NUJLS is the National Union of Jewish Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, and Intersex Students. An annual tradition since 1997, the NUJLS conference is an opportunity for students to connect, learn, celebrate Shabbat, learn, and lead together--and take valuable skills back to their campus. Nearly 1,000 students have participated in the 16 annual conferences over the years. Hosting a NUJLS conference provides an opportunity for visibility for the host campus, and affirms the role of the university, the local Hillel foundation, LGBTQ partners in the complex and evolving identities of our students. Students have an opportunity to plan, to lead, and to host peers from around the country and engage their local Jewish LGBTQ students and others interested with the presence of the conference. The NUJLS conference brings approximately 100 students each year from across the United States and Canada to one campus for a social, religious, educational, and social justice experience. The hosting campus will work with the Board of NUJLS to set an appropriate date for the conference (Friday through Sunday) during the spring semester, generally in February or April. www.nujls.org

1. Hosting Information
Are you considering
hosting a NUJLS
Shabbaton this spring on
your Campus?
Example Weekend
Friday Students Arrive.
Shabbat Dinner & Program
What is the history?
Saturday Shabbat Services &
Each spring since 1997, Queer Jewish University-level
Activities
students, as well as our steadfast LGBT allies, have
joined together on a chosen University campus to learn
Saturday Local students host guest from each other for a weekend Shabbaton.
Evening students with a night out
Participating student leaders from Universities across
North America began calling this annual gathering of
Sunday Brunch & Closing queer Jewish University-level students, a conference of
Programs the National Union of Jewish LGBTQQI Students.
Naturally, an abbreviation written as NUJLS followed
this long-winded title, giving us the name of the
conference that we still use today, NUJLS (pronounced
"NuJoules" (ˈnüjau(-əә)ls).
What is NUJLS?
Since 1997 NUJLS has annually gathered at a weekend Shabbaton to
empower Jewish Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer,
Questioning, and Intersex Student leaders to feel proud and affirmed
in all of their identities.

2. http://www.nujls.org
Can You Host a NUJLS Weekend?
Each year NUJLS features speakers, text study, and workshops on topics such as Judaism and
queerness, spirituality, activism, relationships, ethics, coming out, politics, text study, and culture.
Hosting a NUJLS conference provides an opportunity for visibility for the host campus, and
affirms the role of the university, the local Hillel foundation, LGBTQ partners in the complex and
evolving identities of our students. Students have an opportunity to plan, to lead, and to host
peers from around the country and engage their local Jewish LGBTQ students and others
interested with the presence of the conference.
The NUJLS conference brings approximately 100 students each year from across the United States
and Canada to one campus for a social, religious, educational, and social justice experience.
The hosting campus will work with the Board of NUJLS to set an appropriate date for the
conference (Friday through Sunday) during the spring semester, generally in February or April.
Responsibilities of the Host Campus
ü Local communications
ü Program & Space Planning
ü Identifying Religious Observance Options
ü Managing Budget
ü Arranging Meals
ü Providing Sleeping Accommodations
ü Empowered Student Planning Team
ü Dedicated on-site professional
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http://www.nujls.org
Detailed
Responsibilities
Local communications.
Sharing information about the and
weekend to University-based providing options for
administrators such as the Dean Shabbat observance are core to
of Students and the local Jewish the weekend’s success. Options
Student and LGBTQ Unions. need to recognize the spectrum Empowered
This also includes advertising of needs, Jewish Student Planning Team.
listings and postings to relevant Law/Halakacha as well as This team needs to provide
community calendars to help Secular, and can be conference input to the host campus on
recruitment efforts. specific and/or combined with program ideas, space and
pre-existing local-opportunities, recruiting needs. They will also
Program & Space such as at a Hillel or local take on leadership roles at the
synagogue. conference as appropriate.
Planning. The overall
conference program plan and
Managing Budget. Working Dedicated on-site
itinerary has been improved
upon over our 16-year history. with the NUJLS board to ensure professional. NUJLS leaders
Our NUJLS board will provide travel subsidy fund for have found that the support of
guidance, speaker ideas and participants is used as well as several hours per week via one
samples of how to build the costs for meals, and stipends Hillel professional and/or
community over the weekend for speakers are paid. dedicated student intern in the
from our history. The ability to months leading up to the
be creative is up to you. A Arranging Meals. Including conference can ensure greater
scheduled outing to a nearby snacks and meals that meet the success. This professional can be
Saturday evening entertainment dietary restrictions and/or responsible for communications
site, if appropriate, is always Kosher needs of all attending between the Campus, Hillel and
optional. Space also needs to be students. This includes a total of the NUJLS Board as well as
reserved for programs six meals. ensure oversight around room
throughout the weekend to take reservations; food arrangements
place. Providing Sleeping and safety logistics.
Accommodations. Ensuring
Identifying Religious the safe, secure and pre-arranged
Observance Options. sleeping and hospitality
Student leaders have vastly arrangements for all visiting
diverse observance level needs students (student dorm rooms).
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http://www.nujls.org
SAMPLE PROGRAM: NUJLS 2012 hosted by
American University & AU Hillel
Friday, February 17
• 2:30 – 4:00 NUJLS Registration
• 4:15 – 5:15 Welcome Candle Lighting & Opening Session
• 6:00 – 7:15 Shabbat Services Reform & Conservative
• 7:15 – 8:45 Shabbat Dinner followed by Keynote by A. Avissar
NUJLS provides an • 8:45 – 9:30 Mishpacha (Breakout Groups)
• 9:30 – 10:00 Wrap Up
opportunity for
student leaders from Saturday, February 19
campuses across • 9:30 – 10:30 Breakfast
North America to • 10:00–12:00 Shabbat Morning Services
build community, • 12:15-1:15 Kiddush and Lunch
network, become • 1:30 – 2:45 Breakout Sessions 1. Identity Advocacy &
more engaged in Leadership: Organizing Queer Jewish Life on Campus w. V. Prell
2. GLBTA Identity: Queer 101, S. Bendoraitis and M. Bruno 3.
Jewish and queer Cultural and Religious Identity: Claiming Our Identities in
life, and celebrate Advocacy, J. Blotner
their multiple • 3:00 – 4:15 General Session, Out in the Workplace, L. Leibowitz
identities. • 4:30 – 5:00 Optional Mincha Service
• 5:15 – 6:30 Seudah Shlishit/Dinner (+ Optional Ma’ariv Service)
• 6:45 – 7:15 Mishpacha
• 7:20 – 7:50 Havdallah, AU Quad
• 8:00 Saturday Evening Programming Options, Off Campus
Sunday, February 20
• 9:00 – 9:30 Bag Drop Off, McDowell Lounge
• 9:30 – 10:30 General Session Out and Proud in the
Homeland: LGBT Identity and Advocacy in Israel, A. Slepian
• 10:30–12:30 Brunch and Keynote Address, D. Furmansky,
Standing on the Side of Love
• 12:45-2:00 Breakout Sessions, Bet 1. Identity Advocacy &
Leadership Engagement Creating Meaningful Connections R.
Gildiner 2. GLBTA Identity: Trans 101 S. Bendoraitis and M.
Bruno 3. Identity: Building Relational Power, J. Ware
• 2:15 – 3:30 Sunday Breakout Sessions, Gimmel 1. Coming Out
101: How to Tell Bubbie to Stop Setting You Up? 2.Intersection of
LGBT and Jewish Identity, H. Cohen, GLOE 3. Cultural and
Religious Identity: The Art of Drag, Humor and Politics, A.
Avissar
• 3:40 – 4:00 Mishpacha
• 4:00 – 4:30 Closing Session
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