Koach Shabbat to be Celebrated in November - 67 College Campuses Registered

On November 5-6, college students on campuses throughout North America and Israel will celebrate KOACH Shabbat with a weekend of study and celebration. To date, 67 campuses have registered for this event. Last year, some 2,000 students participated in this program. Hillel groups on dozens of campuses sponsored study sessions on Conservative Judaism, utilizing educational resources prepared by KOACH, the Conservative Movement’s college-age organization.

This year, KOACH will once again provide text materials for Friday night or Shabbat morning study, and participating campuses will be invited to host a KOACH Faculty Member -- a rabbinical student from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York or the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles.

According to one Hillel leader who hosted a KOACH Faculty member at her campus last year, “the presence of a vibrant teacher on campus enriched Shabbat study and discussion and helped contribute to a wonderful sense of community. In fact, it helped us ‘jump start’ Shabbat morning participation.”

KOACH was created to provide information, advice and inspiration to Conservative Jewish college students and their families and to maintain a vital connection between the students and their home congregations. Thanks to its vibrant website, the group has also succeeded in creating an online community among Jewish college students. Events such as the annual KOACH Kallah ensure that students get to meet their counterparts from other campuses.

Richard Moline, Director of the KOACH program, notes that the success of KOACH Shabbat reflects the fact that the group has become increasingly active and well known on the college campus, forming an integral part of many Hillel programs. He adds that “the weekend provides a unique way for campuses all over North America to share the spirit of Shabbat.”

Additional information about KOACH and registration forms for KOACH Shabbat can be found on the KOACH website, www.koach.org.