Update; Taglit-Birthright Israel…

Wow, what an exciting last few weeks. We have made a solid contact with a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip provider and will be recruiting a group to go on a trip this winter. There will be more information to come on the trip with all the how to’s in the coming weeks, but be prepared to sign up quickly because registration is the second week of classes.

We have also started to gather many community supporters for the creation of a new home. It may take the coming semester to put it into action but we are excited of what is to come. For the coming Fall semester we will most likely be using space on campus to host events and meetings.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Jewish News Article

In this weeks Detroit Jewish News you can find an op-ed written by our chairperson about some of the great things the WMU Hillel has accomplished and more information about our current need for a new home.

The issue can be picked up at news stands around metro Detroit or you can view a pdf of the article here.

Update: Hillel Home

We have been working feverishly to find a new place for Hillel to call home and have started to receive some warm feedback. Though no solution has been found yet, we are gathering information about using space on campus, renting a new place off campus, while developing new and old relationships with community members both near and far from Kalamazoo.

For reasons why Hillel needs a place of their own visit our new home page. If you or someone you know may be able to help Hillel find a new home please email us at kazoohillel@yahoo.com.

Enjoy the holiday weekend! Shabbat Shalom.

In Need of a New Home!

We have some sad news to report. The Mansard House, where we have had an apartment for the past three years, recently informed us that they will not be renewing our lease agreement. They plan to renovate the apartment and increase the rent to four times what we had been paying. This leaves us with no place to go.

Hillel has recently seen a rapid increase in involvement and we need help from the community in the creation of a new home.

Students
To many of you the Hillel apartment has become a comfortable place to relax and meet other Jewish students on campus. Please know that we are doing our best to attain a new place for this coming school year and we will inform you of our plans as soon as we know.

Community
We have had a large increase in student participation this past year. The apartment became a comfortable place for the Jewish student population creating a home away from home. We hosted Shabbat dinners that filled the apartment with little room left to even walk around. This excitement has trickled down to incoming students as well. The past couple of weeks we have met dozens of students at orientation and they can’t wait to get involved with Hillel at WMU.

It would be unfortunate for Hillel to lose a place to call its own and we would greatly appreciate any and all assistance that you may be able to pass on. Please contact Hillel through email at kazoohillel@yahoo.com.

Follow the developments here.