Purim is almost here, so come join the Hillel JUC tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 28) for a large celebration filled with live comedy laughs and a DJ-ed 80's Purim party with prizes for the best and most original costumes! We want to send everyone off to their respective spring break with a BIG SMILE, so don't miss out!

8:30pm @ Graduate School of Public Health Auditorium G24 (Fifth Ave. and DeSoto St.) - Back by popular demand, Dan Ahdoot brings his brilliant and hilarious stand-up comedy to Pittsburgh at a special FREE show! Dan wrote for Comedy Central's Crank Yankers and was a finalist on NBC's Last Comic Standing. His website is accessible here. For more info contact Justin.

10pm @ Union Grill (413 S. Craig St.) - Immediately following Dan Ahdoot's performance, come for an awesome 80s Purim party, with a British DJ and prizes for those who come in costume! Cost is only $3 if you have your hand stamped from Dan's stand-up show or come in costume; or $5 regular admission. For more info contact David.

Due to spring break in successive weeks at Pitt and CMU, there will be no Shabbat services or dinner @ the Hillel JUC on March 2 or 9. You can come for Shabbat services and FREE dinner at a local student's apartment or at a local family's house. If you're interested in attending or hosting such a dinner (with financial assistance from the Hillel JUC), contact Sahar.

H A P P Y ~ P U R I M !

Wednesday, Feb. 28 The Matthew B. Ridgway Speaker Series presents Dr. Ariel Levite, Principal Deputy Director General (Policy) of the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC). Dr. Levite will discuss "THE THIRD NUCLEAR AGE," 12pm in 3911 Posvar Hall.

Prior to joining the Israeli government service, Dr. Levite worked for five years as a Senior Research Associate and Head of the Project on Israeli Security at the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, and taught courses at Tel Aviv and Cornell universities, as well as the University of California at Davis. Dr. Levite served in the Israel Defense Forces for six years, rising to the rank of Captain, and was subsequently promoted to Major in the IDF reserves.

Dr. Levite has authored several books, including Offense and Defense in Israeli Military Doctrine, Intelligence and Strategic Surprise, and Israel's Nuclear Image, and authored, contributed to, and co-edited others including Foreign Military Intervention, and Deterrence in the Middle East. Dr. Levite holds a bachelor's degree from Tel Aviv University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Cornell University. Dr. Levite's talk is made possible by a grant from the Ford Foundation. For more info go here.

Wednesday, Mar. 21 The Matthew B. Ridgway Speaker Series presents Robert Dreyfuss, National Security Correspondent, Rolling Stone, and author of Devil's Game: How the U.S. Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam. Mr. Dreyfuss will discuss "ISLAMISM VS. NATIONALISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST: How the Bush Administration Is Encouraging the Former by Fighting the Latter," 12pm in 3911 Posvar Hall.

For nearly 15 years, Robert Dreyfuss has worked as an independent journalist who specializes in magazine features, profiles, and investigative stories in the areas of politics and national security. In 2001, he was profiled as a leading investigative journalist by the Columbia Journalism Review, and two of his articles have won awards from The Washington Monthly. In 2003, Dreyfuss was awarded Project Censored’s first prize for a story on the role of oil in U.S. policy toward Iraq.

Based in Alexandria, Virginia, Dreyfuss writes for Rolling Stone and currently covers national security. He is a contributing editor at The Nation, a contributing writer at Mother Jones, and a senior correspondent for The American Prospect. His articles have also appeared in The Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and Newsday. Online, Dreyfuss writes frequently for TomPaine.com and produces a popular blog called The Dreyfuss Report. He has appeared on Fox News, C-Span, CNBC, MSNBC, Court TV, and National Public Radio. Dreyfuss is a graduate of Columbia University.

Philadelphia and Harrisburg, represent! If you are from either of these fine cities and will be home THIS Sunday, March 4, bring your parents and join Aaron Weil and Laura Conrad as they meet with prospective students, parents, and alumni! We want YOU to share why you love the Hillel JUC and network with prospective students and alumni!

Philadelphia: Sunday, March 4 at 11am @ the home of Meryl and Paul Wexler (parents of Pitt freshman Josh Wexler) - 1600 Broadfield Circle, Maple Glen, PA 19002.

Harrisburg: Sunday, March 4 at 3pm @ the home of Margie and Al Adelmann (parents of Pitt freshman Carly Adelmann) - 367 Futurity Drive, Camp Hill, PA 17011.

There will be food, so RSVP to Laura so we know how much to order.

Registration is now open for this summer’s Hasbara Fellowships Activism Training Program in Israel! Past programs have included meetings with Israeli leaders such as Shimon Peres, Natan Sharansky, Dore Gold, and Binyamin Netanyahu. Through this acclaimed program, you will acquire effective Israel activism training, learn from fellow activists from campuses across North America, meet top Israeli politicians and leaders, and discover specific programming ideas and campaigns to bring back to your campus. Come explore Israeli and Middle Eastern history and politics, and sharpen your activism skills!

Program dates are May 28-June 12 and August 5-21. Also this summer, Hasbara Fellowships is conducting its first ever trip to Poland and Israel, June 17-July 3! Top pro-Israel university activists from across North America are invited to APPLY NOW for this summer's programs.

Teacher's Aide (internship) A local Jewish family seeks a student to intern on a regular basis as a teacher's aide one-on-one with a young student in the classroom at a private school in Squirrel Hill. Ideally, this aide is studying toward a degree in education, speech and language or occupational therapy. For more info contact Dana.

Student Aide (some Hebrew knowledge required) A local Israeli family seeks a student for a part-time job (4 hours a day, a few days each week) to sit in class in a Squirrel Hill school and aid a boy who has special needs. For more info contact Moti.

Jewish Day Camp and Travel Camp Staffing The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh is seeking staff for its J&R Day Camp (Pre-K through Grade 5) and its Noar/Bogrim Travel Camp (Grades 6-9) for summer 2007. Staff week runs June 11-15, Session One runs June 18-July 13, and Session Two runs July 16-August 10. You have a terrific opportunity to join an excellent organization and work with children while getting a healthy tan, so for more info and to apply TODAY, e-mail or call Liza: 412-521-8011 x241.

Sunday morning Teacher / Song-Leader A Reform synagogue in the North Hills seeks a teacher for a 9th grade class on "a basic review of key teachings of Judaism," Sunday mornings, from 9:15am or 10am. Also, the synagogue seeks a song-leader for its monthly "Tot Shabbat;" dinner and salary included. For more info contact Art.

Part-time Position @ Kosher Restaurant Milky Way, in Squirrel Hill, seeks someone to work as a cashier/server, and students are encouraged to apply. For more info contact Aaron or Ari via (412) 421-3121.

Government Fellows Program Internship The Menachem Begin Heritage Center is excited to announce this new long-term program in Israel! The Government Fellows Program is an excellent opportunity for students from around the world to take their first steps in a government career by interning at one of Israel's ministries. The program includes a wide variety of activities for exploring Israel, as described here.

There are significant scholarships available toward this program. For more information contact Hadasa Greenberg-Yaakov.

Institute on Political Journalism Internship
This summer: June 9–August 4, 2007
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Sponsored by The Fund for American Studies in partnership with Georgetown University, the Institute on Political Journalism combines substantive internships, courses for academic credit, career development activities, site briefings and panels featuring professional journalists. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the FINAL DEADLINE of March 1, 2007.

For more information and an online application, please click here or contact Joe Starrs, Director, Institute on Political Journalism: e-mail or 1-800-741-6964.

Summer Internships in Yiddish Studies Live and learn Yiddish this summer! The National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts announces an outstanding 2007 internship opportunity for college students. The Steiner Internship Program is now accepting applications for this eight-week summer internship program. Eighteen students will be accepted.
Study Yiddish language, literature and culture intensively and work every day with the Center's own collection of 1.5 million Yiddish books. The program runs from June 3-July 27, 2007; no prior knowledge of Yiddish is required. Interns receive a generous stipend and up to six college credits, and apartment-style housing is provided. Go here to learn more about this terrific internship. APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 1, 2007.

For additional information, please contact: Janet Kannel, Internship Program Coordinator at the National Yiddish Book Center: 413-256-4900 x131 / e-mail.

This week's Torah portion is Tetzaveh. Learn more here.