THE FIELDS / NUSSENFELD SCHOLARSHIP FUND
We received an incredible gift from Colonel Edward and Mrs. Marcia Fields, who prior to their deaths in 2000 and 1996 respectively, set up a higher education endowment for the children of members of Congregation B'nai Israel. The Fields lived in the area for many years and maintained their connections to B'nai Israel during their retirement in Florida. We are blessed by their philanthropy and spirit of Tzedakah.
Over the past year a committee of the congregation has developed specific scholarship opportunities in keeping with requirements of the trust. We are pleased to announce that the investment income of the Fields/Nussenfeld Scholarship Fund has enabled Congregation B'nai Israel to establish four unique and separate scholarship opportunities. The granting of such scholarships will be dependent upon the annual income generated by the fund.
- For those attending graduate programs
preparing them to be Jewish Professionals
Scholarships of $2500 each will be awarded each year to students matriculated in programs of advanced Jewish studies leading to careers in the rabbinate, cantorate, Jewish education, Jewish communal service and Jewish Studies.
In their selection of recipients the committee to administer the scholarship fund will establish priorities based on:
- enrollment at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion
- enrollment at a seminary or graduate program whose values are consistent with those of the Reform Jewish Movement
While the scholarship is renewable each year, priority will also be given to those who have not received such aid in the past. Recipients of the scholarship may be asked to speak before the congregation or participate at a synagogue program. They may also be asked to tell about their experiences and studies at a mutually agreed upon time.
- For those taking an undergraduate
course in Jewish Studies or a closely related subject
Each year $500 scholarships will be available to undergraduate students who successfully complete a course in Jewish Studies at their university or college.
Students interested in receiving the scholarship should submit an application by the beginning of each academic semester. Applications will be considered in the order received. Students will be eligible only once in an academic calendar year. Priority will be given to those who have not received such aid in the past.
If a question arises concerning a course's eligibility, the determination will be made by the committee's review of the syllabus.
- For those seeking a general need based
scholarship for undergraduate education
Each year scholarships of $2,000 each may be awarded on the basis of financial need. The scholarship may be renewable for up to four years.
Recipients will be selected based on financial need. In order to apply for this scholarship, students must submit a completed scholarship application form together with a completed FAF form from their parents.
Special consideration will be given to those students who will be or have been graduated from Merkaz and/or are involved in some form of community service.
- For those attending special Reform
Movement sponsored College Student Programs
Grants may be available to enable students to attend programs such as the annual UAHC Kesher Convention or HUC-JIR College Student Kallot.
Alfasi 3 Apartment 10
92478 Jerusalem, Israel
September 28, 2005
Dear Rabbi Prosnit, Rabbi Greene, and the Fields/Nussenfeld Family and Scholarship Committee,
I want to express once again my deepest appreciation for the generous financial support you have given me in pursuing my graduate studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As the end of summer rapidly approaches, I am very much looking forward to my second year at Hebrew U. After studying in the international school for a year, I have decided to put my Hebrew to the test and enroll in courses that are taught in the regular faculty. I am excited about the substance of these courses: The Political Economy of the Middle East, Theology and Power in the Middle East, Bargaining and Decision Making, and the Israeli Democracy Crisis. I also look forward to meeting many more Israeli students with similar interests through this schedule.
Two of my many goals that I am still working to achieve include learning Hebrew and Arabic. Towards meeting these goals, I continue to socialize mostly with Israelis as opposed to internationals, and my roommates and I have switched our dominant language from English to Hebrew. I’m confident that doing all of my coursework in Hebrew will also exponentially improve my listening and speaking skills. Additionally, I will be taking both classical Arabic and colloquial Palestinian Arabic courses through the university.
Living in Israel has been a tremendous learning experience and I have found myself witnessing and learning from many historic events including the death of Yasser Arafat, Palestinian elections, a cease-fire that marked, for all intents and purposes, the end of the second Intifada, and the Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip and the Northern West Bank.
The Disengagement polarized Israeli society in an unprecedented manner and it was very powerful and affective to see how differently people view paths to peace and security. Those who were against the disengagement borrowed the Ukrainian model of tying orange ribbons to their cars to protest the withdrawal, while supporters counteracted with blue ribbons. Jerusalem of Gold became Jerusalem of Orange as the majority of Yerushalmim were against pulling out.
In Jerusalem (as opposed to Tel Aviv) blue signs stating “The People are Behind you Sharon: Continue!” paled in comparison to slogans to the effect of “Jews Don’t Evacuate Jews.” Even Arabs puzzlingly dressed their cars in orange. It turns out that this expedited their security check at checkpoints. I emphasize that the Jerusalem population is not representative of greater Israeli society, the majority of which supported the Disengagement but was less apt to bring their cause to the streets because their government acted in their accord.
The most intense city that I have ever experienced, Jerusalem, grew more and more tense as the Disengagement drew nearer. Now, over one month since the pullout, activists seem to be resting from the draining experience, and blue and orange are slowly dissipating. The color war within Israel is, at least temporarily, being held in abeyance and I imagine that I am not alone in welcoming the whitewash that will occur with the arrival of Yom Kippur.
My roommates Gilat and Eitan have turned out to be my best teachers and my best friends here in Israel. While I am saddened that this will the first round of High Holidays I will not be spending with my B’nai Israel family, I look forward to spending time with them and their communities in Kiryat Tivon (between Haifa and Afula) and K’far Saba (near Tel Aviv).
As I stated one year ago, the scholarship from the Fields/Nussenfeld Family has enabled me to pursue an experience of a lifetime. Everyday I wake up and breathe the Jerusalem hilltop air, excited to absorb all that the city has to offer, including the perfect backdrop for pursuing a Master’s Degree in Middle Eastern Studies. I thank you for your continued support. Todah Rabah La-Chem v’Shanah Tovah U-Metuka!
L’Shalom,
Steven Krubiner
