Hillel show to hit ariwaves next semester

In what just may be a combination of Maimonides, Borscht Belt humor and a cappella, Hillel is taking a new show on Jewish life and culture to the UTV13 airwaves. The program, still untitled as of yet, is scheduled to make its on-air debut next semester, its coordinators said. College sophomore Evan Weiner said the show will both entertain and be a service to the Jewish community. "[We want] to connect the TV viewer with Jewish culture and Jewish thought," he said. "We want to show who we are and what we can do. It promotes understanding." Rabbi Sharon Stiefel, assistant director of Penn Hillel, said the intention behind producing the show is to make a program with specific Jewish content. "It's important [for] Jewish students to have an avenue to express their Jewish selves in all forms of media, and TV is one of them," she said. But the program is not meant to appeal to Jewish students alone. The program's organizers hope the entire University community will tune in. Weiner said the program will try to help non-Jewish viewers understand who Jewish people are. "It plays into the idea of breaking stereotypes and correcting any misconceptions," he said. Above all, the show will entertain, Weiner added. "We're going to entertain in a Jewish way," he said. The program will have a variety show format with a host announcing the various segments. These segments will include comedy sketches, dancing and singing groups and a current events portion. The show will also present short information features on Jewish customs, holidays and other subjects. The show's producers are looking to get comedy groups to do the comedy sketches. And they are also working to bring a cappella and other singing groups to sing Jewish and secular songs on the program. The show's producers are targeting a half-hour running time, and they are hoping to start the program's run after winter break. "[It will run] sometime next semester," he said. "We're going to put the first one on in March." He added that he and the show's producers are currently working to recruit people for the show, which is still in the planning stages. "We have all these people with a lot of energy and we're going to try to channel their energy in specific directions," he said. Rabbi Sharon Steifel added that the show is open to all kinds of talent. "We want writers, directors, hosts [and] producers," she said.