Squirrel Hill Project: October 14, 2012-June 12, 2013

Click here for a flyer with all the events in our Squirrel Hill Project.

Halpern Award Recipient Reports on Her Summer Research

Kate Beach, a senior Religious Studies major, was awarded a 2012 Halpern Award. She offers these words about her experience:


"In late August 2012, I had the opportunity to travel to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and examine the Phoebe Yates Pember letters, part of the University of North Carolina’s Southern Historical collection. Through the generous gift of the Halpern family, I was able to spend several days working directly with Mrs. Pember’s letters and documents, giving me a unique perspective on the life of a Jewish woman during the Civil War. Mrs. Pember’s letters spanned nearly sixty years, beginning with the years before the war and her work with the Chimborazo Confederate Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, and ending with the final months of her life. Her documents touched on countless topics, problems and events, and painted a compelling portrait of a strong Jewish woman living in times of vast change and upheaval.


"By the end of my visit, I felt that I knew Mrs. Pember. I read long exchanges between Mrs. Pember and siblings, friends and even potential suitors. I held a rejection letter from a literary magazine and felt her disappointment. I celebrated the acceptance letters that followed. I was given a very private look into a real woman’s life, lived over a century before mine, and was able to gain a new perspective on life for Jewish women both during and after the Civil War.


"I began to research Mrs. Pember for my capstone paper in religious studies. As I continue my research on Jews in the Confederacy and explore the role of Jewish women specifically during this time of unrest, I will carry Mrs. Pember’s letters with me. She has provided me with an invaluable primary source that goes far beyond any information I could have found today. The Halpern Award made my trip possible, and has given me an opportunity that I was proud and honored to receive."



For more information on last year's Halpern Award competition, see here.

Internship Option in Warsaw

2013 CIVITAS-GEL PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN WARSAW, POLAND (Winter, Spring and Summer) in ENGLISH The professional internships (in English) are supervised by Collegium Civitas and include 25-30 hours of internship per week at public, private and non-profit institutions in Warsaw. Students can apply for a minimum of 4-week and up to 20-week internships. Interested students can also register for credited academic and internship seminars offered by Collegium Civitas and a Polish language course. INTERNSHIPS (IN ENGLISH) The program offers a unique opportunity for a limited number of students to undertake full-time professional internships at various public and non-profit organizations in Warsaw, Poland. Civitas internships can be undertaken with Jewish Historical Institute, and the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Internships in history and curatorial studies are also available. Winter/Spring Internships -between January 10 - June 15 Summer Internships - between May 15- July 31 How to Apply Graduate and undergraduate students can apply. GEL-Civitas internship program has a rolling admission and interested applicants are invited to submit their applications to the program anytime until Nov. 20 for Winter internship and April 20 for the summer internship. CONTACT Inquiries about the program can be directed to Olena Tregub, CEO, Global Educational Leadership, or by calling 646 670 6089. For more information about the program, application form and costs, click here About Us GEL Mission statement At no other time in history has such a great number of young people been able to choose among so many international education and career opportunities. Yet, far too often, this chance remains unrealized and fails to translate into reality. GEL strives to bridge the gap between the aspirations of this generation and its real chances for global educational development and genuine leadership growth in areas of professional interest.

Yiddish Club Meeting September 12

The Yiddish Club writes: "Sholem aleykhem! The J'Burgh Yiddish Club will be holding a meeting on Wednesday, September 12th, at 8pm for those interested in studying Yiddish and/or celebrating Yiddish culture. Homemade dessert will be served. Why might you want to join the Yiddish club? To open a whole world of Jewish literature, history, and music to which you formerly had no access. To become part of a community of interesting, welcoming, and committed young people from Vilnius to Tel Aviv to New York and beyond. To truly learn about, stand for, and pass on your own culture. To connect to Judaism in a way that is deep, but not specifically religious, Zionist, or Holocaust-oriented. To learn the language your grandparents kept secret from your parents. To finally find the motivation to learn a second language. Whatever your reason and no matter your background, seize this opportunity while you can! RSVP here if you are interested, even if you can't make it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGo3dTFKenFkQ1ZsUmM3NDZIQkNwVGc6MQ. The location will be sent out to those that RSVP."

Undergrads: publish your work

STUDENT WRITERS: The Office of Undergraduate Research is seeking submissions of research, scholarly articles, and creative writing for the FALL ISSUE of Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences http://www.ourpitt.blogspot.com/ FACEBOOK: O.U.R .Pitt FORBES & FIFTH MAGAZINE ALL A&S MAJORS WELCOME submissions due wed. oct. 3 email to forbes5@pitt.edu

Time to think about next summer!

The NATIONALITY ROOMS SUMMER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM announces the 2013 awards available to University of Pittsburgh full-time undergraduate and graduate students with the following criteria: Career goals with international components Foreign language skills Enrolling in an approved study abroad program (undergraduates and graduates) Conducting independent research at the graduate level Will be staying for a minimum of five weeks in one country or region next summer ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident Be a current full-time student on a University of Pittsburgh campus for the fall and spring terms prior to study abroad Must be enrolled and on campus as a full-time student for the fall and spring terms immediately following the study abroad Have a Q.P.A. of at least 3.0 For undergraduates- propose a career related, credit worthy study abroad or internship program of at least 5 weeks Undergraduates must have 60-90 credits by the end of April 2013 (be a current sophomore or junior) For graduate students- propose a career related, credit worthy study abroad, internship program or an independent research study of at least 5 weeks SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN TO ELIGIBLE GRADUATE STUDENTS AFRICA Beulah Glasco Memorial Award $3,500 ARMENIA Andrew J. Traina Memorial/ $4,000 Armenian Room Committee (for the study of Armenian culture) ASIA Dr. and Mrs. Ryonosuke Shiono Award $4,000 AUSTRIA Austrian Room Committee $3,500 (in honor of Frank and Marie Bulik) CHINA/HONG KONG/TAIWAN Chinese Room Committee $4,000 (in honor of Mike Chen) CHINA/HONG KONG/TAIWAN John H. Tsui Memorial Award $4,000 (for study of Chinese culture) CHILE Ivan Santa-Cruz Memorial Award $4,500 CZECH/SLOVAK REPUBLIC Czechoslovak Room Committee $4,500 DENMARK Herbert E. Lieberkind/Danish Room Committee $4,000 HUNGARY Hungarian Room Committee $3,500 Dr. Samuel Gomory/Joseph Arvay Memorial Award INDIA Indian Room Committee $3,500 ISRAEL Israel Heritage Room Committee $4,000 (for the study of Jewish culture/ first consideration given to programs in Israel) JAPAN Japanese Room Committee $3,500 LITHUANIA Josephine and John McCloskey Memorial Award $4,000 MIDDLE EAST/NEAR EAST Fred C. Bruhns Memorial Award $4,000 SCANDINAVIA Scandinavian Society of Western PA $4,000 UKRAINE Eugene Manasterski Memorial Award $4,000 ABROAD Ruth Crawford Mitchell Memorial Award $3,500 ABROAD Stanley Prostrednik Award $5,000 PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS (SHRS) ABROAD Dorothy Bradley Brown Physical Therapy Award $3,500 SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN TO ELIGIBLE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AFRICA African Heritage Room Committee $5,000 AUSTRIA Austrian Room Committee $3,500 (in honor of John McDermott) CHINA/HONG KONG/TAIWAN John H. Tsui Memorial Award $4,000 (For study of Chinese culture) GERMANY German Room Committee $3,500 (in memory of Christel Van Maurik) HUNGARY Hungarian Room Committee $3,500 Dr. Samuel Gomory/Joseph Arvay Memorial Award IRELAND Mary Campbell Cross Scholarship $4,000 ISRAEL Israel Heritage Room Committee $4,000 LITHUANIA Lithuanian Room Committee $4,000 SCOTLAND Scottish Room Committee/ Frank and Vilma Slater Fund $3,500 ABROAD David L. Lawrence Memorial Award $4,000 ABROAD Rachel McMasters Miller Hunt Award $4,000 ABROAD Helen Pool Rush Award $4,000 ABROAD Savina S. Skewis Award $4,000 UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN ABROAD Women’s International Club $4,000 U.S. CITIZENS OF POLISH DESCENT *POLAND Polish Room Committee $3,500 /Kosciuszko Foundation *Must apply for the program at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and complete the Tomaszkiewicz-Florio Scholarships. For more information click on to http://www.thekf.org/programs/study/admission_information/

Graduate Fellowships at Indiana University

Graduate Fellowships The Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program Announces its 2013-2014 Graduate Fellowship Competition For Incoming Students The Friends of the Borns Jewish Studies Program Graduate Fellowship The Glazer Family Fellowship The Yiddish Graduate Fellowship The Alice Ginott Cohn, Ph.D. and Theodore Cohn Fellowship Review of applicants begins: Thursday, January 17, 2013 The Borns Jewish Studies Program offers fellowships for students accepted into a graduate degree program at Indiana University who show clear promise of dedicating themselves seriously to scholarship within one of the core areas of Jewish Studies. Each fellowship provides a stipend starting at $18,000 and a fee scholarship and can be tied to multi-year packages. Application Procedure: Prospective students must apply for admission directly to a graduate degree program at Indiana University. In order to be considered for a Jewish Studies fellowship, applicants to the IU Graduate School should send a copy of their completed Indiana University application and request that 3 letters of recommendation (in Word) be forwarded to iujsp@indiana.edu. Letters & application can also be mailed to: Professor Shaul Magid, Associate Director; Borns Jewish Studies Program; Indiana University; Goodbody Hall 326; 1011 E. Third St.; Bloomington, IN 47405-7005. Each application will be considered for all relevant fellowship and award opportunities. Review of 2013-2014 applications will begin on Thursday, January 17, 2013. For more information, see our web site: www.indiana.edu/~jsp/