Jewish community. Leadership. Tradition. Kosher Food. Despite the differences of our Goucher experiences, there are enduring touchstones that have nurtured and grown a Goucher Jewish community—built on and strengthened by our Goucher Hillel. Each of the snapshots below represents a different moment and experience in the evolving story of Jewish life at Goucher.
1960s & 1970s
Rabbi Sara Perman graduated from Goucher in 1973. At that time, Goucher students often connected with students from other area colleges, especially Hopkins and Towson. Rabbi Perman and a fellow student from Towson ran a Baltimore-area intercampus Jewish student association, calling themselves “Avivim,” in memory of people who died at Kibbutz Avivim in Israel as a result of a terrorist attack in May 1970. They organized kumzitzim (Jewish folk song circles), Purim celebrations, holiday services, and more.
The late 60’s and early 70’s were a time of protest and this manifested in Rabbi Perman’s experience at Goucher. She protested for both Jewish and non-Jewish causes, including participating in protests against the Vietnam War, and in support of Soviet Jewry, one of the most important issues for the Jewish people at that time. “When the Russian Moiseyev Ballet performed in Baltimore, we got tickets and in the middle of the performance, we sat up from our seats and yelled “Let My People Go! Let My People Go! Let My People Go!” They were escorted out by the police. Rabbi Perman brought Kosher meals for students who needed them and eventually arranged to have them delivered as needed. Rabbi Perman also wrote a paper about the history of Jewish life at Goucher, under the tutelage of Professor Jean Baker.
Another important aspect of Jewish life was the Goucher Daughters program, which paired Jewish students with local Jewish families. Having a Jewish “home away from home” gave students a place to go for holidays and helped them build local Jewish connections. Emily (Bonnie) Bergman ’75, who was president of the JSA (Jewish Students Association), remembers her Goucher family taking her to say Kaddish when her uncle died. She also recalled having to advocate for kosher food, and the need for more support in creating Jewish opportunities and activities, which only underlines the critical importance of having a Hillel on campus.
1990s
Being involved with the JSA, the precursor to what is now Goucher’s Hillel, was a hallmark of my Goucher experience. It was in the JSA that I learned and developed leadership skills, connected with fellow Jewish students, and celebrated holidays and marked important Jewish events. A few that stand out are the signing of the Oslo Accords when I was a sophomore; protesting a ‘Jews for Jesus’ speaker brought to campus by another campus group; and advocating for loan guarantees for Israel. In addition, I advocated strongly for moving the Kosher Dining Hall (KDH) from the basement of Heubeck to the lounge across from the dining hall in Stimson, so that the space and the Jewish students who ate there would not be so isolated. One of my warmest memories is the delicious lentil soup cooked by a woman named Ida, a friendly and caring ‘bubbie’ who came to cook for us at the KDH. My classmate Felissa Goldstein recalled “many a meal sitting around the Kosher Dining Hall, chatting with others…and Ida’s hugs!” She also fondly remembered lighting Chanukah candles in Bacon Commons with friend and classmate Jen Badik ’95.
2000s
When Jean Haim ‘2007 had challenges as a student, academically or as a member of the equestrian team, her Goucher Jewish community was a place of comfort, “a legit community within Goucher…a safe physical space and social community.” For Jean the Kosher Dining Hall reinforced the importance of food in Jewish culture. “Seeing that previous generations of Goucher students fought for Kosher food makes me appreciative, because their efforts no doubt contributed to my experience.” She remembers wandering around campus dressed up for Purim with friends. “One year there was even a costume contest in the Gopher Hole.” Jean also enjoyed spending time with students from other Baltimore Hillels. “Hillel also allowed me to participate in a leadership role which I never would have considered or thought possible for myself. It was, and is, I believe still, a community that values the perspectives of its members.”
Want to contribute your snapshot of Jewish life for future newsletters and emails? Email hillel@goucher.edu to share your story!