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KU's holiday Vespers is bringing songs of joy from other cultures. Page 8A
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KS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA, KS 66612
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
VOL.104,NO.69
ADVERTISING:864-4358
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1904
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS:864-4810
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Julie Klinock, Overland Parkjunior, demonstrates the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah. The lighting of the Menorah represents the Biblical miracle that the oil that was expected to last only one day lasted eight days for the Maccabee army against the Syrians.
Christians influence Jewish holiday
By Nathan Olson
Kansan staff writer
Until this century, gift-giving on Hanukkah was unheard of.
In fact, Hanukkah was—and is—considered a relatively minor holiday in Judaism, at least compared to Passover or Yom Kippur.
But in the eyes of many Jews at the University of Kansas, the proximity of Hanukkah to Christmas has changed the Jewish holiday in the United States. Hanukkah began Nov. 27 and ends Sunday night.
"There's no stoppage of work like there is on Yom Kippur," he said. "Gifts aren't usually exchanged, for example."
Steve Jacobson, director of KU Hillel, said that in Israel, families light candles, say additional pravers and play the dreidel game.
Jacobson said he believed that the difference between Hanukkah in Israel and Hanukkah in the United States is Christmas.
"Hanukkah wouldn't be the holiday it is today
the influence of Christmas," he said.
That influence is inevitable in a country where Judaism is a minority religion, said Jack Winerock, professor of piano.
"Hanukkah in this country is the Jewish-American response to Christmas by making Hanukkah as interesting as possible," he said.
With some Jewish children, Winerock said, seeing Christmas decorations and hearing about the exchange of presents made them want to be Christian.
"What happens from the end of October to the end of December in the United States is that people focus on Christmas," he said. "As a result, some like Jewish or Muslim kids, feel left out."
Winerock said that he celebrated Christmas as a child.
"My parents celebrated Christmas because they wanted me to be American," he said. "It was an immigrant's response of the early 1950s.
"It's not the case now, though. The challenge for most minorities now, including Jaws, is to
maintain their cultural identity within the larger community."
That challenge is not as difficult with a holiday such as Hanukkah, said Adam Miller, Tulsa, Okla, sophomore.
"It's not a very big holiday," he said.
Miller said that he didn't believe the holiday was diminished by Christmas.
"Christmas detracts from the religious importance and significance of Hanukkah, but the more it gets publicized the more people know about it," he said. "It's always good to help people know about culture."
That belief is shared by Devon Fitzig, Wichita sophomore. Fitzig said that she didn't believe Hanukkah was commercialized that much.
"From my standpoint, Hanukkah hasn't been made a commercial thing," she said. "My family likes to make things, instead of buying them, on Hanukkah.
"I don't think Hanukkah has changed that much. The point of the holiday still gets through."
Hanukkah celebrates triumphs of Jews against paganism
By Nathan Olson
Kansan staff writer
Two miracles form the basis of the celebration of Hanukkah.
the first involved the defeat of the vast Syrian army by the Maccabees, a group of Jews. The Syrians, under Antiochus IV, had ruled Israel since the death of Alexander the Great. His mission was to Hellenize the country, which essentially forbid Jews to practice their religion.
The Maccabee army, which began with just six men, defeated a large troop of Syrian soldiers near Jerusalem in 168 B.C. Three years later, the Syrians were overthrown.
The second miracle occurred when the Temple in Jerusalem, having been desecrated with pagan symbols and idols, was to be cleansed and dedicated to God. In the Temple, they found enough oil to light a Menorah, a candle holder with nine places, for one day. Miraculously it staved lit for eight days.
When the Temple was finally cleansed, it was dedicated. The word Hanukkah in Hebrew means dedication.
The holiday begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev in the Jewish calendar and lasts eight days, corresponding to how long the oil lasted. Each night, candles are lit on the Menorah until, on the eighth night, all candles are lit. While the candles blaze, prayers are said in honor of
the Maccabees and the oil.
In honor of the holiday, KU Hillel will have a Hanukkah party at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Hillel House, 940 Mississippi St. The KU Coalition Against Racism and Discrimination will hold a forum about Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza, a holiday celebrating African-American culture, at 7 p.m. Tuesday in 100 Smith Hall.
Another ritual is a game played with a dreidel, a four-sided top.
KU students put on events for AIDS day
Victims to be remembered
By Shannon Newton Kansan staff writer
In 1991 Michael Johnson got sick.
And when he went to the doctor, he found out it wasn't just any sickness. He discovered that he was HIV positive, and he had infected his wife, Sherie. He had contracted HIV from a previous girlfriend.
The Johnsons, who live in Milton.
Wisc., and give talks around the country about living with HIV, will share their story at 8 tonight at the Kansas Union Ballroom in conjunction with today's World AIDS Day. The speech is sponsored by Student Union Activities, Watkins Memorial Health Center and the Douglas County AIDS Project.
Lauren Smith, Olathe senior and SUA Forums coordinator, said that the SUA board decided to sponsor the speech because one of the organizations' goals was to educate the KU population.
"When we were given the opportunity to sponsor something for World AIDS Day, we couldn't pass it up," she said.
The KU campus had never sponsored such an event. Smith said.
quee in front of Murphy Hall, as well as art display cases inside the building, would be covered with black fabric.
She said the building's gallery would display stories of people with HIV through photographs and text.
"Improvisation classes will be having visual acts in front of seven sculptures on campus," she said. "And they will leave signs that say World AIDS Day — A day without art."
After University Theatre's production of "O Pioneers" tonight, the Dead Playwrights Society will be stationed throughout the halls to announce the names of AIDS victims. They will also be reading monologues from the play
World AIDS Day Events
Events in Lawrence being planned for World AIDS Day include:
Alecture-The Johnsons:
An AIDS Story of Life Love
and Commitment at 8 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Free.
A poster display at Art Frames 912 Illinois.
An art exhibit benefiting the Douglas County AIDS Project, at the Kansas Union Gallery.
A memorial quilt with victims of AIDS' names on display in the Spencer Art Museum from Dec. 1-11.
A Holiday red ribbon art auction at Fifi's
Restaurant, 1350 N. 3rd St., Dec. 11.
The event has large educational benefit to the University, she said, and the Johnsons do not talk down to the audience.
"They will talk about the real dangers involved with AIDS," she said. "Their message is not an unrealistic one."
She said she hoped that students learned the dangers of the disease from the couple.
"There is not a demand for students to see another AIDS-related issue," she said. "But this is very important, and people need to be aware."
Other organizations on campus are planning special events recognizing World AIDS Day, as well.
Karen Christilles, World AIDS Day event coordinator at University Theatre, said the theatre's theme was a day without art, symbolizing the loss of many artists to AIDS.
"Voices from the Front —The Survivors Project."
Christies said the play was written by a playwright in Topeka and is based on words, interviews and text from AIDS victims.
She said the banners and the mar-
Planned Parenthood,1420 Kasold Dr.,will be conducting free HIV tests tomorrow from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. by walk-in or appointment.
"This is the first time the Lawrence center has ever conducted HIV tests, and we thought that World AIDS Day would be a great way to kick it off," said Tamara Morris, director of marketing for the Greater Kansas City Planned Parenthood.
Elaine Joseph, Kuala Lempur,
Malaysia, senior, said she had been
looking forward to World AIDS Day
and the lecture by the Johnsons.
"Its a big deal to me," she said. "I have a friend with AIDS, and I want to be more aware."
Facing the best
The Kansas men's basketball team is preparing this week for its game Saturday against No. 1 Massachusetts.
Page1B.
Competition tapes help athletes prepare mentally
Visualizing actions builds confidence for Jayhawks
By James Evans Kansan staff writer
Melissa Swartz prepares for each of her cross-country meets by listening to her headphones.
But she doesn't listen to an ordinary popular music cassette each time. Swartz often prepares for the races by listening to a mental-rehearsal tape she prepared at the Peak Performance Clinic at 128 Robinson Center.
Swartz, Overland Park senior, is one of the many students who have gone to the clinic to make audio tape that help them with positive visualization.
"I use them to kind of mentally prepare myself for a race," she said.
"The tapes help you develop a positive attitude." Swartz said. "And the tapes also help you overcome many negative thoughts during a race."
Swartz started using the tapes two years
Swartz said that she usually made a tape four days before a race. Music is put behind the speaking portion of the tape to enhance the benefit of the tape.
ago. She said the tapes helped her improve in cross country and that she had made a tape for each of the seven cross-country races this fall.
Jeff Kress, a doctoral student in exercise psychology who helps make tapes at the clinic, said the tapes had been designed to build confidence in people who must perform. He said the tapes reinforced the theme. "See it. Feel it. Trust it."
"It's all about putting people in a position to succeed." he said.
To make a tape, each person is asked to make a script that is three or four minutes long, Kress said. He said the scripts could
JeffKress Doctoral student in exercise psychology
be made of anything the person wanted.
"It's all about putting people in a position to succeed."
Kress cited an example of a tape from a former golfer on the KU men's golf team. The competition tape was made to help the golfer build confidence for a tournament.
But Kress said that the audio tapes usually were designed to work on a situation that the person was struggling on. He said divers often used the tapes to work on a movement and baseball players often used the tapes to work on hitting a curve ball.
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He said on the tape, "I feel confident today. My thoughts are tuned to the golf course. I am thinking my way around the golf course. I am here to win. I feel like the
course suits me. It's long. Isee my target. I trust my scoring. Whooosh!
"It gives the ability to practice skills, through the mind first." Kress said. "It's kind of like programming a computer You
The positive visualization helps the performer become more automatic in performing a skill or act, Kress said.
push a button, and everything becomes automatic."
nowhere, Kress said that the tapes didn't work for everyone.
Tapes can be produced for free for KU student athletes, and other KU students can produce a tape for $10 each.