Everyone loves singing. Everyone also wishes that we could solve the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Good news is that singing is here to help save the day. Music’s pedigree of helping to solve major crises through musicals — see civil rights and Mormonism — is unmatched, so it may have the strongest résumé of any negotiator currently at the table. Tonight, Brown RISD Hillel Hillel is doing its best to help belt out the first note of a renewed peaceful dialogue by hosting the Heartbeat @ Brown-RISD concert. The event is also sponsored by Common Ground, the Middle East Studies Department, and the Program in Judaic Studies.

According to the event’s Facebook page, the group was founded in 2007 is a “an international non-profit organization uniting musicians, educators, and students to build mutual understanding and transform conflict through the power of music.” Transforming conflict takes time, so it’s a good thing that both Hillel and Heartbeat are patient, as the event has been in the works for two years now. The event, which organizers stress is non-political, will feature songs that blend “traditional and modern Eastern and Western music.” That description seems to run the gamut on global music, which is a good thing: unlike the peace process, the concert should have something that appeals to everyone.

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While you were in your carrel in the library for days on end, it may have seemed as if time stood still. But it became the 15th of the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar, which means tonight’s the first night of Hanukkah.

Eight nights of latke eating, dreidel spinning, candle lighting (but not in the dorms, obvi), and a capella singing couldn’t be more welcome during reading period and finals. To bring in the holiday, go to Brown RISD Hillel tonight at 5 p.m. for candle lighting. Continue engaging in the festivities by attending Brown RISD Hillel’s Hanukkah County Fair Carnival tomorrow night from 6:15–9:15 p.m. for carnival games, latkes and popcorn, and live entertainment by various dance and a capella groups.

TL;DR: Go to Hillel between 6:15–9:15 p.m. tomorrow for free food. Enjoy it in the true “we fought, we won, let’s eat” fashion typical of many Jewish holidays. Happy Chhhhhhhanukkah!

Eat free or dine trying.
_________

WBRU Information Session
6:30-8 p.m.
Petteruti Lounge

Have some free pizza while hearing about the different departments you can work in at WBRU.

China Care Information Session
7:00 p.m.
Wilson 101

Students interested in mentoring “cute and enthusiastic” Chinese adoptees should make sure to check this out. They also help fundraise so orphans in China can get surgeries they need. Free snacks for all who attend.

Better Babka Making
7:30-9:30 p.m.
Brown/RISD Hillel

Babka is, for those who don’t know, a chocolate-filled sweet bread. It’s delicious. Throw in some Seinfeld, and we’re sold.

Dil Pickles’ publicist announced today that he and his family will make the trek from Hollywood to celebrate Passover with the Brown Jewish community at Brown/RISD Hillel April 6.

As part of the Pickles’ contract, Hillel has agreed to provide a community playpen for all to enjoy, along with a kosher dinner and matzah.

Rumors are swirling about the Pickles’ propensity to break out into Passover-themed song. There is also speculation that the family will attend Hillel’s Musical Seder. Sources close to the Pickles have confirmed that, during their visit, they will hold a dramatic reading of Let My Babies Go! A Passover Story.

See tomorrow’s Herald for full coverage.

Brown-RISD dual degree students will be exhibiting their work from February 9 to March 4 at the Hillel Gallery for their fourth annual show, BASKET|CASE. The show will feature over fifteen artists who’ve immersed themselves in the opportunities provided by both campuses to create unique works of art. In the words of RISD’s Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, David Bogen, “One of the things that schools are very good at doing is compartmentalizing knowledge and inquiry… One of our aims with the dual-degree program is to disrupt that compartmentalization.”

Last year’s show, Anisotropy, received rave reviews from the BDH and MainGreen.TV, which praised the collection for its “great creative variety” as it included pieces ranging from sculptures to films. If this is to be believed, then this year’s show will no doubt be just as exciting.

So come out tonight at 7:30 pm for the gallery opening at the Hillel. There will be free food and performance art!

While supposedly 25 percent of Brown is Jewish, I’m going to go out on a limb and guestimate (all Occupy jokes aside) that 99 percent of Brown loves latkes. So get ‘em hot, get ‘em fresh at tonight’s Hillel Hanukkah Bash from 7 – 10 pm. Latkes, dance performances and a cappella! But mostly latkes.

Happy Pesach! For some of you, this (dreaded?) phrase means the start of an eight-day long journey full of restriction, matzah, and a big ol’ helping of Jewish guilt.  For others, it means making fun of your friends when they can’t bring themselves to eat the magic bars at the Ratty.

In any case, if you’re looking to be observant this week, there are a variety of opportunities available at Hillel.  If you were concerned about getting your share of hangover-curing bowls of matzah ball soup, let go of your worries, because there are—count ‘em—eight different seders (ceremonial dinners that happen on the first night of Passover) sanctioned by Hillel on the first night (tonight) and one on the second night (tomorrow).  There’s also a promising chocolate seder on Thursday for those of you with a sweet tooth (or who just can’t stand matzah).  Goyim are invited too, of course.

If chametz is looking awfully tasty by day three, just remember two things.  First, the whole holiday is only eight days, and you only have to do this once a year.  Second, if we didn’t have this Passover (with its annoying dietary restrictions), there would be no such thing as Passover haikus (here at the BlogDH, we’re prone to calling them PassKus).  For example:

On Passover we
opened the door for Elijah.
Now our dog is gone.

Check out the rest here.

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