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September 03, 2006
And we're back.
This year, Shmooze hit the ground running at its first meeting in the friendly, internet-connected confines of 543 Church.
As always, we started the meeting with an icebreaker. Ian has been thinking of this icebreaker for the last three weeks: If there was to be a sandwich named after you, what would be in it?
- Ian: At first Ian said a standard shawarma sandwich (on a lafa, obviously) but then the crowd said that it was an illegitamite sandwich for being "too standard."
- Mike: Because his last name is Rubin, he would go with the reuben, which is rye bread, corned beef, thousand island dressing, sauerkraut, and swiss cheese.
(If Ian's choice was rejected for being too standard, why was Mike allowed to choose just a reuben?) - Rachel: Chunky peanut butter, salami (thick, not thin), mustard of all sorts, honey, Cajun pepper, and a lot of basil and oregano on whole wheat bread (the kind with seeds, not flax)
- Erick: Spanish bread (the smashed one, not the square kind), beans, roast beef, and salsa lizano
- Nick: Block of sugar lodged between two pieces of seven-layer cake because I'm "so sweet" (He is getting ready to appear on MTV's Next)
- Amira: Iraqi pita from Or Yehuda with cheese spread, olives, and red peppers
- Fallon: Naan bread with vegetable briani, rogan josh, matar paneer. (Fallon loves Indian food, Ian doesn't know much about it, nor how to spell it (sp?))
- Ian: Cucumber, peppers, labene, and olive oil on pita made with my sej (some people say saj).
- Lizzy: A hot dog, hummus and madbuja, on Hungarian bread with a side of bipinbop, a pierogi, and some sweet potatoes
From this, the conversation shifted to the Detroit-area challah, kikhel, and kiddush scene. Amira says that Zeman's Bakery has really stepped up with their braided challah
Official-ish Shmooze Business Section
1. Hot dog cart-The hot dog cart will hopefully be open in a few weeks in front of Hill Auditorium. We have the permits to be open, we just need to get a few more details ironed out before we open up. We need people to staff. If you have any interest in working it, let me know.
2. Festifall-Shmooze has a booth and needs people to staff it. We will be there shmoozing, distributing cookies and kikhel, and adding names to the e-mail. If you can staff, let me know.
- Rachel thought that we should have a shtetl-themed booth. Ian thinks that we could maybe do it next year but we might not have enough time to get it together. Ian will send Rachel an e-mail to make a poster for the booth.
3. Schemes-People have been scheming (Look at this word. That is why we spell "shmooze" like we do) all summer and this was the forum to present them.
- An Israeli-salad competition (not just cucumbers and peppers, but all types of dips) with the Israeli Student Association. Ian said that he could use his sej to make the pita. (Ian needs to use his sej at least once a week.) We need to get in touch with them to see if they would be intersted. Point person to be decided upon at the next meeting.
- Shesh-besh tournament with other middle eastern cultural groups. People thought that we could combine the shesh-besh competition and salad competition into one super-event.
Point of Contention: "We need a social event that isn't a food competition" -Rachel (Counterpoint of contention: Isn't every shmooze event a social event?") - Nordau nights: squash, racquetball, basketbalball (I have presented this before but it hasn't gotten off the ground, we will continue to pursue it because we like the name)
- The Michigan Bridge team took home the national championship this summer (Some of the champions are on the Shmooze list or close friends of members). The Shmooze Club thought it would be intersting if some of them could lead an intro to bridge event.
- The Shmooze Club wants (and will get) Ralph Williams to speak. How about a Jews in Shakespeare lecture? (Why hasn't he received a speaking request from the Shmooze PR department?)
- Klezmer night: Cool idea, but where is the interest for this on campus? Shira said we should use our money to get Moshav Band here. We will investigate.
- Yiddish with seniors: We don't have to speak to them in Yiddish. We can just hang out with them. There is a senior home on Main Street. Nick could arrange something.
- Ethnic Shabbat dinners: Rachel offered to host. Ian signaled to Rachel that they will talk more about this (ie. finding a date and culture to showcase)
- Purple gang night: For those that are unaware, the Detroit Jewish community of the 1920-30s had a gangster scene that rivaled that of Chicago and New York. Ian thought that it would be cool if we had a speaker and tour. Nick said he knows someone who knows a lot about the subject. (Students would be required to wear fedoras and carry baseball bats for this event.)
- Shmooze has almost been around 13 months (Bar Mitzvah on the Diag?)
- Ian has been dreaming of getting on the speakers list at a Regents meeting to lobby for the creation of a real steam shvitz on campus. Then people said that it was pointless. Ian was dejected. Then people said maybe there is one on the athletic campus that Shmooze could use for 10-20 minutes/week. Shmooze's contacts in the Athletic Department will investigate further.
- The usual, Shmooze Classics film series featuring Bar Mitzvah episodes from TV shows followed by discussion, perhaps led by Professor Bernstein.
The time for the next meeting will be announced soon. We need people to step up, much like Zeman's did with their braided challah and take some responsibility in Shmooze.
Anyone who will be free for ten minutes or more on Thursday, should (read: must) e-mail or call Ian with a time that s/he can stop by the Shmooze booth on the Diag. Ian does not want to hear about you joining the Squirrels, Solar Car, or Swashbuckling clubs if you do not stop by the Hot Dog Cart. He really needs people between 10 AM and 1 PM. Unless you're working on the North Campus affiliate, Shmooze Tsafon, he expects to see you passing out Kiddush cookies.
Posted by irobi at September 3, 2006 03:11 PM