The Grad Network and the Columbia/Barnard Hillel Young Alumni Community are coming together for our 3rd Annual Hanukkah Party! We hope that you can join us for drinks and Hanukkah treats on Thursday, November 21 from 7:00-9:00pm at Amity Hall Uptown. Registration includes vegetarian and certified kosher appetizers, and two drink tickets.

Advanced registration is required.

If you are a graduate student and have questions, please email Melissa Kansky at melissa@hillel.columbia.edu

If you are a young alumni and have questions, please email Eliana Sugarman at es4320@columbia.edu

Join us for a conversation with Alex Farfuri, one of the most prominent photographers in Israel today, about her process documenting Israeli society and the political unrest since 2023. Farfuri's unique point of view is refreshing – weaving intense, at times painful moments of political and even historical magnitude, with hopeful, touching human moments, balancing artistic and journalistic photography.

RSVP to attend.

When: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 19

Where: Room 6AB at the Kraft Center, located at 606 W. 115th Street

Snacks and refreshments will be provided. This event is co-sponsored by iTrek.

Connect Jewish teachings on ethics, spirituality, and mindfulness to your everyday living. Whether you are new to Judaism or seeking to deepen your knowledge, this 4-part series offers a unique opportunity to integrate timeless wisdom with modern approaches to wellbeing.

Questions? Email Sarah, Grad Network Rabbinic Intern.

The fellowship will meet 6-8 p.m. on the following Mondays:

• October 28

• November 4** (this session will be 7-9pm)

• November 11

• November 18

To register for the Judaism & Mindfulness Fellowship, submit this form by 10 p.m. Monday, October 21

Of course, dinner will be provided at all sessions!

End the week with The Grad Network! Dinner will be served at the Kraft Center, located at 606 West 115th Street. Advanced registration required to reserve your seat.

RSVP to reserve your seat. Registration coming soon

Cost should not be a barrier to participate. If you are unable to pay and would like to attend any of the experiences offered, please email Melissa.

Learn about Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian language and participate in a hands-on calligraphy workshop!

Space is limited. Sign-up to reserve your materials.

This special Ritual Lab experience will be led by artist educator Ruben Shimonov and take place at Harlem Moishe House. The workshop will begin at 7 p.m. The address will be shared will all registrants closer to the date of the program.

Join us as we dive into the rich visual worlds of Arabic, Hebrew and Persian calligraphy. Through historical, spiritual, linguistic and artistic lenses, we will discover the parallels between these languages. Educator, community builder, and artist Ruben Shimonov will also take us on an exploratory journey of his own multilingual calligraphy—sharing the ways he has used his art to celebrate the cultural diversity of the Greater Sephardi world. Participants will then have the opportunity to engage with these languages through a hands-on calligraphy workshop

If cost is a barrier to participation, please email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network.

Experience Suffs on Broadway with The Grad Network 7:30 p.m. November 13. The musical, with music, book, and lyrics written by Shaina Taub, tells the story of American women’s fight for the right to vote.

When accepting the Tony Award for Best Score, Taub quoted the Talmud, saying “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” The verse from the Talmud has inspired Taub and helped shape the thesis for the show. The musical celebrates the changes achieved and acknowledges the work that remains to be done.

This experience is currently sold out. Email Melissa to be added to a wait list.

Ticket costs are heavily subsidized. This gift is made possible thanks to the Columbia/Barnard Hillel Annual Fund. 

Please note this experience is only available to currently enrolled graduate students at Columbia and Teachers College.

Connect Jewish teachings on ethics, spirituality, and mindfulness to your everyday living. Whether you are new to Judaism or seeking to deepen your knowledge, this 4-part series offers a unique opportunity to integrate timeless wisdom with modern approaches to wellbeing.

Questions? Email Sarah, Grad Network Rabbinic Intern.

The fellowship will meet 6-8 p.m. on the following Mondays:

• October 28

• November 4** (this session will be 7-9pm)

• November 11

• November 18

To register for the Judaism & Mindfulness Fellowship, submit this form by 10 p.m. Monday, October 21

Of course, dinner will be provided at all sessions!

Connect Jewish teachings on ethics, spirituality, and mindfulness to your everyday living. Whether you are new to Judaism or seeking to deepen your knowledge, this 4-part series offers a unique opportunity to integrate timeless wisdom with modern approaches to wellbeing.

Questions? Email Sarah, Grad Network Rabbinic Intern.

The fellowship will meet 6-8 p.m. on the following Mondays:

• October 28

• November 4** (this session will be 7-9pm)

• November 11

• November 18

To register for the Judaism & Mindfulness Fellowship, submit this form by 10 p.m. Monday, October 21

Of course, dinner will be provided at all sessions!

Join us for an open, inclusive, joyful Kabbalat Shabbat service led by JCC Harlem Rabbi-In-Residence Mira Rivera. Dinner will follow at 7:30 p.m. Dinner will be sponsored by The Grad Network and all food served will be certified-Kosher.

All are welcome, whether this is your first time celebrating Shabbat or your one hundredth. RSVP to attend.

Gather with The Grad Network community for bagels in Hammer Room LL108A. Swing by for food or stay to hang out

Connect Jewish teachings on ethics, spirituality, and mindfulness to your everyday living. Whether you are new to Judaism or seeking to deepen your knowledge, this 4-part series offers a unique opportunity to integrate timeless wisdom with modern approaches to wellbeing.

Questions? Email Sarah, Grad Network Rabbinic Intern.

The fellowship will meet 6-8 p.m. on the following Mondays:

• October 28

• November 4** (this session will be 7-9pm)

• November 11

• November 18

To register for the Judaism & Mindfulness Fellowship, submit this form by 10 p.m. Monday, October 21

Of course, dinner will be provided at all sessions!

Explore Israeli cuisine during a walking tour through The West Village!

The tour will begin at a coffee shop, before eating lunch together at a pita restaurant. While walking through the West Village, the group will stop for sweet and savory pastries. The tour will end with ice cream that has a special Israeli twist!

Space is limited. RSVP to reserve your spot. Exact meeting address will be shared with all registered participants.

Please note: All the food will be vegetarian, but the food is not prepared in a kitchen that is under Kosher supervision.

If cost is a barrier to participation, please email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network. 

Eat lunch with sukkah with The Grad Network! Lunch will be provided from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in the 6th Floor Sukkah at The Kraft Center, located at 606 W. 115th Street. Feel free to come by any time within that window.

Vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, and gluten free options will be available. Questions? Email Sarah, The Grad Network Rabbinic Intern.

This meal is available at no cost to graduate student. This gift is made possible thanks to the Columbia/Barnard Hillel Annual Fund. 

5 Tuesdays | September 24 - October 22 | 7-8:30 p.m.

First Year Fellowship aims to foster friendship and community among graduate students early on in their time at Columbia. As part of the conversation series, the fellowship will also include excursions in the city and a chance to experience New York beyond Columbia’s campus!

Dinner will be provided at all Fellowship sessions. Participants will also receive a $100 stipend to support participation in Jewish experiences offered outside of Columbia.

Sign-up by 5 p.m. September 19 to be included in this learning cohort.

Questions? Email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network.

Experience the Fall foliage, connect with nature, and perform tashlich during a community hike. Tashlich is a custom of symbolically getting rid of our bad habit and mistakes from the past year by tossing small pieces of bread, seeds, or stones into moving waters. Participate in the custom while hiking in the Hudson Highlands.

Advanced registration required.

Plan to depart Grand Central Station at 8:30 a.m. and return to the city around 4 p.m. Exact timing will be announced closer to the date.

The Grad Network will cover the cost of train tickets to and from the trailhead. Participants are responsible for their own food and hiking essentials.

End the week with The Grad Network! Dinner will be served at the Kraft Center, located at 606 West 115th Street. Advanced registration required to reserve your seat.

RSVP to reserve your seat. Registration coming soon

Cost should not be a barrier to participate. If you are unable to pay and would like to attend any of the experiences offered, please email Melissa.

5 Tuesdays | September 24 - October 22 | 7-8:30 p.m.

First Year Fellowship aims to foster friendship and community among graduate students early on in their time at Columbia. As part of the conversation series, the fellowship will also include excursions in the city and a chance to experience New York beyond Columbia’s campus!

Dinner will be provided at all Fellowship sessions. Participants will also receive a $100 stipend to support participation in Jewish experiences offered outside of Columbia.

Sign-up by 5 p.m. September 19 to be included in this learning cohort.

Questions? Email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network.

Conclude Yom Kippur with The Grad Network! Our break fast bagel buffet will be 7 p.m. Saturday, October 12 at The Kraft Center. All are welcome, whether or not it is your practice to fast during the holiday. Advanced registration is required.

RSVP to attend Break Fast!

Cost should not be a barrier to participate. If you are unable to pay and would like to attend any of the experiences offered, please email Melissa.

High Holiday Services

All Columbia graduate students are welcome to attend services with Columbia/Barnard Hillel at no cost. Please submit this form to receive more information about the services that interest you.

If you would like to bring a non-Columbia guest to services, please purchase a subsidized High Holiday service ticket here.

Happy New Year! This year Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday, October 2 and Yom Kippur begins Friday evening October 11. We’re looking forward to celebrating the new year together.

All Columbia graduate students are welcome to attend services with Columbia/Barnard Hillel at no cost. Please submit this form to receive more information about the services that interest you.

If you would like to bring a non-Columbia guest to services, please purchase a subsidized High Holiday service ticket here.

The Grad Network is also offering meals and additional ways to mark the new year. For more information The Grad Network’s Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner, Yom Kippur Break Fast, care packages, and tashlich kayaking, click here.

Gather with The Grad Network community for bagels in Hammer Room LL108A. Swing by for food or stay to hang out

Join us for a conversation with al-Omari and Makovsky, experts on Israel and Palestine at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a prominent DC think tank. Both Makovsky and al-Omari have advised Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for the US and Palestine, respectively. They will break down the current situation in the Israel-Hamas war and discuss realistic paths forward. Register here to attend.

David Makovsky (CC alum) is the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations. He is also an adjunct professor in Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and president of the board for the National Library of Israel’s U.S. affiliate (NLI-USA). In 2013-2014, he worked in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, serving as a senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations.

Ghaith al-Omari, the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute’s Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship, is the former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine. He served as advisor to the negotiating team during the 1999–2001 permanent-status talks in addition to holding various other positions within the Palestinian Authority.

5 Tuesdays | September 24 - October 22 | 7-8:30 p.m.

First Year Fellowship aims to foster friendship and community among graduate students early on in their time at Columbia. As part of the conversation series, the fellowship will also include excursions in the city and a chance to experience New York beyond Columbia’s campus!

Dinner will be provided at all Fellowship sessions. Participants will also receive a $100 stipend to support participation in Jewish experiences offered outside of Columbia.

Sign-up by 5 p.m. September 19 to be included in this learning cohort.

Questions? Email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network.

The Columbia Jewish & Israeli Community October 7 Commemoration honors the lives lost on October 7 and affirms  our community’s hope and strength.

We will gather 6 p.m. October 7 in Roone Arledge Auditorium in Lerner Hall to listen and pray together. Pre-registration is required to attend.

Communal processing spaces will be open at the Kraft Center following the ceremony. 

Join us for a screening of Sheryl Sandberg’s powerful documentary “Screams Before Silence,” which explores the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on Oct. 7th. The screening will be followed by a panel discussed moderated by Sheryl.

Pre-registration is required.

Happy New Year! This year Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday, October 2 and Yom Kippur begins Friday evening October 11. We’re looking forward to celebrating the new year together.

All Columbia graduate students are welcome to attend services with Columbia/Barnard Hillel at no cost. Please submit this form to receive more information about the services that interest you.

If you would like to bring a non-Columbia guest to services, please purchase a subsidized High Holiday service ticket here.

The Grad Network is also offering meals and additional ways to mark the new year. For more information The Grad Network’s Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner, Yom Kippur Break Fast, care packages, and tashlich kayaking, click here.

Join The Grad Network and Rabbinic Intern Sarah Pincus for a community Rosh Hashanah Lunch. Lunch will be served 1:45 p.m. Thursday, October 3 at the Kraft Center.

RSVP to reserve your seat.

Everyone is invited to participate in Tashlich (a ritual of symbolically casting away what we want to leave behind from last year) at Riverside Park immediately following lunch.

Cost should not be a barrier to participation. If you would like to attend and are unable to pay, please email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network, to be added to the registration list.

High Holiday Services

All Columbia graduate students are welcome to attend services with Columbia/Barnard Hillel at no cost. Please submit this form to receive more information about the services that interest you.

If you would like to bring a non-Columbia guest to services, please purchase a subsidized High Holiday service ticket here.

Gather with Columbia graduate students October 2 at the Kraft Center for a festive Rosh Hashanah meal. The meal will be served at 7:30 p.m. on the 3rd Floor Terrace of the Kraft Center. Guests are welcome and advanced registration is required.

RSVP to reserve your seat.

Cost should not be a barrier to participate. If you are unable to pay and would like to attend any of the experiences offered, please email Melissa.

High Holiday Services

All Columbia graduate students are welcome to attend services with Columbia/Barnard Hillel at no cost. Please submit this form to receive more information about the services that interest you.

If you would like to bring a non-Columbia guest to services, please purchase a subsidized High Holiday service ticket here.

5 Tuesdays | September 24 - October 22 | 7-8:30 p.m.

First Year Fellowship aims to foster friendship and community among graduate students early on in their time at Columbia. As part of the conversation series, the fellowship will also include excursions in the city and a chance to experience New York beyond Columbia’s campus!

Dinner will be provided at all Fellowship sessions. Participants will also receive a $100 stipend to support participation in Jewish experiences offered outside of Columbia.

Sign-up by 5 p.m. September 19 to be included in this learning cohort.

Questions? Email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network.

Create a one-of-a-kind mezuzah for your home! All attendees will create a personalized mezuzah case and receive a Kosher klaf, a parchment scroll inscribed with verses from the Torah. No prior experience or knowledge is needed to participate! 

Space is limited. Register to reserve your materials.

Ritual lab workshops begin with examining texts connected to the ritual practice and then move into a guided art workshop.

Cost should not be a barrier to participate. If you are unable to pay and would like to attend any of the experiences offered, please email Melissa.

5 Tuesdays | September 24 - October 22 | 7-8:30 p.m.

First Year Fellowship aims to foster friendship and community among graduate students early on in their time at Columbia. As part of the conversation series, the fellowship will also include excursions in the city and a chance to experience New York beyond Columbia’s campus!

Dinner will be provided at all Fellowship sessions. Participants will also receive a $100 stipend to support participation in Jewish experiences offered outside of Columbia.

Sign-up by 5 p.m. September 19 to be included in this learning cohort.

Questions? Email Melissa, Director of The Grad Network.