, activities, Jews. I wore my kipa (skullcap) every day that I felt comfortable, as is my rule with myself. And that led them to such strong assumptions as to who I was and who I was supposed to be.

This taught me a very important lesson: There is nothing more significant than creating a personal and unique Judaism.

Of course, two people may agree as to their beliefs and even on how to observe those beliefs, but in the end, we each stand alone, looking into the metaphorical mirror and have to live with what we believe and how we choose to act on those.

So, with the summer ending, and the school year beginning, I would like to offer these suggestions and challenges to each of you as I myself undertake them.

Learn more about your Judaism. Study with friends, parents, teachers, and those around you. There is so much to learn about everything, take advantage of that.

Try new things. I, for example, am going to attempt to pray every morning. It is something I've wanted to do, but never actually done. Try doing something like this for yourself. Light candles before you go out on Friday night to recognize the Sabbath or try and eat less non-Kosher things. Or try and do something that is meaningful to you.

How are you going to strengthen your personal Judaism? How are you going to take the opportunity of the new school year?

Jeremy Markiz

Get Involved with Jew of O

Summer is ending, but that means a new year of Jew of O!

As we kick start our school year, we invite everyone who is interested to get involved with Jew of O.

Who are we?

Starting last spring, Jew of O started as a project to expand discourse surrounding Judaism. We are a group of students who want to have the much needed conversation about what it means to be a Jewish student today. We come from all different backgrounds, have different opinions, and have different answers to questions.

As Jew of O has grown, and so have we. This is why we are so excited for this new year to start. We encourage all to come and write a post about your Jewish thoughts.

There are lots of ways to get involved with Jew of O. You can write, as we previously mentioned, or you can help us spread the word of our project, or you can do something else, we love people taking their ideas and making them happen. All you gotta do is send us an email!

With that, have a great rest of the summer and we hope to hear from you soon.

For more information on getting involved, email jewofo@gmail.com

Four Ways How You Can Make Shabbat Special

Shabbat is the special time of week when we have the opportunity to refresh. I don't mean we sleep in, although we do, but instead I mean that we have the opportunity to refresh ourselves spiritually. I would like to offer four reasons as to why you should take some time to make Shabbat special.

1. Learn or do something new or different

One can make Shabbat special by doing prayers, rituals (like lighting candles), or learning something new about the day. By doing this, Shabbat is sanctified by the recollection of what this day means. Shabbat was the day God rested after the creation of the universe and we are taking the time to recognize how amazing that creation truly is.

2. Have a dinner with good friends

Friday nights are great nights to sit down with a couple of good friends and have a nice dinner. By sitting down, having a nice dinner, and talking to people we love, we make this time special because we are enjoying ourselves. On Shabbat, we are to forget the stresses and worries of the week and give ourselves that fantastic chance to just have a good time.

3. Cleaning or Organizing

Having a clean home, or at least one that is put together creates a strong feeling of completion and achievement. Ending the week feeling accomplished will set the tone for your weekend and your Shabbat. In addition, welcoming in Shabbat, our spiritual companion, to a clean home can be a great way to make Shabbat special.

4. Doing Nothing

A very difficult thing to do, but one of the best, is to do nothing at all. I don't mean just hanging out, but the purposeful and concentrated time of doing nothing. Just sitting and existing, appreciating what we have as Jews and as just people.

I struggle to make my Shabbat as special and as spiritual as I imagine it could be, but I try each week to do something new, or better to achieve that goal. I offer you all these suggestions.

What do you do to make Shabbat Special? Why should we make Shabbat special other than just relaxing?

Jeremy Markiz

My very own Shabbat

I work for Hillel. Well right now I don't work for anyone. I am a freelance professional Jew for 28 more days. So for the first time in a while I have a lot of time to sit around and think about... well Jewish stuff. Okay, so its not much different then some of my previously employed mental meanderings, but there's a different twist. I find myself wondering what its going to look like for me and my Jewish self... if you will.

I started thinking about making Challah tomorrow since I'm going to be home for the day. I never did this as a kid, but after working around students who found so much joy in making Challah every Shabbat, I find myself craving it.

I started thinking about Shabbat in general. I love Shabbat. I do. I big-'ole-heart Shabbat. At my next job I will only be required to work two Friday's a month, as the students do a potluck Shabbat in each other's homes' the other two. And it hit me: I can have Shabbat! Hm, it sounds like such a strange thought. For the last two years, I worked to provide some sort of meaningful Shabbat experience for students, and through that, I have learned so much. My Friday's have been composed of study, and cooking. I learned as I watched a few students decide to hit up the local river, weekly, even in the winter, for mikvah. I learned to shop Kosher, I learned to COOK Kosher, I about different ways that people want to pray, and I learned about all the different ways people like to enjoy Shabbat. I got to re-experience Shabbat in Israel! I saw students create the environments they wanted, sometimes to people's enjoyment, sometimes to people's disappointment, but either way it was a unique experience. I have learned so much, but I forgot how much I just love it. And now that I have this opportunity again to have it for myself... what will that look like?


Potlucks? Well most definitely....


--
Ruth Kerman

Why are we at University?

As I wind my way through my experiences here at the University of Oregon, I see a lot of variety. People from many backgrounds, different majors, different friends, involved in different clubs. This, in my opinion, is one of the best parts about being here.

Another amazing thing about being here is the opportunity to grow as individuals. To ask good questions, to dissect the meaning of life, and to take people with you on a journey of understanding (a bit grandiose I know but you catch my drift).

However, when I look back on the people I know and ask generally, are they taking advantage of all the amazing opportunities that exist? The answer is a resounding, no. What I do see are people who party instead of study, drink instead of read, and who skip class because they are too hungover on a Tuesday. What a waste of time and money.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for partying and enjoying oneself in social situations, but is there not a time and a place for it all?

I suppose my question is, why are we here at University?

My answer is that we are here to find our passions, make connections, learn about ourselves, and to discover as many things as possible on as many topics as possible. The way I do that is I ask questions. I ask as many as I can possibly think of. I use Google search all the time. My to-do list contains the word research all over the place.

I offer to you all this: Lets take the stereotype of constant partying out of the picture and really try and learn about who we are. Lets ask the questions that are important to us. And finally lets really try and take advantage of all that we have in front of us.

Which ways are you taking advantage of your university experience? Do you think others are doing the same?

Jeremy Markiz

Joining the Jewish Community Was a Covert Mission

Joining the Jewish community was a covert mission, aimed at expanding my Jewish knowledge. I embarked with trepidation, intimidated by knowledgeable insiders. I dreaded people asking “are you Jewish?” and feeling obligated to divulge innocent bystanders in a detailed account of my ancestry. I felt like I was trespassing on the identity of others that somehow I did not deserve. Among other Jews, I was constantly waiting for my ticket to be validated or my cover to be blown. I became accustomed to listening, rather than participating. I took mental notes of terms and phrases that I would later research.

My personal relationship with Hillel and the greater Jewish community has become strengthened within the past couple years. I owe this shift to my grandmother. Spring of 2006, I left the University of Oregon. I returned to my hometown with plans to attend community college and act as a caregiver for my Grandma Bunny, age 97. I returned home prepared for social isolation, but I had not anticipated a shift in perspective. As I spent time with my grandmother it became clear that she lived in fear of her own identity. She lived through a time when Jewish people were persecuted for their beliefs. They were marginalized and categorized. My Grandma Bunny, stubborn on all accounts, was reluctant to claim her Jewish background. During the holidays she masqueraded as a member of the religious majority. She hung Christmas decorations and insisted that it was easier to pretend. She was convinced that her friendships with neighbors and caretakers would be compromised if they knew her true Jewish identity. Mostly she was tired, she did not have enough energy left for conflict.

My grandmother will always be in my heart. I want to celebrate and enjoy my culture in ways that she was never able to. As a tribute to my Grandma Bunny, I resolved to explore Judaism. Upon my return to the University of Oregon I committed to attending Hillel Shabbat services for an entire term or until I felt comfortable, whichever came first. I fulfilled my term commitment and felt motivated to continue. However, I was still waiting. Without realizing it, I was allowing the perceptions of others to restrict my personal growth.

My advice to new members of the Jewish community: take an introspective approach. Determine why Judaism is important to you. Acceptance in the Jewish community is great, but it should not be the main objective. Be true to yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Do not compensate for your own misgivings by attempting to hide under the cultural umbrella of others. Note: dating a Jewish guy (while fun) does not make you Jewish. Instead, learn about Judaism to satisfy your own personal curiosity. Enroll in a Judaic Studies class or take advantage of resources at UO. I can’t help but laugh at the irrational abundance of fear I once felt. The Jewish community is an ally, not an arch-nemesis. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have gained and the many relationships that I deeply value. Thanks for being patient with me Oregon Jews. This journey has been incredibly meaningful.

Whitney Pollack

Why I love "Jewish"

Growing up in what I always described as a "white-bread, bible-belt" town, my Judaism was not something I really thought about a lot. I was Jewish, and my friends were not; that was it. This lead to many a Jewish holiday shared with my classmates, as my father would come to my Elementary classes around Christmas to teach about Channukah and usually we'd play Dreidel. At every Passover Seder and Channukah celebration each of us kids got to bring a friend along and by high school my close friends (mostly varying degrees of Catholics, some Mormons and Baptists ) considered themselves Jews by association. They knew the prayers, knew the traditions, and above all, saw the way my family came together. My best friend, Megan, eventually began to walk around touting the phrase "I love Jewish!" And I thought it was, cute, but I'd never really given much thought to it.

The exchange of religion growing up, however, was not one-sided. Like I said, I grew up in a very conservative town, think the movie "Saved" meets "Stepford Wives." On a regular basis, I would go to Church with my friends after spending the night, or youth group where they held leadership, and even to Bible Study every so often. I usually really enjoyed this exchange, but I didn't know a lot of my own feelings about Judaism, except for the extreme pride I had in being one of the few Jews I knew. I had an expereince one evening attending Bible study at one of the most conservative Baptist Churches in town. The youth pastor pointed out 2 verses to the group (from the new testament), and asked who thought the two verses contradicted each other. I read them, and as far as I was concerned, they did. The verses may as well have been arguing that the sky was blue vs. red. To my surprise I was the ONLY one in the room with their hand raised. At which point, I was blasted by the youth pastor who exclaimed, "the Bible NEVER contradicts itself."

I came home from the whole experience quite confused, and my father simply pointed out, "that's what so great about being Jewish Ruth, we are supposed to disagree, supposed to ask questions, we are constanstly supposed to be figuring it out."

From the moment I was a little girl, my dad has said those very words to me. Judaism has instilled in me the value of questioning, never taking things at face value, and always believing there is more to be learned or understood. There are refrences to this all throughout Judaism. The word Israel means "one who wrestles with G-d;" the Talmud presents differing commentary and interpretations from Rabbinic scholars, with no seeming rush to resolve these differences. Why? Because Judaism thrives on the process of the discussion, not the answer.

I have been lucky enough to have such conversations in my time here at Oregon, and it has helped bring my feeling of Judasim full circle. When I was younger, my Dad implored me to always ask questions, in both my secular life and Judaism, but I didn't make the connection. Now, when I think about Megan, and her constant high pitched proclamation "I LOVE JEWISH" I am infused with my new understandings of this beautiful culture.

Ruth Kerman

Appearance Update

As you may have seen, we've changed our look a little. You may see that happen from time to time while we attempt to figure out exactly how we want to appear. Don't be alarmed, all is well.

We would like to encourage at this point, people to come and write for us! The more authors the better and so we invite everyone who wants to come and write. All you have to do is email jewofo@gmail.com with your post or just email us with your information and we'll get back to you about our policies.

That said, we hope you enjoy what we've posted so far with much more to come!

Shavuot

Last Thursday began the Holiday of Shavuot, considered by many to be one of the most important on the Jewish calendar, which recalls the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Revelation at Mount Sinai. It is a traditional custom to study all night.

In that light, I am only going to ask some questions that have been sitting with me since Shavuot. I feel that the Jewish Tradition necessitates questions which is why I am going to do so now:

Revelation was so long ago, why is it still relevant to us today, as University of Oregon students? As A. J. Heschel said, Revelation was an event that we still grapple with today instead of continuing to experience, what does this mean? Do students really study all night on Shavuot? What can the 10 Commandments mean to me? Is the Torah divinely written, inspired, or completely of human construction? Is the Torah really perfect? Why was Hebrew chosen as the language of the Torah? What does it mean to see sound? What does God's voice sound like? Does it have a sound? Should I be able to hear it? What place does Torah have in my life? What if I don't have answers? Should I have answers?

I encourage you all to comment with some of your questions.

Jeremy Markiz

Interdating

So I have to admit, this is the very first blog I have ever written. I'm going to give it a shot and see how it turns out.
Lately I've spent some time thinking about dating specifically interdating. As I overhear the conversations of the girls in my residence halls about how they spent the night partying at a fraternity party and met some really cute boys, I can't help but think about my own dating scene. I don't mean to be superficial, that's not the point of writing these thoughts. It's more the realization that for me, meeting some charming male seems to be no piece of cake.
Since a young age, my parents engrained in me the importance of dating within the Jewish religion with the assumption that I would marry a Jewish man. They never told me I couldn't date a non Jewish man, but there was an unspoken understanding.
When I confront my peers about their opinion about interdating, over and over again I hear both genders say, "I'm not going to marry her, I won't marry him, it's just temporary and for fun." I constantly find myself refuting these statements.
Perhaps my Judaism is such a vast part of my being that to share myself with another human being, that person must have a mutual understanding of my heritage, ancestery, traditions and culture?
During my year in Israel, I vividly remember participating in an educational session about American Jewry. The person leading the discussion asked the 70 participants in the room to raise their hands if they had any non-Jewish relatives. Of the 70 students, there were 2 whose hands were not raised. This statistic shocked me. I sat in disbelief and began to think, how will the Jewish people ever survive if people do not see the importance of dating and marrying within our religion?
I would love to hear what you think...Is interdating different then intermarriage? Does dating always lead to marriage? As university students, where the majority of the population is non Jewish do you see dating as somewhat of a struggle?

Hila David

Memorial Day

This American National Holiday is for the remembrance of those who have fallen in battle protecting the United States. This sparks an interesting set of questions for me. As a student, I am not in the military, and although many of our citizens are currently abroad in many countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan, I don't know anyone who is there. Maybe that says something about me more than most, but it still creates an separation between what is abroad and what is here.

My grandfather served in the Navy during WWII and so I suppose, although I don't know anyone who is currently abroad, I have a certain respect for those who protect their homelands.

This particular day I feel, in a Jewish context can be seen as a beginning of a discussion on memory. What is it to remember? Why do we remember some things and not others?

While I don't have any texts to quote or anything, I have always felt that memories are direct links to the past, either our own personally or the past of the collective. The Jewish people, it appears, have one of the strongest connections to the past. We constantly talk about our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Esther, Ruth, Daniel, need I go on? (I'm sorry but I have to add Tevye, the great character from Fiddler on the Roof) What is the lesson here?

It seems to me that our constant attention to our past and our ancestry teaches us the importance of following in their footsteps. The courage, intelligence, audacity, and the ability to stand up for what one believes in are all things that we can learn from these ancestors.

So on this day, Memorial Day, I have chosen to think about all the things we can learn from those that only exist in our memories.

What have you learned from someone in your memory? What do you think the importance of remembering is? Are there times to forget things?

Jeremy Markiz

Moses: The Responsible One?

I have been doing some serious thinking. Moses is considered by many to be the single most important character in the Torah. A teacher, leader, a prophet, and a man of great conviction, Moses seems to be a potential role model for us all. I am going to explore, over the course of the next couple weeks, or more, what lessons we can learn from him.

The first lesson is how to take responsibility. Now while Moses isn't perfect and really doesn't always embody responsibility, I feel that he can help teach us its importance.

Moses kills an Egyptian while the Israelites were still in Egypt and he buries him in the sand. This action leads to his eventual fleeing of Egypt. Was running from his problem the responsible thing to do? Probably not. However, with some guidance he does return and resolve the issues he runs from. What we can learn from this? We can learn that our problems and issues don't go away and that we have to face them straight on.

Another example of responsibility that we can learn from Moses' experiences, is that he leads the entirety of the Israelite people through the desert. He guides them, leads them, and takes charge of them. That also shows responsibility.

He also takes responsibility for his actions when his anger takes the best of him. He made a mistake and then he paid for it.

These lessons of leading with others in mind and to take the consequences of our actions in stride are some of the many lessons we can learn from Moses on responsibility.

What other examples are there of Moses' responsibility? Do university students need to be more responsible? Can Judaism teach responsibility?

Jeremy Markiz

The Value of Words

For the past week, I have spent a lot of time thinking about the value of words, both spoken and written.  The spoken word, according to traditional Judaism, is permanent and when you say something it can never be destroyed.  This is one of the reasons why Lashon Hara (Evil tongue or Gossip) is considered such a significant issue.

There is a Hasidic thought that I have heard that says that people only have a certain number of words that they can say before dying.  We don't know how many words that is which is why its so important to watch what we say.

I know for myself, I am a talker.  I enjoy discourse.  And as human beings, we like to gossip.  The question that I have is, how can we speak better?  

I think that an important issue to discuss on how we can speak better, is what should we talk about?  What, as students, should we be talking about?  Of course, I don't believe anyone should force anyone else to say, or not say, anything.  But as people, should we be conscious about what we talk about?

I think that as students we have the opportunity to talk, because of our immersion in the education system, about things that really make a difference: What are we doing here? Why should I study history, science, business, or psychology?  Who am I and what is my place in society?

Sadly, I don't really see that.  I see a waste of words.  I am, without doubt, guilty of this as well, and this is something that I'm working on and encourage others to do the same.  Think about what you say, how you say it, and why you say it.  We have an opportunity to be in a place where people are growing as intellectuals and as people, lets take advantage of that!

With that, what ways would you suggest that we can begin to value words?

Jeremy Markiz

Mother's Day

My mother always said, "Be solution oriented." It became, over the years, something that my family says to each other when we are being difficult or getting in our own way.  I always found this both a comforting thing to say, and in retrospect, very Jewish.

The Jewish People have always been a people who are either getting in their own way or being difficult. (There is a reason why we're the "stiff-necked people")  And yet we are here today, as strong as ever, accomplishing incredible things across the planet.  From leaders in climate change, human rights, and comedy, the Jewish people have become (and maybe always were) the people who were always trying to solve or deal with the issues of society.

As university students, we are always getting in our own way with parties, friends, just sitting around because no one is looking over our shoulders.  This is a perfect opportunity to take all those things and put them in the order that we want them to be so that we can solve our issues, like school work, projects for organizations we are in, and anything else.

It is a very Jewish thing, in my opinion, to move beyond the many things that try and get in our way.  As I said, we're still here aren't we?  

Before we wrap up, I've decided that I'm going to end my posts with a couple of questions that either relate to what I wrote about or just somet hings I was thinking about.  This is because I feel that its more important to ask some good questions than get some good answers.

What's Jewish about trying and enacting positive change?

Why is it that Jews always seem to be out there being "movers and shakers"?

So, with Mother's Day here, I offer you this suggestion: Be solution oriented!  

Jeremy Markiz

3 Ways to Be More Spiritual in Daily Life

I've been thinking of ways to do more spiritual things but still Jewish things. Not just for holidays or Shabbat, but for daily life. I enjoy praying, but these are going to be other things you can do to be more spiritual on a day to day basis.

1. First Breath - When you wake in the morning and take your first breaths, think about how beautiful the day is going to be. Think about how you have the opportunity to greatness.

2. Take 5 Minutes - Taking five minutes out of the day to just appreciate what you have around you. May it be health, friends, family, or even just a really delicious burrito, taking a minute to think about where it came from can really put a sense of awe into the moment.

3. Life Lessons - With every little thing that happens to you during the day, there is a lesson to learn.  Take time to reflect on those little lessons.  Those lessons connect you to a greater reality full of life lessons.

I hope all this helps you all become a little bit more spiritual.

Jeremy Markiz

Midterm Exams

In the Torah, as well as some Midrashim (rabbinic interpretations) that state: doing a mitzvah (commandment or good deed) completely is like fulfilling the whole Torah. For example, it says about Shabbat, "When one keeps Shabbat, it is as though he had fulfilled the whole Torah." What does this mean? How does have anything to do with me, as a University student?

This statement teaches us that if we do something with all of our heart and with all of our focus, we will have suceeded in fulfilling our obligations. Can you imagine if we always did things like that? So the lesson that we get as University students is that we must focus our attention to our tasks at hand. There are many things here at school that are very distracting, like friends, parties, the hustle and bustle of campus life, but we must learn to focus ourselves to really involve ourselves in what matters personally to us or what we must accomplish.

In the midst of Midterms, this lesson is particularly true. Here I am, sitting in the library attempting to study for my two exams tomorrow when I'd rather do something else, trust me. However, I sit here and try, with all of my energy, to focus on my task, because if I accomplish my goals here with all of my focus and determination, I can move to something else, using that same momentum to succeed somewhere else.

Good luck to all of you who have exams.

Jeremy Markiz