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Zeitouna, all-women’s Jewish-Palestinian peace group, speaks to Brandeis students at J Street U event

Mandel G03 is lit up by the projector screen as students pile in. It’s 7:30 p.m. Participants greet each other as they haphazardly cut chocolate babka from Bakey, and the president of J Street U, Ayla Wrubel ’25, does a sound check on Zoom. Once everyone has adjusted in their seats, quiet descends on the room. The two women on the screen, Leonore, an Israeli Jew, and Randa, a Palestinian, smile graciously. They are the founding members of Zeitouna, an all women’s peace group in Ann Arbor, Michigan that meets bimonthly to engage in dialogue on the Israel-Hamas conflict. The group is where Leonore and Randa have fostered a friendship that has lasted over 20 years, since they met in the summer of 2002. After some technological kinks are smoothed out, the students watch a Columbia Broadcasting System clip from April 2024 of a Zeitouna meeting with six Palestinian and six Jewish members, one of whom is a Holocaust survivor. The women eat together before sitting with reporter Lisa Lang, to whom they express how the group has supported them but also challenged them. 

"Porcelain War" and artistic resistance

Feb. 24, 2025 marks three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For the past three years, Ukrainian civilians have been fighting against Russian forces, striving to protect their freedom, their families and the future of their nation. Throughout these three years, Brandeis students and faculty have been holding events to share Ukrainian stories, ensuring the war’s impact remains relevant and present within our community. 

A New Era for the Patriots Offense

Fun fungi with naturalist Jonathan Kranz

On Thursday, March 20, around 25 Waltham residents, a small but eclectic crowd, gathered in the lecture hall of the Waltham Public Library for guest speaker Jonathan Kranz’s presentation on mushrooms. More specifically, the process of foraging, identifying and generally appreciating the fungal life forms that appear in the state of Massachusetts. 

Brandeis Hillel looking to hire new on-campus rabbinic educator couple

On Feb. 26, Rabbi Seth Winberg, the executive director of Hillel at Brandeis, announced that Dorit Cohen and Rav Ariel Cohen will not return as Brandeis’ Orthodox Union Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus couple. The two have served since 2021 and will finish their term at the end of this semester. The OU-JLIC couple serves as a resource to support Jewish life for Orthodox students on campus. They host Shabbat and holiday meals, offer learning opportunities and support the religious wellbeing of Orthodox students at Brandeis. The Rabbi announced that the community will conduct a search in the coming months for the next OU-JLIC couple, stating that “students will have opportunities to meet candidates and share feedback.”

Hold Thy Peace's "Argonautika"

This past weekend, Hold Thy Peace, the Brandeis Shakespeare and classics theater group, performed their spring semester show “Argonautika” by Mary Zimmerman. “Argonautika” is a modern adaptation of the Greek epic poem “Argonautica” written in the third century before the common era by Apollonius Rhodius. The story follows that of Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to retrieve the legendary golden fleece from Colchis and bring it back to Iolcus, Jason’s home. Set before the Trojan War, the Argonauts feature a star-studded cast of familiar heroes including Hercules, who joins the voyage in between his famous labors. 

Advice to a Brandeis underclassman

If you’re reading this, you might be a first-year student, still adjusting to life at Brandeis. At this point, you may be trying to figure out your schedule, debating whether to join certain clubs or wondering if you’ve found the right group of friends. The truth is, no one arrives at college knowing exactly how things will play out, and that’s a part of the experience. Over the past four years, Brandeis has taught us that flexibility, patience and a willingness to embrace the unexpected matters far more than having a perfect plan. With that in mind, the following is what members of this editorial board wish they had understood earlier.

Brandeis Strangers: New technology builds connection on campus

A guide to Formula 1: Get to know the 2025 Grid

It’s lights out and away we go for a new season of Formula 1. For those of you who have never watched Formula 1 and always ask your friends who do watch, “What’s the difference between Formula 1 and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing?” Here’s a brief rundown. 

Student Union hears from A-board and discusses future club chartering

The Brandeis University Student Union Senate reconvened on March 16 at 7:05 p.m. for its weekly meeting.

The Russian Club talent show: A celebration of culture and heritage

On March 12 the Brandeis Russian Club and Russian Studies program performed their annual Student Talent Show as part of Brandeis’ Russian Language & Culture Week of 2025. The Student Talent Show is a tradition dating back to 2008 and all students are encouraged to participate, not just students in the Russian Club or Russian Studies Program. Before the celebrations began there was an acknowledgment of those affected by war and an explanation of the significance of International Women’s Day in post-soviet countries. International Women’s Day takes place on March 8 and after Russian women gained suffrage in 1917 the country adopted it as a national holiday. Later the date was also adopted by the United Nations in 1975. 

The enchanting performance of "La Belle au Bois Dormant"

Withstanding rain, hail and wind, spectators stood before the National Opera of Paris, excitedly anticipating this season’s “La Belle au Bois Dormant” choreographed and directed by Rudolph Noureev. I had the fortunate opportunity to attend this spectacle with a group of other students on March 11. Among the neoclassical mise en scene, costume design and spectacular engaging lighting, dancers spun, twisted and leaped in petit pas pattering across the stage. A symphony to honor Tchaikovsky, led by the brilliant composer Vello Pähn, masterfully presented the Russian ballet that the audience awarded a standing ovation.

Brandeis Celebrates Diverse Spiritual and Religious Holidays

Since its founding in 1948, spiritual life has always been an important part of Brandeis University. The Center for Spiritual Life evolved from Brandeis’ core values and mission, to foster an inclusive environment for diverse beliefs. 

The Opinion: Issue one

Welcome Brandeisians far and wide, to the first edition of this splendid column that I will call The Opinion. Now, in a day and age when many opinions are being thrown into the public, some may find my column tactless. I mean, with so much happening in the world, how does one Jewish, non-binary history major think that their opinions about the world/school/life/everything matter to the extent that they want to write a piece in the University newspaper? I mean, come on! There are people more deserving of a platform who haven’t had the voice to speak.

Why I Support Re-imagining Brandeis

Every week with increasing volume tells us this: higher education is in trouble. It is too expensive. There aren’t enough students to go around. Schools are going to close. And those that remain will be different from what they were before. People aren’t sure they should spend four years of their life learning things they can’t apply to jobs that might not be there when they’re done.

The future of press: Journalistic integrity in an era of influence

Regardless of which bubble you filled in last November — or whether you filled one in at all — the role of the press in shaping public discourse and accountability remains important. Journalism has undergone a profound transformation, evolving into an industry that surpasses even the most ambitious visions of our nation’s founders. Yet, recent developments have cast a troubling shadow over the future of a free and independent press, raising urgent concerns about its integrity and sustainability.

How are local church leaders responding to changes in the political climate?

Something in the water: Why have so many major artists gotten their big break after performing at Brandeis?

Brandeis threatened by federal budget cuts

Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, the Trump administration and Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, have been on a crusade to find “waste” within the government. 

Faculty discuss cuts to graduate program admissions and hear plans for capital campaign

On Friday, Feb. 7, faculty gathered in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall for their monthly meeting. The meeting began with a presentation from Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dean Charles Golden. Golden presented on cuts to open admissions spots this year, explaining that they are “going for roughly 55 admissions across GSAS.”