THE SHPiEL
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 7


25 Adar II 5768 9 Nisan 5768


the only student-run jewish newspaper in the count


Christian right leader looks like putz after Yiddish brouhaha


BY BEN CAVATARO
SHPiEL staff writer
The comments of a prominent
socially conservative lobbyist ignited a
firestorm when he used a Yiddish insult
to criticize a Democratic U.S. Senator.
Lobbyist Richard Land has led the
Southern Baptist Convention's political


Action wing, the Ethics and Religious
Liberty Commission, since 1988.
He was criticized in a blog post on
March 3 in "Ethics Daily" for referring
to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer as "the
schmuck from New York" in a Jan. 21
lecture at Criswell College.
The blog uncovered Land's remark


The Yiddish schmuck is a pejorative
term equivalent to "dick." Literally
referring to a penis, the word is
variously used for a jerk, idiot or fool.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines
the slang word as "a contemptible or
objectionable person" and dates its use


April 1, 2008 -April 14, 2008
:ry


A little


glimpse


of mental


clarity goes


a long way


at UF Hillel

BY JOSH FLEET
SHPiEL staff writer
The traditional meditative chant
of "Om" has taken on a new twist, or
syllable, -at the Norman H. Lipoff Hillel
building at the University of Florida.
Rabbi Shaya Isenberg, 66, a professor
of religion at the UF and rabbi at P'nai
Or, a Jewish Renewal synagogue in
Gainesville, began teaching a weekly
Jewish meditation class there at the
beginning of the spring 2008 semester.
Now, "shalom" can be heard in the halls
of the Jewish student center not as a
greeting but also as Jewish mantra.
The meditation class is a part of a
new Hillel program that also includes
Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi, designed
as an outlet for college students and
community members to relieve stress.
Isenberg, who will be retiring in
May after a 34-year career at UF, says
that through meditation, one can learn
to quiet the mind.
"Meditation is learning to become
present," Isenberg said. Present in the
moment, that is. And this is automatically
beneficial to mental health.
More often than not, the mind runs
toward anxiety, he said.
For this reason, people keep the
television on to keep information
flowing into the brain, preventing the
mind from doing its own exploration.
In all meditative traditions, the
practitioner is "learning to focus and
create inner space," Isenberg said.
Martin Guerrero, 22, a philosophy
and pre-med senior at the University
of Florida, regularly attends Isenberg's
classes. Though Guerrero is not Jewish,
he says this doesn't stop him from
coming to meditate in a Jewish setting.
"Prayer is prayer, meditation is
meditation," Guerrero said. And the
Hebrew phrases and concepts used in


in an audio file archived online. SEE SCHMUCK, PAGE 2


SEE MEDITATION, PAGE 12







21 NEWS


The SHPiEL: Volume 5, Issue 7


:4-.-. B r, efS
1Shorts Briefsl
BY BEN CAVATARO

(German Jewish leader blasts popel
The leader of the German ]ewish community rebuked Pope Benedict XV1 on
Mar. 21 for allowing a Good Friday prayer calling for the conversion of the
Jews.
Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany,
told Reuters Television that '1 would have assumed that this German pope, of
all people, had got to know first hand the ostracizing of Jewry. I could not have
imagined that this same German pope could now impose such phrases upon
his church."
Benedict allowed Traditionalist Catholics to use a pre-Second Vatican Council
missal, or prayer book, and to more widely use the Latin Mass last year. Last
month, the Church revised the Latin prayer in question by removing phrases
referring to Jewish "blindness" to Christ and calling upon God to removee the
veil from their hearts." Jewish leaders have remained critical of the revised
version, which retains language calling that Jesus Christ be recognized as savior
and that "all Israel may be saved."
(Jewish State Senator to become California's top Democrat}
A Jewish former labor lawyer and longtime California politician is slated
to become the state's highest-ranking top Democrat later this year. Darrell
Steinberg, a San Diego native who practiced law before being elected to the
Sacramento City Council and in the State Assembly, has a long record of
in olvement in the Jewish community.
The Jewish Daily Forward reported that Steinberg is likely to become the
president pro tem of the State Senate in December. and could potentially hold
that post until term-limited out in 2014.
Steinberg. a liberal Democrat, has served as chair of Sacramento's Jewish
Community Relations Council and on the boards of local Jewish groups, where
he organized corrunuuty delegation trip to meet with Jewish refuseniks in the
Soviet Union. While in the State Assembly in 1999. Steinberg co-founded the
Capital Unity Council in response to an outbreak of hate crimes, including the
firebombing of three s nagogues, his own among them.
Steinberg told the Forward that Judaism influenced his political views.
'Government's proper role is to be a catalyst for social change... but it also
must be a backstop for people who don't have any other choice. It's the people
who don't have a \oice who we must stand up for here. That is the essence of
tikkun olam."
(Blood libel hits Siberia)
A centuries-old anti Semitic slur has resurfaced in Russia's third largest city.
Blood libel, famous for its association iith medieval European pogroms, has
come to Novosibirsk, Siberia's largest settlement. Dozens of posters placed
on houses and apartment buildings caution residents to guard their children
as Passover nears, warning then that Jews will kill Christian children to make
matzah for the holiday.
The posters in Novosibirsk, a city of 1.4 million with about 13,000 Jewish
inhabitants, blame a spate of child disappearances in recent weeks on Jews.
saying they carry out ritual murder. "These vermin are still performing rituals,
stealing small children and draining their blood to make their sacred bread,"
the sign reads.


that guy's got some chutzpah


SCHMUCK, FROM PAGE 1

in English to 1892.
Robert Parham, executive director of
the Baptist Center for Ethics, criticized
Land's remark as "offensive," saying,
"When a Baptist preacher slurs a senator
of Jewish faith with such a degrading
word in a lecture to theology students,
he discloses a hostility towards Jews
and may communicate that using
Yiddish insults against those of Jewish
faith is acceptable for ministers."
In response to a request for
comment, an Ethics and Religious
Liberty Commission spokeswoman
referred to Land's March 5 statement
to the Baptist Press.
In the statement Land wrote that
"In reviewing these criticisms I have
learned some consider the word crude,
if not obscene. I apologize for my
ignorance of that fact.



Priel's

JYoga
Pose



of the

Week F


"If I had known that, I would never
have used the word."
Land denied being anti-Semitic,
writing that "Elevating a relatively
harmless insult into an accusation of
anti-Semitism devalues real attacks on
Jews and Judaism."
Schumer, born in Brooklyn,
graduated from Harvard and Harvard
Law School before being elected to the
New York State Assembly, U.S. House of
Representatives, and U.S. Senate.
A prominent backer of Hillary
Rodham Clinton, Schumer was the chair
of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign
Committee in 2006.
Land holds degrees from Princeton,
Oxford, and the New Orleans Baptist
Theological Seminary.
He was the author of the open "Land
Letter" to President Bush in October
2002, giving a "just war" theory
justification for the invasion of Iraq.


pnoro ny JOSl leer


The Only Student-Run Jewish Campus Newspaper in the Country, Right Here at the University of Florida


Editor-in-Chief
Giselle Mazur
theshpiel@gmail.com

Managing Editor
Josh Fleet
shpielme@gmail.com

News Editor
Ben Cavataro
cavataro@ufl.edu


Scene Editor
Douglas Sharf
dsharf88@ufl.edu

Arts & Entertainment Editor
Zahara Zahav
zzahav@ufl.edu

Executive Advisor/Mentor
Rabbi Yonah Schiller
ravyonah@ufhillel.org


Layout Editor
Jackie Jakob
jjakob@ufl.edu

Public Relations
Brittany Smaridge
bviesti@ufl.edu

Photo Editor
Jeremy Fields
froma@ufl.edu


Distribution
Jesse Karr
lax09@ufl.edu

Political Cartoonist
Jamie Caceres
jnc5122@ufl.edu


E

0-,


i







The SHPiEL: Volume 5, Issue 7


NEWS 13


Eating meat turns up the heat author says

Author Richard Schwartz offers up the solution to the problem of global warming.


BY JOSH FLEET
SHPiEL staff writer

Jews, it seems, have now taken to
complaining about cow shit.
Richard Schwartz, is the president
of Jewish Vegetarians of North America,
a group that put out a press release
on March 6, recommending that Jews
become vegetarians as a response to
the problem of global warming.
"We believe Jews should be
vegetarians," said Schwartz, 73, the



I f .. I. iS.


M, IK41 it U .


,w II -s -A t '


_iV- A"


author of Judaism and Vegetari
and professor emeritus of mathen
at the College of Staten Island.
Overflowing with facts of the fa
of animal diets, Schwartz pointed
Jewish principles violated whe]
insists on munching on meat.
These transgressions (to pr
human health, attend to the w
of animals, protect the environ
conserve resources, help feed h
people and pursue peace) ca
found, along with dozens of
dissertations on J
vegetarianism, at J
Web site: http://
jewishveg.com.
But what does
have to do with
warming?
Livestock agric
emits more green
gases than anything
because cows giv
a lot of methane
Schwartz said.
"Unless
there's a
change in
diet, we're not
going to solve
,;':- the global
w' a warming
..- problem," he
said. As long
it .. as human
b e i n g s
crave cows,
humans will
raise them
on "factory
farms "
Sfor mass
slaughter.
The main


anism
natics

filings
to six
n one

serve
welfare
Iment,
hungry
in be
heady
[ewish
VNA's
/www.

s this
global

culture
house
ig else
re off
gas,


gripe, as laid out and painstakingly
sourced on the JVNA Web site, is that
animal diets promote wastefulness.
Forests, which cycle carbon dioxide
out of the atmosphere, are cut down for
livestock production.
On the other hoof, livestock
production, which is the "single largest
source of emissions of methane and
nitrous oxide," builds upon the bulging
store of trapped carbon dioxide,
inducing further environmental damage
and enforcing global warming.
It would be a Kiddush HaShem;
a sanctification of God's name, to
bring this issue to the forefront, to be
vegetarians, said Schwartz, an aging
ba'al teshuvah (one who returns to
traditional Jewish observance later in
life). Rabbis and other Jewish leaders
aren't talking about this issue, he said.
Schwartz and JVNA have even
produced a documentary about current
environmental threats and their version
of the proper Jewish response.
"A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish


Values To
Help Heal
the World"
is the Jewish
vegetarian's
response to
the day's
inconvenient
truths.
T h e
one-hour
documentary,
like the
Web site, is
brimming with free facts about the
perils facing God's green earth-it can
be viewed in full on YouTube or at
ASacredDuty.com.
Through these efforts, Schwartz and
JVNA hope to raise an authentic Jewish
voice and muscle to an issue that is
slowly being surrounded by the hollers
and yelps of the masses.
Still, in the words of the Talmud;
"the time is short and the work is
great," said Schwartz.


WHICH-DEMOCRAT IS BETTER FIT
FOR THE NOMINATION?
Shor; hair more streamline for moving through

--Dark skin excelfeut fcr diversity

Mole can sense crack and terrorists
Broad shoulders can tackle Hillar with brute
force
Hands are so strong they cannot vote on Senate
bills
S Ripped abs key for breakdancing to
distract super delegates
Conditioned bums make him fast enough to
capture the Kenyan-American vote

Egg sized testicles fit nicely into the teste-groove
imprinted on Oval Office desk chair



Short hair bad for looking heterosexual

Sha greemnsh blue eyes can see through liars
(like Bill)
Face keeps men from hitting on her and .
ditracing. her from campaigning .
Laser emining breast can shoot~
Republicans
Can uwe her jewelry to deflect sunlight into -.
the r.ee: of sexis.t and al-Qaeda
Special utemus can produce multiple
Hillary's to increase campaign efficiency .



Random black guy picture proves that
Obama is everywhere


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"Copyrighted Materialm

Syndicated Content

Available from Commercial News Providers"




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41 SPORTS


The SHPiEL: Volume 5, Issue 7


Training to be a trainer for UF Rec. Sports


BY NERI
STEIN
SHPiEL staff
writer

0 K
Gators. Let's
talk about our
own physical
activity for a
change.
The University of Florida offers
some of the most intense classes
around. And not just in organic
chemistry or calculus.
UF Recreational Sports offers
many group fitness classes aimed at
challenging people to get in shape
and have fun at the gym. It also offers
an instructor training program- a
free course that teaches people how
to lead a group exercise class.
Normally the course, which
begins at the start of each semester,
will kick off with a large number of
participants and gradually decrease
to only a few, as students learn about


requirements and deadlines. This
year, the program has already lost
about 15 people.
Bergen Davell, a UF sophomore,
was in the instructor training
program until recently.
"I really wish I'd had the time to
put into it, but not this semester,"
Davell said.
Davell


w a s
interested in
becoming an


just one class," Davell said.
Davell also said that the size of
her class was disheartening.
Rec Sports can't hire 25 new
instructors, especially when they
already have 30 current instructors
who want to keep their, jobs.
Emily Hendel, a UF junior,
has participated in group classes
since her


I really took for granted how much
time and creativity coes into just one


instructor class.
because
she liked
attending
the classes and needed a reason to
get to the gym.
"It would give me a workout
schedule I had to stick to," she said.
First, participants are taught
basics on how to best teach any
group fitness class, and then they
have to apply the skill.
"I really took for granted how
much time and creativity goes into


-Bergen Davell


freshman
year, was in
the training
program
last year
and is now
a group


fitness instructor at UF.
"It was a more social way to work
out, and it made going to the gym
more fun," Hendel said.
Several of her friends were also
instructors, which meant she was at
the gym even more to attend their
classes, Hendel said.
"I was at the gym anyway, so why
not get paid for it?" she said.


The training program was just as
intense last semester, but Hendel's
class only finished with four certified
instructors.
It's more than just two training
classes a week, Handel said.
Participants also have to attend
regular classes and practice teaching
different parts of the workout in the
classes, Hendel said.
Being in the instructor training
course does not guarantee a job
with Rec Sports or provide Group
Fitness Instruction certification,
although some gyms don't require
that certification.
Hendel is glad she stuck with the
program- and. got her certification
because her job is fun. Best of all, she
says, it helps people stay healthy.
"I'd feel guilty ifI was working at
McDonald's."
The training program will also be
offered during the summer and fall
semesters.
On the Web: recsports.ufl.edu/
groupfitness.aspx


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SCENE 15


The SHPiEL:Volume 5, Issue 7.


The Jewish blogosphere Guide


BY LANA SELIGSOHN AND JOSH FLEET
SHPiEL staff writers

The use of blogs as informational and social facilitators is becoming more legitimate and widespread
every minute as record numbers of people are reading, writing and participating in them. Gone are the days
when LiveJournal was just a public diary of high school dramas. Blogs are predicted to be the most up-to-
date medium through which people can easily search for thousands of varied pages about politics, sports or
music. And of course, there are a multitude of blogs that cater to anyone interested in all things Jewish. Here
is just a smattering of the Yiddishkeit available online today.


JewishBlogging,
http://jewishblogging.com


Sort of the Microsoft Outlook for Jewish blogs, JewishBlogging.com indexes
and features to-the-minute updates of everything happening in the world of
Yiddishkeit. Everything Israel, everything Jewish, all the time. This site may
not be for the occasional "Jewschooler," but for the addict, this really is the
end of the line.

I .. .. . .


The Telegraph, http://blogs.jta.org/telegraph
As JTA's blog-half, this site features breaking news with a concentration
on issues applying to the Jewish community. There are light pieces covering
the removal of Britney's Kabbalah tattoo as well as information and updates
on the continuing struggle in Israel, Gaza and Palestine. There's a list of
applicable categories as a side bar which also cover topics as diverse as anti-
Semitism, Jewish dating and pop culture.


I Jewschool,
http://jewschool.com/
A concise and clean blog which overviews Jewish culture. It features
Jewish art and cultural events as well as relevant political tidbits such as
an account of John McCain visiting the Western Wall. It .even posts biblical
passages clarifying relevant issues such as the Torah's mandate to become
intoxicated during Purim. There are funny cartoons as well as interesting
videos and pictures.




S- The Jew and The Carrot,
: '" .': _'. http://jcarrot.org/
According to the Web site, The Jew and The Carrot "features the intersection
between Jews, food, and contemporary life." There is a special emphasis on
Jews and their kashrut practices and the relationship between sustainable
agriculture, local foods and healthy eating. There are lots of Jewish cookbook
recommendations as well as listings and ways to obtain delicious kosher
chocolate, cheese and wine.


S3ewtastic,
http://jewtastic.com/


While it surveys less serious topics than the energy crisis in Gaza, Jewtastic
provides an entertaining Jewish slant on celebrity gossip. With posts like
"Spelling Wants To Be A MILF," there's little quality-unless you like smutty
articles about celebrities, music, religion, art, dating and Web sites. It's
definitely a must-visit for fans of Perez, Jezebel and Gawker.


S:Mima'amaki.m


Mima amakim, http://mimaamakim.org/
Literally translated as, "from the depths," Mima'amakim.org is the online
presence of an annual printed journal of Jewish poetry and art. The journal
can be viewed online and the blog is periodically updated with YouTube clips,
news of relevant happenings, and scraps of Diasporic literature coming from
the highest of the high and the deepest of the deep of the American Jewish
experience.


Jewcy,
http://jewcy.com
In the name of audacious and probably, slightly, inaccurate comparisons,
let's just say that Jewcy.com is the Slate Magazine of Jewish goings-on.
They've got timely, humorous, colorful and, most importantly, meaningful
articles written from original angles on everything from politics to culture
and sex to religion. And their claim of being "the premier Jewish media and
entertainment outlet for progressive free-thinkers" is not wholly bombastic-
you'll see what I mean you visit the site. Though the main Jewcy page is less
of a blog and more of a blurbed-Mecca of information, their "Daily Shvitz"
features a more traditional approach to blogging.


Jewish
Women's
Archive


JEWESSES WITH


Jewesses with Attitude, http://jwablog.jwa.org
A project of the Jewish Women's Archive, the Jewesses blog is the
destination for current events concerning prominent, influential, innovative
and, if you don't mind my saying so, foxy, Jewish ladies. Staffers of the Jewish
Women's Archive also post their thoughts on everything "from fiery feminism
to food politics; Barbie to birth control; ritual to rebellion; art to activism;
queerness to queens, an all else that moves [them]." If you're looking for the
latest gossip about the nocturnal habits of quasi-Jewish actresses and other
celebs, this isn't quite where you want to be.

Shemspeed,
http://www.shemspeed.com/
t t sl 0 news_reviews.php
Like Pitchfork and the rest, Shemspeed is a music site that rates and reviews
Jewish artists and media. The news and reviews blog section has everything
from show reviews to music commentary to happenings in the Jewish music
scene. The site also hosts the Modular Moods record label and a promotions
company, and makes some of the material that's reviewed available for
purchase. But don't let the "Jewish" label deter you. Shemspeed is.not looking
to endorse super-religious Zionism and in fact avoids polities and religion all
together. It is a celebration of music and artists of Jewish ethnicity. And can
I just say, generally they have rockin' good taste in tunage.


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61 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT


AN INTERVIEW WIT

EEF BARZELA


ke no pleasure
iated rituals


The SHPiEL: Volume 5, Issue 7


Cie .


How would you define your sound?
Well, it changes and it goes through different phases. For a while when I was
still with [the band] Clem Snide we would describe it as "art country." I like to keep
i |h the music very simple. It's folk music really, but it's folk of the moment. It's me
n the and the guitar and some words. As far as what I'm singing about, I'm interested in
contradictions and conflicts and I think that's what makes me want to do it-to make
Sit interesting and to sort out my own contradictions. I think that's what it's all about.
rstand .I've also tried to write really straight-ahead emotional songs.
d and Whatever happened to Clem Snide?
ted6 Clem Snide is a long story-life kinda got in the way. Maybe some bad business
decisions. I kind of surrounded myself with people that kind of sucked. People got
older, got their girlfriends pregnant and got jobs and it's hard to keep an indie rock
band going cause the money isn't there. Eventually it all fell apart when I moved to
Nashville, but there is one more Clem Snide record that I hope to get out by the end
of this year.
Do you have any solo career plans?
I'm attempting to launch a solo career and I made a record about a year ago called
Lose Big that I'm trying to get out. Just living the dream, trying to keep it going.
You tour with Ben Folds a lot, don't you?
Yeah I'm on tour with him right now. He's cool. I met him years ago-I actually
opened for him seven years ago and we got to be friends as much as anyone could
.' be with Ben. He's a very mysterious guy-he's an enigma. I moved to Nashville and
I didn't know he lived here but me and my wife fell into that group. I don't see him
much but he hooks me up-takes me out on tour with him and lets me use his studio.
The record I've got coming out I made in his studio. He's been real good to me.
Have you ever collaborated with Ben Folds for your own songs?
You know we've talked about it over the years here and there and he's offered to
produce a record for me. It never really came together. We make our respective music
very differently. I'm in awe of him: he can do it all and play any instrument perfectly.
For me it's a little more painful and mysterious. I don't know what goes on in his
mind but I'm in awe of how effortless it is for him.
I read an interview between Rufus Wainwright and Michael Stipes once, and
they said that lyrics are the hardest part of songwriting. Would you agree?
Um, yeah... you know the hardest part in a way...I could see that. For me the words
are a big part of it and it's to my detriment because I think that words are not the
most important part. The melody trumps the words but the way the two interact is
mysterious. I have kind of a weird voice and the words were the only way I could get
into it. I mean, I wasn't able to write complex arrangements and I didn't have a bunch
of instruments to play. Even people that say they listen to Leonard Cohen don't listen
to him. I mean, I love [him] but I don't listen to him-that shit is oppressive. People
don't want that much poetry in their music. It's more important the way it sounds
than what it means. To me it's more of the fun part. Sometimes nothing comes to me
and the hard part is trying to arrange it and all that. If someone else could do that for
me: aces. It would be great if someone could play it for me too: "you go on tour and
play my songs."


,,nu, courtesy of ref Barze y


. . . . . .


"Il


i. r~
i


BY ELAINE WILSON
SHPiEL staff writer
When he's not touring with his friend Ben Folds, Eef Barzelay will serenade you
with contradictions. He calls his work a somewhat painful process, but at the end of
the day he's just living the dream. This "folk of the moment" artist talks with The
SHPiEL about his relationship with "Jewishness," the mystery of lyrics and how he
wants you to tour for him.
How has your parent's atheism affected your views of Judaism?.
Every Jew has some relationship with their Jewishness-you can't ignore it. I'm not
a religious Jew-I take no pleasure in the antiquated rituals I don't even understand.
S For me it's complicated and dark...it's complicated. I'm not an atheist but I'm not a
Christian. I mean, I don't have any plans for Purim, you know? I'm more of a Diaspora
H Jew. You can't be Jewish much if you don't live in a Jewish community-not like with
Christianity with the personal relationship to Jesus and God-to be a Jew you really
Y need to be a part of a Jewish community. I could go on and on about this bu it's all
just how you define it.


For me it0
dark..,








The SHPiEL:Volume 5, Issue 7


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7


with



The Klezmer Katz


BY DAVID CUMMING
SHPiEL staff writer


Boom...bang...thump... CRASH!
The perpetual beat of Ryan Allen's
snare drum and symbol trailed the
blistering tempo of Ellen Huntley Dube's
piano strikes. Suddenly, a whirlwind of
saxophone met at the downbeat of the
drum's steady thump, with bass, brass
and strings falling into place.
The Klezmer Katz turned an empty
practice hall into an amphitheater
overflowing with resonance.
The Katz have been filling the
Gainesville airwaves with their Gypsy-
like tunes since 1999. After a collective
group of musicians practiced evenings
at Congregation B'nai Israel, the band
came to its fruition.
"Anybody in the Jewish community
who wanted to play an instrument
and learn how to play Klezmer could
come," said David Pawliger, euphonium
player for the band. "People came and
went-came and went, and gradually
we became what we are now."
The group, which now boasts 12


musicians, have dappled in an array of
diverging styles, using anything from
harmonicas to accordions.
"It's very eclectic, we have people
who are playing at concert level and
people who are just barely beginning to
-play flute or clarinet," said Jeff Shapiro,
clarinet player for the band. "One time
we had four violins."
"Klezmer" is a Yiddish word that
describes the traditional Eastern-
European fusion of jazz and Latin music
with a blend of waltzes, mazurkas
(Polish folk dance) and freilachs
(happy Jewish music). While listening
to The Katz, listeners can find hints
of Dixieland and even strains of North
African influence.
The set list consists of all-
instrumental music with rollercoaster-
ride intensity. The band's crisp sound is
reflected in songs like the "Kolomeike,"
a fast folk dance popular in the western
part of Ukraine.
"Padespan," a Russian-Spanish waltz,
is a slower, classical change.
Norman Jensen brilliantly slid his
bow over the four strings of his violin


back and forth, the vibrato quickly
sifting into the musical air.
Paula Wilkerson rested her clarinet
on the ground in exchange for a small
wooden frog she knocked with a
drumstick. Dube swung around the
seat of her piano chair to enjoy an
impromptu drum fill.
"We've got that flock feeling, you
know, like a flock of birds at the same
time," Johanna Weiss said.
Weiss has played in various classical,
jazz and Klezmer ensembles for 20
years, and now plays sax and clarinet
for The Katz with her husband Glenn.
While playing professionally in jazz
and dance bands, Glenn has over 30
years of trumpet experience.
Mary Fukuyama adds the flute.to an
already chock-full catalog of musicians.
Keeping a solid bass line is Jackie
Davis, who is a nurse practitioner at the
University of Florida by day.
Also in the mix is Tom Ambrosio.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y.,
Ambrosio started playing trumpet in the
eighth grade. Since then he has played
in many bands such as The Rainbow


Division Military Band.
"A year and a half ago ... was kind
of our turning point where things
locked together a little bit," Allen said.
"The group of 12 has been together
since."
With what seems like orchestrated
chaos, The Katz are cool and content
with the overlapping sounds.
"Playing in a band, purely and
simply, gives me a good feeling'
Pawliger said. "Being a part of a team
and contributing to the outcome ...
to create an experience enjoyed by
others."
To hear Klezmer Katz sample tracks and
get news updates, visit the band's site at
http://www.myspace.com/klezmerkatz


Upcoming Shows

April 6, 3 pm
Spring Arts Festival |
Gainesville, Florida


. .: . .n, ~ .


i '7







8 1KVETCH The SHPiEL: Volume 5, Issue 7

=- 1 IIIIII IIIII II lll IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II IIIIIIIIIIIIII II IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII lI IIII II IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIL


E ~Li (n rf p~lfpio fCharity is charity.,
SU U UUU in any language

KHADER ABU EL-HAUA O v e r testify, to believe, to be honest. Also, sadakah can replace fasting on them all the time.
: thousands The word itself changed by almost in Ramadan for those who can't bear My advice to deal with this dollar-
of years, nothing, and the meaning in Arabic to fast. And it is a required act to seek nagging is to give your bills a free fun
= Arabic and and Hebrew varies a little while forgiveness from certain sins. trip- around the world. Donate them
Hebrew have keeping the core-to describe an act Yep, you got it! somewhere where they are extremely
developed of noble cause The charity concept in both needed for food, education or health =
fromcommon In Judaism, the principle of religions are so similar that the deeper aid. Or they can go on a local trip
roots into charity is seen as a just act to give you go, the more you get. From its to assist the homeless people, or
IAS A %M different the poor and the needy their right spiritual to its material dimensions areas across the country where every
languages. assessment from others. It's an you find a lot of common areas, dollar, by its very dimes, can make
It's interesting to see the similar obligation that can substitute the Paying money to the poor is one of the difference.
words that survived history. I like to sacrifices performed in the Temple the best deals around. It helps to free Paying for the poor and the
track such words in the matrix of the in Jerusalem during the older times, the soul. It assists the person to rule needy helps the spiritual growth and
Middle Eastern heritage. My favorite before its last destruction. his money rather than letting money increases consciousness to help the
Part is the similar words used as In Islam, sadakah has an to rule both him and his life. planet. It's important though to be
religious terms in Judaism and Islam. obligatory part to be- done by able You may sometimes have sincere, not to show off, or bestow
S Take tzedakah and sadakah which individuals known as zakat, which discussions between you and your favors with harm. Plus, the person
are used in both religious texts to means "purification." In general,' money about who's the boss-who you help will benefit greatly.
refer to charity. The roots of both it's paid when the annual wealth will decide your daily activities from It's like planting wheat. You put
words-tzadei-dalet-qof and sadhe- meets a minimum level, and there work, consumption and shopping, one seed in the ground and it grows
Sdal-qaf, respectively-show that they are procedures for different types to the plans for the spring, summer to give multiple folds of seeds. Peace
Both retained the essential letters of wealth (gold, silver, agriculture, and the holidays. These dollars shout for the soul and prosperity for the
With almost the exact vowels, too. money...etc). Both the obligatory and a lot, trying to convince you to work community, why not?
In Hebrew it comes to mean the encouraged parts are some of the more to get them and to shop more Win-win deals should not be lost. =
Righteousness, justice or fairness, honest ways to testify for faith in to spend them. They demand that Questions? Comments? Contact Khader
SThe same root in Arabic means to front of God, and to purify the self. everyday day the attention should be at khader.aluelhaija@gmail.com -








Lines spoken by the protagonist in the
upcoming summer Disney movie Wall-e: 0
Age of Steve from Full House when he 17
was the voice of Aladdin:
Number of times the word "sex" can be 1
seen in The Lion King:
Oscars that Walt Disney has won: 26
Year Disney shut down their last 2-D 2005
animation studio:
Average annual revenue of the Disney 60 billion
corporation:
Collective total land disney owns for 47 sq miles
their parks: 47 sq miles
Times a Disney movie has been overtly
racist: (Check out cracked.com and 9
search for 'racist disney')
Number of human breasts that can be
seen in Disney's The Rescuers (look 2
closely):


The SHPiEL does not guarantee that the information or statistics in this table are either factual
or accurate, and in fact we probably just made half of this crap up. So please don't hold us
accountable if you try to show off your new knowledge in front of all your friends and someone
calls you out on your idiocy.
, .1",


/


d~ujC








The SHPiEL:Volume 5, Issue 7


KVETCH 19


Trudging toward financial transparency at UF


SKEETSURRENCY Recently,
.' s t u d e n t
Sa- activists with
w the University
of Florida
h Responsible
U1 Endowment
Coalition (REC)
have taken on
an ambitious campaign to change the
way UF handles its money.
The REC campaign always appealed
to me because of its potential to bring
together people from all sides of the
political spectrum with its nearly
universal message. At UF, the campaign
was first hatched by a handful of
students who wanted to identify
university ties to war-profiteering
companies. The most obvious place
.to begin the search was with UF's 1.2
billion dollar endowment.
We soon found out that UF has
absolutely no transparency or
accountability when it comes to its
endowment, despite being a public
university. This would seem to be in
contradiction with Florida's Sunshine


laws, but UF found some creative
ways to move around these. You see,
it's not a public university that's
doing the investing; it's a private
corporation created by the university
that's investing the money. Actually, if
you want to be technical, it's a private
corporation (University of Florida
Investment Corporation) created by a
private corporation (UF Foundation)
created by
a public
university UF fears t
that is for two r
investing that's rather
what will thas rater
always and another
be public objectionable.
money.
O u r
initial position was that UF needs to fully
open up its books to public scrutiny, but
in hindsight this was a somewhat naive
stance to take. UF fears transparency
for two reasons-one that's rather
reasonable and another that's quite
objectionable. The reasonable reason is
that UF's endowment has shown such


amazing results (22% growth last year)
that full transparency might invite
copy-cat investors, thereby watering
down our success. The objectionable
reason is that investment transparency
invites advocacy groups seeking to
ensure UF's money is not invested in
this or that way.
Of course, at a public university,
discourse about the role of the
university
in society
ransparency (including
easons-one tr h e
principles
reasonable guiding its
that's quite investments)
is a healthy
practice.
But we
still had to appease their first fear.
Our solution turned out to he the exact
model used by several prestigious
private universities with endowments
several times our size: we called for the
creation of an independent committee
of student, faculty, and alumni
representatives to advise UF's Board


of Trustees on the socially responsible
investment of UF's endowment.
This elected committee would have
full transparency, but would be obligated
not to disclose any trade secretes. .Their
meetings would be open to the public,
and their recommendations to the Board
(and the Board's responses) would be
in the public domain. Additionally,
the public would have full retroactive
transparency, in that the entirety of the
previous year's holdings would be made
available to anyone curious enough to
ask for them.
We' collected signatures and
eventually got a referendum question
on the last student government election
ballot. In the election, 81% of voters
indicated their .support for the creation
of our proposed advisory committee.
And why shouldn't they? .With UF
positioning itself as a leader in the area
of sustainability, with our incredibly
inclusive non-discrimination clauses,
and with a mission of "operating to
promote the public good," there is a
lot of room for us to examine how our
investments live up to these values.


Modern day gladiators


GISELLE MAZUR I was supposed
to write an
opinion article on
Sa new program
TI called "Birthright
Palestine."
SSponsored by the
newly established
'q a- Palestine Center
for National
Strategic Studies, the program functions
similarly to its Jewish counterpart, except
the trip is not free.
According to BirthrightPalestine.com,
the program "is meant to gather first-
gereration, western-born Palestinians
(over the age. of 18-years old) in their
ancestral homeland, so that they can
reunite and witness firsthand how their
brethren are living under illegal Israeli
military occupation."
Now, I could go on about this statement,
but realistically, they have just as much
a right to host educational programs as
the Jewish people, no matter what your
political views. My real concern is that we
(on both sides of the fence) keep feeding
this -horrible monster of division. Why do
we insist on labeling everything Jewish or
Palestinian? Why do we keep giving power
to hatred by giving it a voice?
Why can't the statement simply say,
"This program was created to unite people
of Palestinian decent with the hope of
bringing Palestinians back to the Middle
East to learn about their heritage and
experience their culture first hand?"
Everyone is so caught up in this battle
over the birthrightss" of the land, that


no one can mention Jerusalem without
starting a fiery debate. We can't just
appreciate the place-its historical value
and physical beauty.
Even in our own country, we fuel
the fire. Look at this-year's Democratic
presidential candidates. It has been treated
like a minority war. Do you like the woman
or the black person? Instead of celebrating
the fact that that no matter what, this
year's Democratic candidate is going to
change the history of the United States-
and instead of uniting against McCain-we
have .managed to split the Democratic
Party and are ultimately waging a civil war
between people who have basically the
same visions.
I am guilty. You are guilty. We are all
guilty of letting ourselves get caught up in
this thirst for battle and blood. Maybe the
Romans had it right to let gladiators battle
in a coliseum. At least back then people
didn't hide behind a mask of propriety, and
pretend what they were doing vas fighting
for a greater good. They were happy to be
the blood-thirsty battle-lustful animals
humans really are.


T HE SHPiE
..,^














The SHPiEL is always looking for new

staff members, and that could be you!

Positions available in Writing, Copy Editing, Photography,
Advertising, Public Relations, Layout & Design, Business Managing,
Distributing, and Web Design

Contact Giselle Mazur at theshpiel@gmail.com for more information.


Tonya Blackman
TERRITORY MANAGER

SPhone: (800) 258-2861.
Faax: (877) 942-4135
Swww.myserviceoffice.com
emaii: t.blackman@servieeofeie.eom


THE SHPiEL

Opinions expressed in this section do not necessarily
reflect those of The SHPiEL. We encourage comments
from readers who possess all points of view, No, really,
we're interested in what you have to say. Feel free to write
a letter to the editor or you can contact us with a column
idea. Please send comments to theshpiel@gmail.com."


t







101 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT


The SHPiEL: Volume 5, Issue 7


here will be years of pain and social


ridicule if you don't see this movie


BY JAMES WILKEY
SHPiEL staff writer

You must see "There Will Be Blood."
It's not a perfect film, it's not even a particularly
well titled film, but it has earned its place among
this year's best pictures.
This movie acts as a reminder of the power of
strong characters in a time when the screen runs
over with shallow stories and flashy effects.
"There Will Be Blood," directed by Paul Thomas
Anderson, was nominated for six Oscars this year
and won two, bringing home awards for Best
Cinematography and Best Male Actor
Based on Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil!," a
decidedly less sinister title, "There Will Be Blood"
tells the story of an oil baron named Daniel
Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) who increasingly tries
to isolate himself while dominating an industry
that requires him to be a people person.
The film's tight focus on Plainview places the
great weight of the film on the shoulders of Daniel
Day-Lewis, and though he can easily be fingered
for overacting, especially toward the film's finale,
Day-Lewis does a spectacular job of expressing the
creeping insanity that consumes Plainview.
The rest of the cast also deliver solid


performances. It wouldn't be much of a movie if
Day-Lewis were acting in a vacuum.
The masterful cinematography is evocative of
a suspense-filled horror flick, and reinforces the
tension of the film.
The movie does have two major failings: its
conclusion and its score.
The music in "There Will Be Blood" is largely
forgettable and occasionally reminiscent of the
score from ABC's "Lost."
Though the music works fine on "Lost," I'd expect
more originality from "There Will Be Blood."
The conclusion just seems unnecessary, or at a
minimum, dragged out, as Planview's character arc
is already fulfilled in the main body of the movie.
Furthermore, the finale is where Day-Lewis is
most guilty of being over-the-top.
But neither the score nor the conclusion is bad
enough to hamper the impact of the film.
The movie is a prime example of film at its best
and I can call it my favorite domestic picture of
2007 and my second favorite film of the year (the
first being the French film "The Diving Bell and the
Butterfly").
Do yourself a favor and rent this movie.
"There Will Be Blood" will be released on DVD
April 9.


*:& i 3r. M* 't N A -.
.'.---" -W
K. .--..--.
7,.-'.,








The SHPiEL:Volume 5, Issue 7 CALENDAR & GAMES I 11



Sd M.onda Tuesda u Frda Satu


Beginning Akido
Self-Defense
Unified Training
Center
4 pm 6 pm

Weakerthans 0
Common Grounds
7 pm


Rabbi Sherbill
Interfaith Dialogue
Hillel

Theatre Srike Force
Hillel
8 pm


Israeli quartet
Temple Shir Shalom
8 pm

Hippodrome Spring
"Break-A-Leg"
9 am 5 pm


Afroman and
Grabass Charlestons
Market Street Pub
9:45 pm
Atonement .'
Reitz Union Cinema
8 pm & 10:30 pm

Hello Dolly
Vanm York Theater
8 pm

Women in Journalism
Weimer Hall
6 pm

Let's Get Biblical with
Rabbi Yonah
Hillel
8 pm


Israeli Dancing
Congregation B'Nai
Israel
6:45 pm

Caribou 9
Common Grounds
9 pm

Diavolo
Phillips Center
7:30 pm

Meditation Class
Hillel
5:30 pm
Russian/Slavic Film
Festival
Florida Gym
6:15 pm


"Caramel" opens
Hippodrome
7 pm & 9 pm
Rhinoceros
Constans Theatre
7:30 pm
27 Dresses '
Reitz Union Auditoruim
6:30, 9 & 11:30 pm


SFCC Spring Arts
Festival
NE 1st Street between
NE 1st Ave & 8th
Ave and the Thomas
Center
9 am 5:30 pm
LT
Funkatron
Market Street Pub
9 pm


Taxi to the Dark Side Surfers on Acid &


Hippodrome
7 pm & 9 pm

Chicago
Phillips Center
7:30 pm
Rambo
Reitz Union Auditorium
6:30, 9 & 0 pm

-p'71


Greenland is Melting
The Atlantic
9 pm
La Chua Trail
Wildlife Walk
Paynes Prairie
8 am


Hillel Ginny Springs Sedar 101
Field Trip Hillel
8 pm A flick we've picked
ItzhakPelman Open A flick we've picked
Phillips Center Open Mic Night
7:30 pm Hillel '
9 pm Music we groove to



"ii. Free Sci-Fi movie screening, 7 pm


(ad 67


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S:::: : Syndicated Content




Available.from.Commercial News Providers"


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April Fool's Day



Tai Chi
Hillel
5:20 pm


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121 FEATURE


The SHPiEL: Volume 5, Issue 7


a fresh look at prayer and relaxation


MEDITATION, FROM PAGE 1

Isenberg's class are "not overkill."
Guerrero, who has been practicing
meditation regularly for six years and
learned about the Jewish practice while
taking Isenberg's Jewish mysticism
class at UF, said meditation helps you
deal with all those small things in life
that tend to weigh you down.
"You're not so completely immersed
in your own drama that you can't see
things clearly," he said.
For Guerrero, meditation helps
maintain an overall tone of clarity in
sometimes blurry life.
With the mental clarity that comes
with a meditative practice, Guerrero
says that physical health can improve.
"The body does what the mind is
doing," he said. If the mind is OK, then
the body is OK.
Rabbi Jeff Roth, 55, executive
director of the Awakened Heart Project
for Contemplative Judaism, says
meditation is "directing the attention


of the mind on a particular object of
focus." It is "working with the mind."
Though there is more to meditation,
this is a commonality among all
meditative traditions, he said.
Roth, who is "exploring the
possibility" with community leaders
from Gainesville and Jacksonville,
including Rabbi Isenberg, to sponsor
and set-up a two or three-night
mediation retreat in North Florida
through AHP, says meditation is a tool
in the bigger process of trying to pay
attention to each moment of living.
What makes Jewish meditation
Jewish is that "the primary object of
focus is God," Roth said.
While Jewish meditation is one of the
most practical and powerful vehicles to
realizing the oneness of all things, its
health benefits are a "side-effect" of
paying more attention and becoming
aware, he said.
As a person becomes more aware, he
or she is able to make better decisions-
about eating habits, lifestyle choices


and so much more.
Meditation is also "helpful in stress
reduction" and everything that goes
along with that, Roth said.
Though this result of meditation-
the "relaxation response"-is well
documented by psychologists,
a meditative practice can't fix
deeper psychological issues on its
own, Isenberg said.
"Clinical depression, you're not
gonna solve with meditation," Isenberg
said. Medications and professionals will
help with serious problems, he said.
Still, "people who meditate will get
the help they need a little faster," he
said. This is because meditation helps
a person become open to introspection
and self-analysis.
Guerrero has seen these sorts of
results but has a feeling of regret. He
hasn't yet been able to harness the
power of meditation to overcome an
addiction to his bed.
"I wish I could use it to sleep less,"
he said.


photo by Josh Fleet
Jason Attermann, a second-year
political science student at the
University of Florida who attends
Rabbi Shaya Isenberg's Jewish
meditation class at UF Hillel,
maintains a regular practice of the
contemplative art in his apartment.


Simple April FooPs Day pranks for every situation


For home: V

S1 Replace the cream in Oreo's with "~-" --
white toothpaste and feed them to
"- our victims
2i If \ our sink has a sprayer hose,
rubber band the handle down so that
when the victims turn on the faucet,
the sprayer shoots them with %water.
31 Switch salt with sugar or \vice versa 5i Glue eggs in to their car
4i Put baby powder in the end of a 61 Put a lifesaver in the sh>
hair dr\er. When the \ictnm goes to The victim %will emerge fro
ust the dr\c it, his or her hair will get a sticky. get back in the sho'
nice. whir', o\ erc:Lo t. stickier.


For the Office:

11 Take a snapshot of the computer desktop and then set that
picture as the desktop background. Right click and select "hide
desktop icons.' Then watch as \ iclinms Ir to click the "icons'
that are really lust the background.
2- When the vic tim lea%'es his or her computer unattended
tor a minute. quickly go .o Googie's home page and click on
"Preferences. There., ou can choose the interface language of
the search engine. Klingon. Hacker and Yiddish are all excellent
choices, but Elmer Fudd is the best. As Elmer, \ou can use the
Google Diwectc'w \. perform a Google Seawch or find out if
you're fee\ Ing iwucky.
31 A small piece of tape o\er the laser
sensor on an optical mouse %%ill cause
it to go ha-wire. lust color the nonstick
side of the tape %with a Sharpie and then
tape it oi er the lens.


In the dorms:

ii Take apart \our
roommate's bed frame and
hide it in another room.
21 Tie the doorknobs of
facing rooms together.


31 Wake up your roommate
three hours before their class
screaming "Oh m\ gosh, get up.
You're late, you're late!" and
i\atch them scramble.
I4 Bedazzle \our roommate's
kipa


ton.
ower head.
m shower
%ver. get


For Fun:

1) Color the edges of a quarter with a pencil. Dare
someone that they can't roll the quarter from their
forehead to their chin without lifting the quarter.
2) Try to put M&Ms on la\'away at Wal Mart
31 Superglue some coins to the sidewalk or any
spot that has a lot of people walking around. Make
sure it's an appropriate place. Then watch people
break fingernails to get the coins.
S 4 Call your parents and tell them
.you are having a baby

5) Liquid soap on the door handle. .i




X .
..,.,:.!. ,- .-. i


- ,', ,..- -


I


~ r v-'-r