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Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the story of the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. On Pesach each year, Jews around the world not only remember, but also retell the story of the exodus from Egypt. The story of the exodus is the archetypal model of redemption for the Jewish people. In Hebrew, the word for Egypt is “mitzrayim,” which means narrow straits or places of constriction. This journey to freedom involves the transformative process of moving from the narrow place out into the openness of the desert, the uncharted wilderness that is both uncertain and rich with possibilities.
Passover starts on the evening of Friday, April 15th, and ends the 7-day festival at sunset on Friday, April 22nd. During Passover, many Jewish families engage in fasting from “chametz,” leavened bread, and anything from the major grains that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. This removal of chametz commemorates the fact that the Jews left Egypt in a hurry and did not have time to let their bread rise.
Given Passover’s placement during the academic year, this may impact Jewish students, staff, and faculty in various ways. In addition to being aware of this religious observance, you can support members of the Jewish community this week in the following ways:
Be mindful of the dietary restrictions connected to the holiday. Provide access to kosher food for any gatherings or events. Visit https://www.kosher.com/recipes/passover for example recipes.
Offer to hold onto your friend's chametz during Passover or ask your friend if they have someone to sell it to. It is a good way to show your friends that you care.
Spend time learning more about the holiday and its importance to Jewish community members.
UMBC Hillel and UMBC Chabad will be hosting a variety of programs for Passover and the intermediate days of the holiday. Interested students can do the following:
Follow Hillel on instagram, @UMBCHillel
Visit the Hillel MyUMBC page, https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbchillel
Visit the Chabad MyUMBC page, https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/jewishlearningconnection
Interested students can also reach out to Rabbis Jeremy Fierstien (jif@umbc.edu) or Dovid Ryder (dovidr@umbc.edu) with additional questions.
Participating students are expected to ensure that the space is left clean and organized, and all materials and supplies are put neatly away so that the space can be ready for use during regular business hours. This includes ensuring that ALL food products have been appropriately disposed of and cleaned. Participating students are expected to follow the student code of conduct, and respect the space and property of i3b and the Center for Well-Being.
UMBC students celebrating Passover can join UMBC Hillel and Chartwells for the First Night Passover Sedar. This will be held on Friday, April 15, beginning at 5:30 pm, in the Chartwells Office - Conference Room. To access the space, students should enter through the doors to the left of True Grits that lead to the office space, and turn right at the end of the entranceway.
Dining options for students needing kosher meals from April 15 - 22 are extremely limited but can be arranged by contacting David Glenn (david.glenn@compass-usa.com) from Chartwell’s Dining. Students will also find limited supplies for kosher snacks and access to a kosher toaster oven within the Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being. If you have additional questions about programming or dining options, please connect with Rabbi Jeremy Fierstein (jif@umbc.edu).
If you are in need of religious accommodations, please contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at oei@umbc.edu. For questions about religious and spiritual resources, please contact Dr. Jasmine A. Lee, Director of Inclusive Excellence/Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging (i3b) jaslee@umbc.edu. ]]>
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Connecting with Nature at UMBC
Locations: Library Pond and Administration Circle
Audience: Open to all, with a 20 person cap on each saunter
Register here for the Library Pond meet-up
Register here for the Administration Circle meet-up
11 a.m. – Noon Cultivating Resilience with Mindfulness with Jill Wardell
Location: Virtual
Audience: Open to all
More information and virtual event link here
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Restorative Practices at UMBC with Jeff Cullen
Location: Hybrid; Center for Well-Being, Room 118, and Online
Audience: Open to all
Register for the in-person event (18 person limit) or get the virtual event link here
12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. Mental Health Awareness Walk
Location: Breezeway
Audience: Open to all
More information here
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Group Fitness Pop-Up
Location: In front of the RAC
Audience: Open to all
More information here
2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Grief and Healing Circles
Three concurrent in-person sessions capped at 12 attendees each
Staff Circle Led by Jill Wardell
Location: 231 RAC
Register and get more information here
Student Circle Led by Beatriz Gutierrez Malagon
Location: Apartment Community Center MPR
Register and get more information here
Faculty Circle Led by Bambi Chapin
Location: 230 RAC
Register and get more information here
3 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Behaviors of Concern: How and Who to Report To
Location: Virtual
Audience: Staff and Faculty
More information and virtual event link here
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Graduate Student Mental Health Panel and Listening Session
Location: Retriever Room, Undergraduate Admissions Office, Albin O. Kuhn Library, Pondside, Room 012
Audience: Graduate Students; attendance capped at 34
Register and get more information here
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Faculty Mental Well-Being with Susan and Orianne
Location: Virtual
Audience: Faculty
More information and virtual event link here
4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Student Government Association: Snacks and Mental Health Chats
Location: SGA Office, Commons 2B20
Audience: Undergraduate Students
Register and get more information here
6 p.m. – 7 p.m. Community Conversations
Location: Library Gallery
Audience: Students
Register and get more information here
Ramadan is a month dedicated to fasting, spirituality & worship, and charity & community. Ramadan is expected to begin Saturday, April 2. The last day of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, is expected to begin on the evening of May 1. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast during daylight hours and increase in their spiritual devotional acts such as prayer and giving to charity. It is the holiest month of the Muslim year and follows the lunar calendar. During this month, no food or drink (including water) may be taken from dawn to dusk Worshippers eat a pre-dawn light meal, called suhoor. After dusk, Muslims break the fast with an evening meal called iftar.
Given Ramadan’s placement during the academic year, this will impact Muslim students, staff, and faculty in various ways. In addition to being aware of this religious observance, you can support members of the Muslim community this month in the following ways:
Understand that Ramadan is a time of spiritual cleansing and reflection.
Acknowledge Ramadan and Eid by wishing folks well.
Be respectful of prayer times - many people are more observant during Ramadan and therefore may need to leave class, meetings, or other obligations to pray for approximately ten minutes.
Ramadan includes evening programs that will require folks to be out late - be understanding and empathetic.
Check-in folks’ mental health and overall well-being.
For more information on how to support the Muslim community this Ramadan, check out the attached handout from the Islamic Center at New York University and head over to the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Towson, MD!
Ramadan Observance is being hosted by the Muslim Student Association. From April 2 through May 2, 2022, the Center for Well-Being hours will be temporarily expanded to 4:30 am - 1:00 am. The Gathering Space corridor (rooms 109 and 105) will be accessible during these times, but the conference rooms and the second floor will not be open.
Participating students are expected to ensure that the space is left clean and organized, and all materials and supplies are put neatly away so that the space can be ready for use during regular business hours. This includes ensuring that ALL food products have been appropriately disposed of and cleaned. Participating students are expected to follow the student code of conduct, and respect the space and property of i3b and the Center for Well-Being. For more information, please contact the Muslim Student Association at umbcmsa@gmail.com.
Chartwell’s has created the following Ramadan-specific dining options. For more information on the below, please contact UMBC Dining.
TRUE GRIT'S: Open Monday-Friday until 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday until 7 pm
There will be a Halal entrée for lunch and dinner. Carryout available during operating hours. Halal items are available for carryout during Sahoor. Assortment of hand fruit will be available.
COMMONS
Halal Shack will be open Monday- Thursday 11 am- 10 pm; Friday-Saturday 11 am- 11 pm (Closed Sunday). Pre-packaged meals from Halal Shack will be made available in the Retriever & Commons Market. Dates will be available. Pre-packaged Snack Boxes are available at the Market.
RETRIEVER MARKET
Pre-packaged meals from Halal Shack will be made available in the Retriever Market (at True Grits). Dates will be available. Pre-packaged Snack Boxes are available.
LATE NIGHT AT TRUE GRIT'S
Halal Chicken Cheesesteak
If you are in need of religious accommodations, please contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at oei@umbc.edu. For questions about religious and spiritual resources, please contact us at i3b@umbc.edu or contact Dr. Jasmine A. Lee, Director of Inclusive Excellence/Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging (i3b) jaslee@umbc.edu.
Doughnuts and Discussion
Eat donuts and chat with us (featuring Chip!)
Friday, April 1, 2022 | 1:00 - 2:30 p.m | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Commons: 2B23
Pizza at Pride: Global Edition
India's LGBTQ+ Community
Tuesday, April 5, 2022 | 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | University Center: Pride Center (201-D)
OCA Mocha Mondays
Diversity Dialogues with i3b
Monday, April 11, 2022 | 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | Off Campus: OCA Mocha
Dialogue and Draw: Social Justice Journeys
Creatively express your journey with social justice
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Center for Well-Being: 118
i3b's SafeZone Training
LGBTQ+ Allyship Development Workshop
Friday, April 15, 2022 | 9:00a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Commons
Workshop Wednesdays: Exploring Disability and Accessibility
Critical Social Justice: Disability Justice + Access Matters
Wednesday, April 20, 2022 | 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Online
myUMBC Event Post: Link | Webex Link
Bagels & Banter: Gathering with Games
Enjoy some bagels, play some games with friends
Wednesday, April 20, 2022 | 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Center for Well-Being: 109
[BETA Version] DreamZone Training
Immigrant Allyship Development Workshop
Friday, April 22, 2022 | 10:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Center for Well-Being: 118
Interfaith Dialogue Series
Difficult Dialogues Across Difference
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Center for Well-Being
Retriever Immigrants United: Immigrant Day of Action
Discuss how to create an immigrant support network
Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Commons: 2B23 ]]>We are excited to launch a workshop, training, and dialogue request form for i3b requests! You can fill out the form for any of your needs and we will follow up and connect from there. This form can be used to make requests for engagements for student, staff and faculty audiences.
Our IDEAList peer educators do requests for student audiences. The IDEAList program aims to provide peer-led interactive workshops rooted in dialogue and social justice. Our i3b Professional Staff do requests for staff and faculty audiences.
There is a 2 week advance notice time that we ask for so we can best plan for your request and with our schedules. If you have any follow up questions, please feel free to reach out to i3b@umbc.edu. We appreciate you using this form to help us centralize requests and best track interest in our workshops, training, and dialogues!
Workshop, Training, and Dialogue Request Form linked HERE.
]]>Workshop Wednesdays: Culture Box
Exploring Cultural Identities Across the Division
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 | 1:00 - 3:00 p.m | Online
myUMBC Event Post: Link | Webex: Link
How to Be a Better Ally: "Challenging Nice Racism"
A Deep Discussion on Racism in Progressive Communities
Thursday, March 10, 2022 | 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Commons: 2B23
Mindfulness Mondays: CBT Journaling
Understanding Your Thoughts and How to Journal
Monday, March 14, 2022 | 11:30am - 12:45 p.m | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Center for Well-Being: 209
OCA Mocha Mondays with i3b
Radical Wellness
Monday, March 14, 2022 | 5:00 - 6:30 p.m | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | Off-campus: OCA Mocha
PodByte: Disability Justice
Critical Social Justice: Disability Justice + Access Matters
Thursday, March 17, 2022 | 4:00 - 5:30 p.m | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Commons: The Women's Center
Interfaith Dialogue Series
Privilege and Religion
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | 4:00 - 5:30 p.m | In-Person
myUMBC Event Post: Link | The Center for Well-Being ]]>