By Eric Cohn

Foam to the ceiling filled the main auditorium of the University of Oklahoma Hillel on November 7 as students danced the night away to benefit victims of the genocide in the Darfur region of the Sudan.

The party was just one event during OU Hillel’s “First Annual Prospective Student Weekend.” The weekend brought prospective students from Oklahoma and other surrounding states, as well as hundreds of members of the OU community, together contributing money to a great cause while learning more about the ongoing conflict in Darfur.

“The 'Foam Party for Darfur' was a great way to culminate the weekend because we coordinated a really fun event with a good cause to help out Darfur. We want prospective students to know that we care about having a good time but we also care about repairing the World," said Rabbi Jeremy Cassius, executive director of the University of Oklahoma Hillel.

Lance Friedensohn, an OU senior, was glad to see so many new faces. “It gets me excited to see lots of Jewish high school students come visit,” said Friedensohn. “Hopefully the Jewish community will continue to grow here at OU.”

Before entering the party, members of “Students for Action in Darfur,” a university organization whose goal is to educate students about the genocide, handed out information and talked with students about the current events in the region.

“I’m really glad that the party was for Darfur. It’s a great idea to have such a cool event benefit something that important,” said OU junior, David Marcus.

The prospective student weekend was co-sponsored by Alpha Epsilon Pi, JEWLS (OU Jewish Women), Sooners for Israel, American Jewish World Service, and the OU Presidents office.

All of the proceeds from the event will be going to the American Jewish World Service’s “Darfur Action Campaign.”

"The Jewish prospective student weekend was a huge success,” said Cassius. “We are really trying to spread the word amongst juniors and seniors in high school about the great Jewish campus life here in Oklahoma.  Our strong partnership with the university made this weekend possible.”

Eric Cohn is a junior at the University of Oklahoma.