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Dallasite parlays love of Jewish learning to fellowship


by Tamara Stokes

Staff Writer

"Seek out other Jews" is the advice Dena Widger has for high school and college students alike. Wigder, a Dallas native, has just been named a Iyyun fellow by Hillel - The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life to work in the group's Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center in Washington, D.C. Her long-term plans include rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College. She was chosen from a pool of candidates from across the United States.

In her new leadership role, Wigder will bring classical Jewish texts to life for college students to connect Jewish learning to the campus community. When people want to incorporate a Jewish aspect into different campus programs, Wigder will be the person contacted. She will plan Jewish learning seminars for Hillel staff as well.

"They say the real test of a Jewish home is whether you can tell it's Jewish with Judaica removed. I'd have to say our home was very Jewish, even without the Judaica," says Wigder, of her environment growing up in Dallas.

Every Shabbat and every holiday, she says, the family not only celebrated, but had in-depth discussions about, Jewish culture and Jewish issues. There was never a question about her Jewish identity growing up with parents Carol and Mark, and older brothers Jeff and Matt.

"Obviously we're very proud of her," says her dad, "and believe this will prove to be an opportunity to fulfill her abilities and bring these characteristics to fruition through the fellowship."

Excluding her parents, Wigder says, the most influential person in her life thus far was Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, her rabbi at when he was at Temple Emanu-El from 1985 to 1996. "He encouraged me to continue learning and pushed me to do more, in the ways of service, education, academically and in my faith. He always believed in me, my faith and my future," she says.

A summa cum laude high thesis honors graduate in sociology and psychology from Tufts University in Medford, Mass., last month, she received the Joseph and Sara Stone Judaic Studies Prize and the Department of Sociology Award. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key National Honors societies.

One of the accomplishments of which she is most proud is her participation as a founding member of the Tufts University's Arab-Jewish Dialogue group.

"I was really fortunate at Tufts. The campus was great for creating a place where open dialogue about current and social events was encouraged," says Wigder. "I have a great friend who is Palestinian, so after every incident that was reported in the news, the group was able to air differences and have intelligent discussions that fostered understanding."

She says she never experienced anti-Semitism or saw anti-Arab/Muslim discrimination.

"Although I never really experienced anti-Semitism growing up in Dallas, people who liked me and who said they were concerned for my soul would give me books about Jesus," says Wigder, a Richardson High School graduate who served on B'nai B'rith Youth Organization's national board.

Dallas, she says, is a great place to grow up Jewish.

Wigder's mom says a devotion to Judaism doesn't just happen. "The values in our house were carried out with the motto, 'learning by doing,' " she says.

And, she set an example for her daughter, as a professional fund raiser for the Anti-Defamation League and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and as a board member and volunteer at Temple Emanu-El and a Holocaust Center docent.

Dina Wigder says her overall background and aspirations lead her to apply for rabbinical school after her internship is completed. She loves learning about people, being an activist and making others aware about social issues and has a strong Jewish identity.

"Like the cliche, being Jewish is not just about eating matzah, but about feeding hungry children," says Wigder. "By learning about injustices, you can appreciate your own circumstances and strive to really make the world a better place."


This story was published in the DallasJewishWeek
on: Thursday, June 12, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Copyright 2004, Dallas Jewish Week