Boston University student dedicates time and studies to Jewish faith By Mallory Shelbourne BOSTON-- Melanie Weiser sits

upright in her chair, extremely modest and reserved. She masks her excitement and zeal for the things she holds near and dear to her heart, yet still maintains her outgoing and friendly demeanor. Im really outgoing, she said. my roommate yells at me sometimesI just say things to random people. Weiser recalls a time where her roommate and she were out for ice cream at J.P. Licks and she spontaneously asked the cashier if he enjoyed his job. Extremely friendly and personable, it appears that Weiser, a New York City native, forgets how involved she is in the Boston University community. Her enthusiasm extends from actively participating in WTBU, Boston Universitys student-run radio station, to Hillel House, the organization for Jewish life at BU. Weiser, a broadcast journalism major, originally began interning for the radio show BU in the Morning last spring after being approached in the dining hall. She worked her way up the ladder by becoming a DJ for the program and will now be producing the show for the next year. Beginning in the College of Arts and Sciences, Weiser had a change of heart after her experience with WTBU. I loved it, so I was like, I should switch to COM, Weiser explains enthusiastically. Weiser, who was raised Jewish, has demonstrated an admirable commitment to her faith since coming to Boston University. A Judaic studies minor, she has been taking Hebrew classes for a year and just returned from her birthright trip to Israel. [Its] a free trip to Israel for Jewish people who are between the ages of 18 and 26 who have never been there on an organized peer trip before, said Weiser about birthright. Weiser valued her time there and even considers returning to Israel for several years after graduation. The best part of the trip was speaking Hebrew to everybody, said Weiser. We had Israeli soldiers from the army join [us] on [our] trip for a couple of days. And theyre soldiers who are 19 years old, the same age as us, but theyre in the army. During a time where most college students are wrapped up in Friday night parties and sleeping until the late afternoon on Saturdays, Weiser has dedicated her time to making the switch from Reform Jewish to Conservative. I grew up and went to a Reform temple. Its like the least religious. And then when I came here I went to reform services and Ive been going for the past year, said Weiser. But now I started becoming more religious, and I started keeping kosher last spring. The College of Communication sophomore is heavily involved with the Hillel House and at one point was a member of the all-girl Jewish a cappella group, Neshikot. [Hillel] opened up so many doors for me. I love the Rabbi there, Rabbi Polak. Weiser displays an eagerness to learn and become involved in her passions, from her pursuit of journalism to her Jewish faith. -- 30 --