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Happy Birthday, Israel!
May 16, 2005Comments (1) | Add | E-mail this to a friend
 Students wished Israel a happy birthday last week with Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) festivities on campuses nationwide. Many Hillels sponsored Israel fairs throughout the spring semester that combined food, music and fun with information about Israeli society, culture and travel opportunities.
At Stanford University, the Yom Ha'Atzmaut celebration was just one of a weeklong series of programs for Israel Pride Week. The falafel was free, but students sold candles, Israeli flags and Israeli-themed T-shirts that reflected their connection to the Jewish homeland. Organizers were pleased that the tone of the event remained cultural rather than political.
"We want to celebrate the country of Israel — that includes its culture, its people and all of its achievements," Lyuba Wolf, co-president of the Stanford Israel Alliance, told the Stanford Daily. "We don't have any specific stance on Israel's foreign policy, other than the fact that we believe that the Jewish state has a right to exist."
Students at the University of South Florida appreciated the educational aspects of campus Israel Day, sponsored by Hillel at USF last month. USF Student Body President Bijal Chhadva said that Israel Day was a good place to go to get a more complete picture of Israel.
"A lot of things you read in the news, sometimes they're biased. [Hillel] will tell you what's up [with Israel]," Chhadva told the Oracle.
A replica of the Western Wall was a featured attraction at both USF's Israel Day and Harvard Hillel's Israel Fest. Students slipped notes in the wall that would later be transferred to the actual wall in Jerusalem. Harvard Students for Israel also displayed information about issues such as women's rights in the Middle East and Israel's technology and environment.
University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign students began their festivities with vigil to mark Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, which falls the day before Yom Ha'Atzmaut. Students watched a moving presentation in honor of victims of terror, participated in candle lighting and recited prayers for the state of Israel and the Israeli army. During the celebration the following day, students married their artistic talents with passion for Israel by participating in the Tile-Aviv project, decorating tiles with messages and images of love and peace.
Camel rides were among the highlights at Hillel of Memphis' Israel Fest, which was held during Purim earlier this spring. The event served as an introduction to Israel and Judaism for many in the campus community, according to Hillel of Memphis director Emily Bernhardt, and she hoped the festival put a welcoming face on Jewish life on campus.
"We're trying to bring unity to all groups on campus. A lot of these students don't even know anyone who is Jewish and don't know anything about the Jewish religion. We just wanted to put that out there and show everyone that we're just like everybody else," Bernhardt said.
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