Canadian Jewish News - September 7 2006

Students learn from each other at summer retreat

By JENNA ROSMAN, CJN Internn

More than 70 Jewish student leaders, from Victoria, B.C., to Prince Edward Island, attended the second annual summer retreat organized by the Canadian Federation of Jewish Students last month.

“This was the second annual national leadership retreat. It was created by the Canadian Federation of Jewish Students (CFJS) to foster a national network of communication among campus leaders and, furthermore, to get motivated and excited for the upcoming school year,” said Melissa Lantsman, president and fourth-year economic-urban studies student at University of Toronto.

The four-day retreat, held at Camp George in Parry Sound, Ont., from Aug. 24 to 27, saw student leaders affiliated with organizations including Hillel, Jewish student associations, Jewish law student associations, and Alpha Epsilon Pi and Delta Phi (Jewish fraternity and sorority groups) from more than 20 university campuses nationwide.

“We discussed the concerns of what might happen on campus in September. We got [everyone] to basically learn from each other in terms of successes and mistakes,” Lantsman said.

There were many speakers at the retreat, she said, covering such topics as leadership development, Jewish identity, social justice, fundraising, communications, “the Jewish tradition of disagreement,” effective leadership and crisis management.

“We had sessions, with the help of the Jewish community staff from all across Canada – Hillel staff in particular – and we had sessions regarding bridge-building and working with staff,” she said.

Speakers included Ben Fefferman, the Canadian co-ordinator of Hasbara Fellowships, a non-profit group that provides information on pro-Israel activism; Mark Anshan, United Jewish Appeal general counsel and former director of the Canada-Israel Committee; Matthew Godwin, the national chair of SHOUT (Students Helping Others Understand Tolerance); Jared Isaacson, director of leadership development at National Jewish Campus Life; and Michal Kayne, director of the Israel Program Centre.

“We had activities [related to] national campaigns and national initiatives, based on Jewish identity,” Lantsman said.

Other highlights included Shabbat with Rabbi Aaron Levy, the new rabbi and director at the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Life, an Oneg Shabbat and an Israel-themed beach party.

“It was an amazing display of proud Jewish identity and [the start of] a brand new national network,” Lantsman said.