Category: Uncategorized

What is this Blog?????

When the school was “all virtual, all the time” during the first year of the pandemic, our Engagement and Programming Associate at the time, Chloe Goldstein, created a blog called “Lehigh Hillel: Healing and Wholeness”. This was a way to connect with the community and provide support during the days of lock down, etc. After Chloe left, the blog was continued by Raya Kazdam, our interim Engagement and Programming Associate.

Now that we are fully in-person, we have not been using the blog. However, we wanted the posts to be available for people to see. It just gives you a little taste of what we were doing during those difficult times. And, I’m sure you’ll find some of the posts enlightening still.

There are posts about handlings stress, Jewish women’s history, and also recordings of most of the weekly online mindfulness meditation sessions led by Rabbi Steve.

I hope you find something meaningful as you peruse what is basically a digital time capsule of a strange and challenging year.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Steve Nathan

Endowed Director of Jewish Student Life

and Associate Chaplain

A Community Building and Community Building

By Raya Kazdan, OJSL Staff

Lehigh is a smaller university, and as such has a resultantly modest and tight-knit Jewish community. Being from a larger university myself, it has been enlightening to learn about the dynamics of Jewish life at Lehigh, and humbling to see the great power that is the Office of Jewish Student Life, headed by Steve and Jane who effectively run a dynamic and busy office of affairs. The two of them deserve so much credit in securing the new OJSL building.

Recently, I attended an art exhibit on the significance of architecture within democracy; primarily focused on the idea that a “gathering space” is a necessary characteristic of a modern democratic group or society. The new OJSL serves its community precisely in this manner; it is a space where the Jewish community at large can meet and spend time, and its existence is imperative to the success of our community building initiatives. 

Specifically, after about 40 years at Summit Street, the new building offers a modern and spacious place for students to gather for Shabbat dinners, Israel programming, and collaborations with other multicultural organizations. It will serve as the homebase for not only Hillel, but Friends of Israel as well. There is a picnic area which will allow for cookouts in the warm weather. The grassy area will provide a space to build a sukkah for the community to eat in together on Sukkot. Furthermore, other student organizations will be able to reserve rooms or time in the building. 

What does this mean?

Research has shown that gathering spaces are correlated with lower stress levels. This is because when a group of people can meet together, they can help ease the burden of their stresses from one another. They can intentionally strengthen their bonds and connections. 

Undergraduate life can get lonely, and the past year in this pandemic has revealed the dangers that loneliness and isolation pose for mental health. The OJSL will ease that burden, and as campus transitions back to its vibrant, lively self, the OJSL building will guarantee that the Jewish community will as well. 

Tough Days in the Pandemic and Getting Through Them: Patience and Being Gentle

by Claire Kirshenbaum, Class of 2024

On tough days, it is important to be extra patient with yourself. Don’t get discouraged that you didn’t complete enough work. You should try your best to be gentle with yourself and not get frustrated by another set back or another hard day. Be gentle with yourself during those tough days, know that maybe you won’t be able to complete everything you originally planned to do and that’s ok. 

You are not the only one that is experiencing hard setbacks.

We hope you enjoyed this series focused on taking care of yourself amidst the global pandemic. Make sure to read all five posts in this series for the full experience, and check out other posts on this blog for other tips and advice!

Tough Days in the Pandemic and Getting Through Them: Planning Activities

by Claire Kirshenbaum, Class of 2024

On tough days it can be hard to get the things done that we need to do. We can very easily become overwhelmed with work. On tougher days some tasks feel like a lot more work. This stress can lead us to ignore our own needs.

An idea to combat this is to plan out and organize your day. This will help you get everything you need done. If you plan out your day you can build in time for yourself and activities. And on those really tough days planning helps you to be able to have nothing left to do and just hang out, doing whatever feels right for you. 

Planning also leaves you room to plan for yourself and for healthy activities like exercise, a walk, reading a book you like, or even just cuddling up and watching tv. Doing these things while having a plan to fulfill all your tasks for the day can help you to not feel overwhelmed with what you have to do or guilty about taking time for yourself. These activities can be very beneficial to your mental and physical well-being.

Tough Days in the Pandemic and Getting Through Them: Exercise and Nature

by Claire Kirshenbaum, Class of 2024

Staying in a small dorm room all day and week can be so draining. It is important to break up your day with new scenery and environments. This can be going to a library to do work or going to get a coffee. Through this you can be in nature and a new environment. Walking is a very good plan to break up the day. During the colder months it can be less enticing to go for a walk in the cold, but we need to get out and move our bodies.

Moving is very important to our mental health. Exercising can be very hard to prioritize at school. It is important that we keep in mind our own bodily movement. Make sure you get outside for a small walk during the day. 

However, during quarantine I know this can be a bit more difficult. Try doing small activities in your dorm room. These can be activities like yoga or workouts that involve sit ups, just things you can do while in a small dorm room.

It is important to be patient with yourself. Don’t put too much pressure to go out and move if it will cause you stress. Do not feel guilty if you haven’t left your dorm all day. It is very difficult to do all of these things everyday. And some days we are a bit busier than others or a bit more sensitive.

Tough Days in the Pandemic and Getting Through Them: Building in Time for Yourself

by Claire Kirshenbaum, Class of 2024

It can be super easy to only focus on the things you need to do for school or work. It’s also easy to ignore your own needs and fall into unhealthy habits. It is beyond important to create time for yourself. 

Taking time out of your day to focus on what you need in order to stay mentally healthy is essential. Though it can seem very difficult, thinking that there is no time for this; it is important to move things around so you can fit in time for yourself.

In this time you can just relax and do things to ease your mind. You can also find times for your hobbies and activities that you enjoy. This helps break up the day and can shift your mood. Take time out of the day to do the things you love or even to treat yourself. 

Activities like this can help keep our mental states balanced and are good prevention strategies. It is a good idea to come up with your own list of prevention strategies, and incorporate them into your days and make them part of your daily routine. This is a very proactive way to help your mental health. By doing these prevention strategies on days where you are doing well and are able to do them, will help you in the long run.

Tough Days in the Pandemic and Getting Through Them: Support Systems

by Claire Kirshenbaum, Class of 2024

When you’re going through a hard time, it can be very beneficial to discuss it and get it out of your system. This makes it easier to process the emotions and feelings you have. It is super important to have a support system. It’s important to have someone you can talk to calmly about these feelings. It is also just reassuring. 

If talking to someone isn’t really your thing, that’s totally ok! There are other ways to process our thoughts and feelings to get them out of our systems. One way is to journal. You don’t need to be big on writing to do this, just getting your thoughts out onto paper (in whatever crazy barely english way) can be very beneficial.

It’s very important to understand and process our feelings. When we are overwhelmed and stressed during the many long hours of work during the pandemic, writing out all of your stressors can be helpful. Then make a to do list to be productive.

It is also important to make sure you are still being social despite physical distancing. A support system of people who are just there for you during the uncertainties pandemic can be very helpful.