Thirty students took a 10-day trip to Israel over winter break, 27 of them through Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel, the largest-ever Union contingent on the popular cultural immersion experience. Many students deemed it, in the words of Matt Halman ’15, “the best learning experience of my life.”
Israel trip called ‘best experience of life’ A Holocaust Remembrance Grant from the David and Fela Shapell Family Foundation and Hillel supported presentations by a witness, Murray Jaros, who spent his childhood in the woods of Poland with a Nazi resistance unit; and monologist and singer Shira Goldberg, whose grandmother, Judith Ginsburg, fought with two resistance units. “This program engaged students in Holocaust remembrance while linking to Professor Stephen Berk’s Holocaust class,” said Director of Union College Hillel Bonnie Cramer. “I am grateful for the opportunity Hillel International has given our campus to enhance Holocaust education.”
South African freedom fighter Eddie Daniels
South African freedom fighter chronicles end of Apartheid Eddie Daniels, a South African freedom fighter and prison mate of Nelson Mandela spoke about his experience helping to end racial segregation in his country. His visit was part of the Presidential Forum on Diversity, established by President Stephen C. Ainlay in 2007. Previous speakers have included faith leader Eboo Patel, poet Maya Angelou, journalist Soledad O’Brien, law professor Lani Guinier, Broadway star Anthony Rapp, actress Marlee Matlin and activist Morris Dees.
Students, faculty, staff and alumni displayed art in the annual LGBTQ Art Show in the Nott Memorial’s Mandeville Gallery. Each spring, the show broadly explores issues surrounding the LGBTQ community on campus and beyond.
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