Reprinted from Tikkun Daily, an article by Adam Sher ’02

From Vacation to Transformation: How Spiritual Retreats Are Changing Judaism

Adam Sher ’02: I was getting into new possibilities for my work, my ideas, my spirituality, my social connections, and my life.

In the summer of 2006, I was teaching eighth-grade social studies in a Seattle public school. I was 26 years old, on a career path, in a long-term relationship, and a new homeowner. Life was good, and it was time for a summer vacation. So I signed up for a week-long retreat at the Elat Chayyim Jewish Retreat Center in Accord, New York. I thought I was getting away after a busy school year, going on vacation, learning a little, but basically relaxing and rejuvenating. All of that happened. But while I was getting away, I was getting into new possibilities for my work, my ideas, my spirituality, my social connections, and my life. Fast-forward seven years, and I’ve dedicated my work and life to the power and potential of Jewish retreats. I’ve connected with a sense of purpose within the Jewish community and the wider world that places the model of retreat – the temporary autonomous zone designed for transformation – at the center of a vision for how religion and society are evolving today.

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Thomas Herndon ’07 on The Colbert Report

Editor’s Note: Thomas spent the first week of June on campus speaking to students in a variety of programs ranging from economics to social justice and literature. He reconnected with friends and former faculty members and bowled over a lot of students with his brains, broad interests, history of social activism and his warm, approachable personality.

The Dismal Science is a term coined by Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle to describe the discipline of economics. Many say the term was inspired by T. R. Malthus’ prediction that population would always outpace food production, dooming mankind to unending poverty. These days,”economics” often conjures images of puffed-up people opining abstrusely about unimaginable amounts of money within a governmental or political context. Here’s our prediction: Thomas Herndon ’07, is going to up-end these moldy stereotypes. He will convince us that the study of economics is fascinating, that it possesses mathematical elegance and beauty and that it is a powerful front for progressive activism.

Like syllogisms? Here’s one: Economists are geeks; geeks are cool, therefore economists are cool.  Thomas is very cool.

Here are some links for Thomas:
The Evergreen Magazine, Spring 2013
The Paper That Almost Wasn’t
WSJ explanatory article 
Flaws Found in Study Favored by Backers of Austerity
On National TV Last Night, The Austerity Movement Became A Laughingstock

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Evergreen Animation Labs

Marina Gagarina ’12,  former animation student of Ruth Hayes, now plies her artistry in Brooklyn, New York.  Ruth recently posted   Marina’s 5-minute animation about a dream, a tiny house, a tragedy, friendship, and hope restored.(Evergreen Animation Labs blog)

Ruth notes: Marina also studied with Don Morisato, Heather Heying and Bob Haft, among others.  She is a great example of a student who links the arts and the sciences.

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