JHP Penn & NYU Retreat!
"I attended because I had heard that the JHP retreat was a valuable Jewish experience. It was a good opportunity to meet other Jewish students & young Jewish professionals. From taking part in the retreat I realized that there was a strong Jewish network at Penn that extended beyond the West Philadelphia Penn campus." - Ben Levine, JHP Penn intern
Following a week of retreats from Temple & Delaware, the JHP Penn & NYU Retreat last weekend reaffirmed the effectiveness of JHP activities on & off campus. 60 JHP interns traveling from the greater Philadelphia & NYC areas gathered in Manhattan for the start of their vibrant Penn & NYU Retreat.
Friday afternoon, a JHP mentoring luncheon held at the law offices of Dewey LeBoeuf in Manhattan kicked off the retreat with 35-40 mentors from a myriad of professions participating. These JHP mentors offered the students how-to advice for achieving personal & career objectives while maintaining a good Jewish lifestyle. Eric Schub, lead intern Penn, welcomed the crowd of mentors & interns & confirmed to all the purpose of the mentoring event with reference to the retreat.
There were a few recent JHP alumni that were mentors at this event that encouraged the students to consider becoming mentors themselves when they graduate and there may be a few internships in the works due to their involvement.
A huge Shabbos dinner followed where Oliver Mitchell, whose company is called Robot Galaxy, that is a retail chain some observers have dubbed "Build-A-Bear for boys," spoke about his business & Jewish involvement. Penn & NYU students bonded together as Rabbi Ephraim Levin taught Negunim, getting the whole group into it, all singing. For some students, this was their first Shabbos experience ever! Emotions were high.
Saturday afternoon, from the Upper West Side, the students walked to Columbia University where a luncheon was held in the Low Library. A JHP mentor & observant Jew, Ester Fuchs, Director of the Center of Urban Research & Policy, Professor of Political Science & Public Policy at Barnard College, talked about Jewish values & why we strive to be part of a Jewish community. A discussion followed on how the students feel about being a Jew on campus and how to improve JHP activities.
Joel Alperson, of Omaha, chair of UJC's Network Communities & National Chair of the 2007 UJA Federation Campaign & a JHP mentor then talked about leadership in the Jewish community & the importance of being Jewish. |
