News Release

Johns Hopkins University's Hillel will begin building new foundations for Jewish life on the Homewood campus with a three-day celebration Friday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 3, marking the start of construction for the new Smokler Center for Jewish Life in the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building at 3109 N. Charles St. in Baltimore.

Situated across Charles Street from the main Homewood campus, the Smokler Center will become the first permanent home for Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, which currently resides in second-floor offices at 3301 N. Charles St. and uses campus facilities for meetings and social functions. Hillel coordinates programming and activities for the campus's estimated 400 Jewish students. The center will be named for Johns Hopkins alumnus Irving Smokler and his wife, Carol, who were catalysts in the project, and the building for the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

The $5 million building is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2003. In total, the campaign for the center is seeking $10 million, with the balance beyond constructions costs to be used for programming and endowment. The Smoklers have committed $1 million toward the project. The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation committed $1.8 million, designating $1.5 million for construction and $300,000 as a challenge grant for the endowment fund. A total of $5 million has been raised to date. Commitments to the campaign, a cooperative effort of Hillel of Greater Baltimore and the university, will also be credited toward the university's "Knowledge for the World" campaign.

The weekend celebration includes:

Friday, Nov. 1

5:30 p.m.: Shabbat services. Reform and Conservative services will be held in the Bunting-Meyerhoff Interfaith Center, 3509 N. Charles St. Orthodox services will be held in the lower level of AMR I on the Homewood campus, 3400 N. Charles St.

7 p.m.: Shabbat dinner celebrating family in the Glass Pavilion on the Homewood campus. Meet other members of the campus community, including the Hillel staff, student leaders and Rabbi Joe Menashe, director of Johns Hopkins Hillel. $20 non-students; $10 children under 12; free to children under 4; $10 students with J-Card; free to students on the kosher meal plan or the Johns Hopkins Hillel Shabbat meal plan. Reservations required at 410-516- 4196.

Dinner will be followed by an informal gathering in Levering Hall's Great Hall. Students will share personal experiences of Jewish discovery from their recent travels abroad.

Saturday, Nov. 2

9:30 a.m.: Shabbat services. Conservative services will be held in the Bunting-Meyerhoff Interfaith Center. Orthodox services will be held in the lower level of AMR I.

Noon: Shabbat lunch in the Bunting-Meyerhoff Interfaith Center. The luncheon honoring alumni will feature guest speakers Jerome Schnydman '67, executive assistant to University President William R. Brody; and Vadim Schick '01, a trustee. The alumni will share personal stories of the different Johns Hopkins Jewish communities they have enjoyed. $10 non-students; $5 children under 12; free to children under 4; $5 students with J-Card; free to students on the kosher meal plan or the Johns Hopkins Hillel Shabbat meal plan. Reservations required at 410-516-4196.

4 p.m.: Seudah Shlishit, the third meal of the day. David Nirenberg, the Charlotte Bloomberg Professor of Humanities and Director of the Stulman Jewish Studies Program, will be the guest speaker in honor of Johns Hopkins' faculty. Free. Reservations required at 410-516- 4196.

Sunday, Nov. 3

12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.: Groundbreaking ceremony. Gather at 12:30 p.m. in the Mattin Center SDS Recital Room on the Homewood campus for light refreshments. The program will begin promptly at 1 p.m. and will conclude at the site of the Smokler Center for Jewish Life, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building, 3109 N. Charles St.

For more information, contact Johns Hopkins Hillel administrator Terri Glasser at 410-516-4196, or e-mail hophill@jhu.edu. Johns Hopkins Hillel is affiliated with Hillel of Greater Baltimore, a constituent agency of THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore that provides social, religious and educational services to undergraduates and graduate students in the greater Baltimore area.