YALLA ISRAELspecial edition: yom !’atzmaut 2012

find out how schools and cities celebrated

64 years of independence across the nation

CONTENTS

What’s inside?3 Baruch College

5 University of Wisconsin7 University of Florida9 University of Illinois

11 Northwestern University13 UC Irvine15 Boston University17 University of Virginia

19 Queens College21 Temple University

YALLA ISRAEL

Brooke WeinbaumPublisher/Editor-in-Chief

23 Ithaca College

25 UCLA27 Brandeis University29 Georgetown University

31 Johns Hopkins33 Florida Atlantic University35 South Palm Beach37 Washington DC

39 Chicago41 Los Angeles

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by Rena Nasar• • •

YOFI AT BARUCH TURNS SCHOOL FLOOR INTO ISRAEL This year was Youth Organization For Israel’s first Yom Ha’atzmaut, so the YOFI members knew that their plans had to be epic. We spent weeks brainstorming ideas for the perfect event, and finally it hit us: instead of engaging Baruch students about Israel, we were going to bring Israel to Baruch.

YOFI decorated the second floor lobby of Baruch to look like Israel--with a Kotel, Dead Sea products, a shuk, and Israeli music blasting throughout the school. The Baruch lobby was decked in blue and white décor, and each station that represented another area of Israel was accompanied by a real picture of that location and a sign that said the name of the place in English and in Hebrew. We built the Kotel out of triboards and shoe boxes, and students were able to put their own notes into the Kotel, knowing that their notes would be taken to the real Kotel afterwards. Even the Bearcat, the Baruch mascot, visited our Kotel. Sabon was kind enough to donate samples of their Dead Sea products to give out to students. As part of our shuk, we gave away falafel, shwarma, hummus, blue and white donuts, and Prigat. To add an advocacy twist to the event, we taped little facts about Israel onto the cups of Prigat. We also sold knick-knacks like “I Love Israel” shot glasses

and little plush camels. And throughout the entire event, the Baruch radio station, WBMB, played Israeli music from Hadag Nachash, The Idan Raichel Project, Subliminal, Infected Mushroom, and other Israeli pop artists.

YOFI got to celebrate Israel’s 64th birthday in style, and all of Baruch got to join in on the fun! Within the two hours of the event, students got to experience authentic Israeli culture right in the heart of school. Many students expressed an interest in learning more about Israel, and we invited them to join YOFI and learn more. The event was great exposure for our club, but more importantly, it was great exposure for Israel. And this Yom Ha’atzmaut event is only the beginning of YOFI’s interactive approach to engaging students about Israel. Next year, we’ll go even bigger and better!

BARUCH

3

by Leah Hakimian• • •

MADPAC SINGS THEIR HEARTS OUT FOR YOM HA’ATZMAUT This year MADPAC, the Madison-Israel Public Affairs Committee, a student organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus celebrated Yom Haatzmaut with class. Starting the week off with a speaker from Kibbutz Lotan in the Negev, and ending with a karaoke night to benefit Save A Child's Heart, the week was filled with excitement for the Jewish State's Independence Day. The concluding event in our "Israel Week" was "Sing Your Heart Out", a karaoke night at a bar called State Street Brats on the night of Yom Haatzmaut (April 26th).

Over 250 people attended the event throughout the night! There was singing, dancing, and cake for Yom Haatzmaut. The event truly embodied how much students can do to spread awareness about Israel and its many wonders. Save A Child's Heart is just one of Israel's many service organizations helping people within Israel and from

areas around the world. For those who might not be sure the exact purpose of SACH, Save A Child's Heart is an Israeli organization that flies children from around the world to Israel to perform life-saving heart surgeries. SACH provides caring and dedicated volunteers, caretakers, and surgeons to assist the children and families throughout the process. In addition, SACH provides extensive training to medical professionals from countries in which they do not have access to high-quality medical training. Over 50% of the children given heart surgeries are from Palestinian territories.

In total, MADPAC raised over $850 from Sing Your Heart Out! and, with donations from other events this semester, we made over $1,000 for Save a Child's Heart! I truly believe every campus should focus on raising money and awareness for important Israeli causes, such as SACH. Students can make a difference, and Israel is where our heart will be.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

5

by Kari Hochwald• • •

GATORS BRING THE ISRAELI SPIRIT TO THE WOODS

The University of Florida's new pro-Israel student group, Zionist Gators, celebrated Israel Independence Day away from the usual campus venues to recreate the atmosphere of the celebrations that take place in Israel by going on a Woodser for the group’s kick-off event on April 26th.

Students were taken on buses to a farm location forty minutes outside of Gainesville to enjoy a night filled with music, Israeli snacks, a bonfire, and an assortment of Israeli activities. The event was an opportunity for Jewish and pro-Israel students from all different backgrounds to come together and truly embrace the company of their peers and appreciate the uniquely Zionist atmosphere.

A three-dollar donation was requested to reserve a spot at the event with all of the money going toward the ALYN Children’s

Hospital in Jerusalem. All three of UF’s Birthright buses visited and volunteered at the hospital during their trips last year, making the event that much more meaningful for the participants.

As music blasted from the stage surrounded by Israeli flags and banners, students were hitting each other with the distinctive inflatable hammers and even getting sprayed with silly string. There was nowhere to turn without catching a glimpse of a Star of David--or a glow stick--along with a breathtaking upward view of the sky scattered with stars that can only be seen outside of the city.

As the event began to wrap up, all 120 attendees came together to sing the Hatikvah, ending the night on a very prideful note. Nothing can actually compare to being in Israel on Independence Day, but taking a trip outside of Gainesville with students sharing the same love for Israel made this an unforgettable experience as well as the perfect way to end the semester.

University of Florida

7

by Julie Levitt• • •

ILLINOIS HOSTS PARTY FOR OVER 2500 STUDENTS ON CAMPUSFor Yom Haatzmaut, every year Israel Illini has a huge event, "Israel Week". From camels on the Quad to giant parties, we always try to make Israel the biggest thing on campus. The first day we always kick off with our "Israel on the Quad", a day we give out free falafel, blue and white bead necklaces, pens, information about Israel, and play Israeli music really loud. Our goal is to make the Quad blue and white, and to reach as many people as quickly as possible. This day is all about fun, and painting Israel in a happy light. For many students on campus, it is their first time even eating a falafel. It is always a great time and is well known on campus. We also get as many organizations as we can to put up tables on the Quad to help us celebrate. This year it included the Jewish fraternities and sororities (SDT, ZBT, AEPi), Students for Environmental Concerns,  Environmental Students Brigade, Krav Maga, Hillel, TAMID, American-Israel Students Coalition, JET and Illini Conservative Union. We gave away over 400 falafel batches, and everyone who did not receive falafel were given free information and Israel SWAG.

Another important event of the week was our Jewish Hearts for Africa fundraiser on Yom Haatzmaut. We

worked with the African Students Association and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. to raise money for the charity. While we were working on this all semester, we ended the fundraiser with a big party in celebration of Israel's birthday. We sold wristbands on the Quad for $5, and were able to raise over $900 between all our organizations, as well as creating a great relationship between us. The president of the fraternity even read at our Yom HaShoa event.

In addition to those events, we put on a memorial for Yom Hazikaron, an educational speaker at the local synagogue about water conservation in Israel followed by a concert, a huge Israeli Shabbat, and a dance performance put on by the University's Dance Department to celebrate Yom Haatzmaut sponsored by Israel Illini and Hillel.

Overall, we were able to reach out to over 2,500 students on campus through this week's programming. We were also able to continue our yearly goal of creating relationships with different organizations on campus, having each event sponsored by at least one other organization or department, many of them non-Jewish organizations. This year's "Israel Week" was a great success and a lot of fun, and we are excited to do it all again next year, even bigger.

University of Illinois

9

by Samantha Rosenblum• • •

STUDENTS THROW BIRTHDAY PARTY AND CELEBRATE IN CHICAGO

Students at Northwestern University celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut through a variety of activities that reached out to different members of the student body. It was a fun celebration for all, reminding everyone of their love for Israel.

On Thursday, everyone gathered at NU Hillel for a birthday party for Israel. To celebrate her 64th birthday, Hillel hosted pita making, and students enjoyed warm, homemade pita with a variety of toppings. After enjoying this delicious treat, everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to Israel and enjoyed a blue and white frosted cake.

Junior Nora Cohen explained that her favorite part of the day was decorating the outside of Hillel with a large banner. “Painting the huge Israeli flag not only allowed for me to reflect on what Israel means to me, but also reminded me of the importance of commemorating Independence Day,” said Cohen. “I hope that the banner served as a vehicle

through which the broader Northwestern community could think about their relationship with Israel and what that day meant to them.”

The following week, students continued the Yom Ha’atzmaut festivities – but this time, in downtown Chicago for NU’s IndepenDANCE. Buses took students from Evanston to Lumen, a nightclub in Chicago, to celebrate Israel’s birthday. The night was a great success, and everyone had a fantastic time.

Natalie Marks, a senior who helped plan the event, says she loves the diversity of the event. “This year I helped plan independence and got a chance to celebrate Israel’s birthday with my closest friends – both Jews and non-Jews,” said Marks. “The event is always a lot of fun because it brings so many different people together. I hope it happens again next year!”

Northwestern students had a great time ringing in Israel’s 64th year, and look forward to including even more students in the celebrations for her 65th!

Northwestern University

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Photos by Justin Barbin Photography

by Naomi Lichtner• • •

UCI CELEBRATED WITH ART, IDAN RAICHEL, AND SHABBAT DINNERiFest is a week-long celebration that Jewish students on campus look forward to each Spring quarter. At a school that is often roped into media drama concerning tensions between Jewish students and other religious student clubs, the purely cultural tribute to Israel is a refreshing change of pace. And this year’s iFest 5 was just as fun and busy with events as its predecessors!

The week started off at the flagpoles in the center of campus with “Talk Israel: Join the Conversation.” This event was the chance for anyone interested in learning about Israel’s challenging topics to chat with local rabbis, Israelis, and students alike. People discussed politics, language, and religion while snacking on bagels and lying on beanbags under a massive canopy. The relaxed vibe continued the next day when Idan Raichel visited UCI’s Student Center. Considered the epitome of Israeli music, his multicultural reggae style has made him known the world-over and his popularity was reflected in the room. Students and a large number of community members greeted the intimate interview and beautiful piano renditions with generous applause. For fans in the crowd, it was an amazing experience. After the interview, attendees filed out to Ring Road where they were greeted by Anteaters for Israel and Chabad, ready to give away iFest goodies and Kosher lunch. The most popular iFest give-away is by far the T-shirt, which features a new design every year. As the week went on, more and more students wore the shirt on campus to come together and show their support. Wednesday featured another inspired outlet for the campus community to participate in with Artists 4 Israel. This is a group of artists that recreate the artistic pulse of Israel with pieces that are beautiful, creative, and effectively spread a positive image of Israel. Students worked together with the artists to create a massive

graffiti mural, a colorful and cool memento of iFest 5.

iFest 5 was special in that it marked two very important holidays for the Jewish state. Idan Raichel’s performance occurred on the same day as Yom Ha Zikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. He was careful to point this out during the concert; he played pieces that honored the holiday, connecting Israel to Irvine in a very touching way. This week also overlapped with Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s 64th Independence Day. iFest 5 celebrated by bringing a Tel Aviv party to Orange County on Thursday night. The venue was packed with students from all over Southern California, who came to enjoy the music from DJ Miles and Electronic Dance Union. The last event during the week was the Friday Shabbat. The tables were set beautifully, delicious food was served and awards were given. Attendees enjoyed lively conversation and a giant cake frosted to look like the Israeli flag. The iFest Shabbat dinner always hosts a lot of people, who gather to commemorate all the hard work and fun that accompanies the program each year.

Eran Hoch, the 2011-2012 Israel Fellow for OC Hillel, remarks “iFest made me realize how amazing the Jewish community is. People care!” As a senior undergraduate who has been active within Jewish student life at UCI for some time, I have to agree. This was the 3rd iFest I have had the pleasure of helping with. Every year as I sit behind the table loaded with T-shirts and sunglasses, a community member comes up to the booth and talks about how glad they are that iFest is still around.  The event is a way to showcase the vibrancy of the Jewish community and strengthen Anteaters’ connection to Israel. Now that the week is over, a lot of students have put away the T-shirts and are focusing on midterms. But soon, iFest 6 planning will start and before you know it the tents will go up and the club party beats will play to offer us a terrific distraction from our studies once again.

University of California-Irvine

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by Jack Goldberg• • •

BUSI HOSTS A CARNIVAL, KRAV MAGA, AND MOREOn  Thursday  April  26,2012  Boston  University  

Students  for  Israel  (BUSI)  held  their  annual  

Yom  Ha’atzmaut  party  outside  the  BU  Hillel  

House  on  Bay  State  Road.  BUSI  wanted  to  

throw  something  that  the  diverse  student  

body  at  BU  could  relate  to  so  it  was  decide:  

throw  a  birthday  party  for  Israel.  The  party  

ended  up  being  a  mix  between  a  carnival,  a  

birthday  party,  and  a  classic  Yom  Ha’atzmaut  

party.  Some  of  the  things  BU  Students  for  

Israel  had  included:  cake  (a  birthday  cake  for  

Israel’s  birthday),  coNon  candy  (birthday  

party/carnival  feel),  chips  and  hummus  from  

Tribe  Hummus  (classic  Israeli  feel),  and  gave  

away  free  sunglasses  and  water  boNles  with  

BUSI  insignia  on  them.  

The  crowd  was  just  as  diverse  as  the  food  

choice  with  students  coming  to  celebrate  

from  all  different  groups  on  campus.  There  

were  of  course  students  from  BUSI  and  Hillel  

but  also  representaRves  from  Greek  life,  

Students  for  ImmigraRon  Movement,  Umoja  

(the  black  student  union  on  campus),  and  

many  others.  Students  from  all  backgrounds  

and  walks  of  life  came  out  to  show  support  

for  Israel  on  her  birthday  and  the  students  

blended  perfectly  just  like  the  food.

It  was  a  mix  between  a  birthday  party  and  a  

day  of  pride.  Kol  Echad  (the  premier  Jewish  

co-­‐ed  a  cappella  group  on  campus)  sang  

songs  to  wrap  up  the  party  as  it  got  later  and  

the  chances  of  rain  increased.    It  was  a  day  of  

pride  for  BU  Students  for  Israel,  not  only  

because  it  was  Israel’s  64th  year  as  the  Jewish  

state,  but  because  BUSI  was  able  to  throw  a  

party  that  blended  foods,  people,  and  most  

importantly  culture.  

“BUSI  not  only  was  able  to  celebrate  Israel’s  

birthday  today,  but  also  celebrate  Israel’s  

diversity”  one  BUSI  student  said.  The  same  

way  Israel  is  not  only  open  to  Jews  but  to  

everyone,  BU  Students  for  Israel  showed  on  

that  their  cultural  group  was  not  only  open  to  

students  that  frequent  Hillel,  but  to  

everyone.

Boston University

15

by Ben Bissell• • •

HOOS HOST SPEAKER AND TEAM UP FOR ISRAEL’S BIRTHDAYAmongst the secluded gardens and stately

Jeffersonian architecture of the University of

Virginia’s grounds, the largest problem confronting

pro-Israel movements is not mis-information, but a

lack of information itself. However, this relative

paucity of propaganda, coupled with interest in the

subject, presents a powerful opportunity to create

a sustainable network of pro-Israel advocacy

through initiative and targeted co-sponsorship.

Hoos for Israel did both in organizing Israel Week,

whose festivities culminated on Yom Ha’Atzmaut

with a giant birthday party on UVa’s central Lawn.

At this solely Hoos for Israel-sponsored event,

passers-by were treated to Israel-themed cake and

educated on some basic facts of the conflict.

Reflecting UVa’s strong tradition of student self-

governance, Hoos for Israel emphasized the

important role Israeli Arab MKs have in the

Congress-equivalent Knesset and the difficulties

Israel faces being a small nation ringed by

enemies. Most of the students appreciated this

frank discussion (and the cake!) and talked about

the conflict and its complications later. Indeed, this

author heard a group of students talking about the

event three hours later in a Starbucks on grounds,

expressing their surprise at the democratic

benefits Israeli Arabs enjoyed versus their Arab

counterparts in Egypt and Syria.

Hoos for Israel continued this birthday-

party success throughout the week, holding two

co-sponsored events for the UVa student

community. The first of these was an Israeli-

themed dinner complete with the familiar

strappings of falafel and hummus featuring a

representative from Tel Aviv University. Building off

of Hoos for Israel’s past success in persuading the

University’s administration to change its security

restrictions impeding UVa students from studying

abroad in Israel, Hoos for Israel sponsored this

event in conjunction with the local American

Medical Students Association chapter. The

representative from Tel Aviv University was able to

field questions on the quality of Israel’s universities

and medical schools, and presented Tel Aviv as a

modern, urban option for graduates unsure about

their future.

Hoos for Israel also leveraged UVa’s

significant Indian community, and co-sponsored an

event with the Indian Students Association

featuring Nissim Reuben, a Jewish Indian. As Mr.

Reuben weaved the rich tapestry of Jewish history

in the Subcontinent and briefed the audience

(whose members were more Indian than Jewish)

about India’s changing political and economic

relationship with Israel, the two communities

commiserated over steaming samosas and falafel.

All in all, Israel Week was a rollocking

success. Israeli advocacy has much room for

growth at the brainchild of Jefferson, mostly due to

our school’s relative open-mindedness and

diversity. Through its own initiative and co-

sponsorships, Hoos for Israel is not only

highlighting the complexity of the topic to busy

students; it is transforming it from a “Jewish issue”

to one which the entire student body can form

enlightened opinions on.

University of Virginia

17

by Malka Rubin• • •

STUDENTS TRAVEL THOUGH ISRAEL WITH CAMELS IN TOW

“What’s the camel for?” The girl was

standing on the quad, the grassy center

of the Queens College campus, and next

to her was a living, breathing, hay-

chewing camel. “It’s Israel’s 64th

Independence Day!” I explained. “It’s the

only Jewish country in the world, and

we’re celebrating!” Someone let out a

whoop. “Cool. Mazal tov,” she said with a

grin.

Students were streaming in from all

directions to pose for a Polaroid with the

camel, and the electric Israeli music was

also drawing crowds. The Israel Student

Association had set up an elaborate Land

of Israel on the quad for the second

annual Israel Fest. As the club

responsible for representing Israel on the

Queens College campus ISA took the day

very seriously, and would make sure that

everyone on campus knew about Yom

Ha’atzmaut. Visitors hit the tourist sites

from the Negev to the Golan, cameras

snapping and smiles flashing.

At Masada, partygoers scaled an

inflatable rock-climbing wall. It was not

exactly a replica of the ancient fortress,

but with the weather a breezy sixty

degrees, it had its perks. After a trek to

the top, they cooled off with a dip in the

Dead Sea, where they took photos

against a coastal backdrop. On the beach,

they scored sunglasses, Frisbees, and

Bamba. After all, it wouldn’t be trip to

Israel without souvenirs. In Jerusalem,

students wrote messages of hope and

peace on the Western Wall. For lunch,

they headed to Machane Yehuda, where

they enjoyed Israeli salad, falafel,

shwarma, and hummus. “I love falafel; I

love shwarma,” one girl exclaimed. “Go

Israel!”

Another enthusiastic student

added, “We’re having so much fun; I got

cool sunglasses.” Her friends followed up

with a “Happy Independence Day” cheer,

before running to Jerusalem.

Students traveled all over “Israel,”

snapping pictures and wishing Israel a

“Happy 64th.” With Israeli music blaring

and flags waving, it could have been a

Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration in Gan

Sacher.

Queens College

19

by Paige Guber• • •

STUDENTS SHOW CONTRIBUTIONS AND DANCE FOR ISRAEL

In the celebration of Yom

Ha'atzmaut, Temple

University had an exciting

week of events. During Israel

Week 2012, the Pro-Israel

community of Temple

University shared the diverse

faces of Israel with the

student body. During the day

students tabled with each day

dedicated to a unique

contribution Israel has made

to the world during its 64

years of Independence. These

contributions include human

rights, technology and

investments, charity and

green technology. In spirit of

Israel's 64th Birthday students

sold white cupcakes with all

sales benefitting the Koby

Mandell foundation.!

At the end of the week

students gathered at a local

campus bar, for the fifth

annual "Give Peace a Shot"

Party. Finally, on Friday

students came together for an

afternoon to celebrate at the

Israel Indepen-DANCE Tel Aviv

Style Party featuring snacks,

drinks, music and a piece of

Israel right on their own

campus. Israel Week 2012

was a legendary and

groundbreaking week to

celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut at

Temple University. !

Temple University

21

by Paige Erlich• • •

FROM THE KOTEL TO A SPELLING BEE ITHACA STUDENTS CELEBRATED

Ithaca College's Yom Hatzma'ut celebration was a huge success on campus. Originally supposed to be outside, the event had to be moved to inside due to the weather. Nevertheless, everyone had a great time. There were a variety of booths set up, including lots of arts and crafts, a Hebrew spelling bee, an Israeli inventions trivia game, a photo booth, and informational booths about different Israeli organizations loaded with give-a-ways. In addition, there was a corner

set up for our Talk Israel tent for people to peacefully sit and discuss their views, complete with tea and bean bag chairs. We also had a replica of the Kotel set up with paper to write notes that would be taken to Jerusalem this summer. There was of course, tons of food and lots of great live music playing all night long. Crowds of people from campus and also families from the town of Ithaca had a memorable night sharing and celebrating their love for Israel together.

Ithaca College

23

by Molly Cornfield• • •

UCLA STUDENTS HAD ‘EILAT’ OF FUN CELEBRATING ISRAEL’S 64THEvery year, the Bruins for Israel at the University of California, Los Angeles plan an activity-filled week in the spring to recognize Israel’s independence. This year, as Israel celebrated 64 years of independence, students at the UCLA were treated to a week packed with various activities planned by Bruins for Israel, ultimately leading up to a daytime celebration in the center of campus. The preliminary programming ranged from an intellectually stimulating educational speaker, to sports events, to purely social activities. The week kicked off with a packed KabobBBQ at Hillel at UCLA, which featured Israeli music, a hummus-making station, and of course, kabobs. On Friday night, Hillel and BFI put on the Israel-themed “Let’s eat ‘Eilat’ Shabbat,” and served up Israeli-style Shabbat food, including pita and babaganoosh. Other activities included a scavenger hunt, a soccer tournament, a lesson in Israeli self-defense, and an hour-long talk by Gil Hoffman, the Jerusalem Post’s Chief political correspondent. Yet amidst the celebratory atmosphere of Israel’s independence week, the Bruins for Israel did not forget to commemorate fallen Israeli soldiers for Yom Hazikaron. Israeli and American students alike gathered in Hillel for an evening ceremony. The students read stories and poems, sang songs, and lit candles in remembrance

of IDF soldiers who sacrificed their lives for Israel’s independence.

On Thursday, April 26 the week culminated in a four-hour-long gathering in Bruin Plaza, a central area of campus that is positioned along the easiest route from the dorms to the classrooms. The celebration focused on Israel on a modern nation, highlighting the state’s vibrant popular culture, technological advancements, and progressive social values. In order to encourage attendance and familiarity with Bruins for Israel, BFI members handed out free Israeli snacks and aluminum water bottles. Hungry students had the chance to experience Israeli food through a four-dollar falafel wrap or five-dollar shwarma wrap. Those with extra cash handy had the option of buying Israeli jewelry, keychains, or Yom Ha’atzmaut t-shirts at a small “shuk.” BFI members also prepared games for booths around the plaza, where students heading to class could stop by to learn about Israel. In exchange for their participation, students received a raffle ticket, which they could then enter for a chance to win a gift certificate or an iPod shuffle. The celebration climaxed from noon to one with an hour of loud Israeli music, where pro-Israel students danced around the plaza wrapped in Israeli flags.

At the end of the celebrations, BFI members had not only enjoyed themselves in their celebration of Israel’s independence, but they had also spread awareness about Israel outside of the conflict in the Middle-East.

University of California, Los Angeles

25

by Luky Guigui• • •

BBQS, MUSIC, TIE-DYE, AND OF COURSE RUACH AT BRANDEIS One day of Yom Ha’atzmaut

was not enough time for us to

celebrate at Brandeis. Amid the week

before finals, we had a week of

awesome events that just so

happened to coincide with our

Bernstein Festival of the Arts. A

number of Hillel groups including

BOO, BUCO, helped sponsor events

throughout the week. Students

painted a mural depicting Israel and

co-existence designed by artist Diana

Gilon all throughout the week. We

showed the movies Purple Lawns and

“A Sense of Belonging” and heard

from one of the most interesting

Israelis to visit our campus, the

world famous short-story writer,

Etgar Keret.

Before celebrating Yom

Ha’atzmaut, we had a very moving

Yom HaZikron ceremony

commemorating the Israeli soldiers

and victims of terror who have

perished with stories from Israeli

reserve soldiers who attend Brandeis

and a speech by Professor Feiglin, a

visiting professor from Ben Gurion

University. Then, we started Yom

Ha’atzmaut off with a special holiday

prayer service and continued the

festivities with a campus-wide Yom

Ha’atzmaut barbeque in the center

of campus. During the barbeque

there was Israeli music blaring, tie-

dyeing, henna, face painting, and the

ruach necessary for Yom

Ha’atzmaut.

Even after this barbeque we were not

sufficed. We had a Mega Israel

Shabbat dinner with delicious Israeli

foods and performances from Hillel’s

a cappella groups, Jewish Fella a

cappella, Ba’note, and Manginah.

Guests included hundreds of

students, Director of Schusterman

Center of Israel Studies, Ilan Troen,

and the president of the university,

President Frederick Lawrence. It was

truly quite a week of festivities and

love for Israel.

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY

27

The Brandeis Zionist AlliancePhoto by Gali Gordon

by Luky Guigui• • •

BRINGING ISRAEL TO THE HILLTOP It’s springtime in Georgetown again. The

cherry blossoms are out on the Hilltop and with

them the Hoya student body. Normally,

springtime at Georgetown is a time for nailing

down that summer internship, lounging around

the lawn, and maybe even making a move on

that cutie from Econ. This year, the Georgetown

Israel Alliance (GIA), Georgetown’s oldest and

largest pro-Israel student organization, added a

new item to the spring line-up: Israel advocacy.

Partnering with a diverse array of over 20

student groups and numerous pro-Israel

organizations, we hosted “Israel on the Hilltop:

Celebrating 64 Years of Independence” on April

20th, marking Georgetown’s first ever full-day

event devoted entirely to Israel education.

The day began with in Georgetown’s Makom

(Jewish Space) with an inter-faith breakfast

geared toward educating non-Jews, who may not

be as familiar with the ins-and-outs of Zionism,

about the establishment of the State of Israel

and the War of Independence. Munching on

bagels and, of course, Hashachar Chocolate

Spread, GIA members engaged Catholic,

Protestant, and non-religious students in one-on-

one discussions about the rag-tag Haganah’s

impossible victory over armies from seven Arab

states. With the help of materials and guidance

from the Zionist Organization of America, we

were even able to slip in some conversation

about the status of Jerusalem over the course of

Israel’s history and the importance of preserving

the unity of the Jewish People’s eternal capital.

Later, over forty Georgetown students of all

backgrounds joined us in welcoming Noam Katz,

Minister of Public Diplomacy at the Embassy of

Israel. Mr. Katz outlined the history of the

indispensable U.S.-Israel alliance and the

continued special bond between the two nations,

a bond that transcends partisan political

bickering. Appropriately, Georgetown’s College

Democrats and College Republicans joined

hands to cosponsor his talk. Georgetown is an

especially political campus, and the old adage of

“2 Jews, 3 opinions” applies just as well to

Hoyas. It was surprising, then, that Mr. Katz’s

speech was for many of Georgetown’s

predominantly non-Jewish students the first time

they had ever heard an actual Israeli’s thoughts

on the Jewish state.

As the sun began to set on Healy Hall, the GIA

hosted over 200 students for an early

celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut. We and our

classmates stood for the singing of HaTikvah,

sampled Israeli food, and danced to a mix of

Israel’s hottest songs. And though our Yom

Ha’atzmaut celebration mostly focused on Israeli

culture, we took advantage of the opportunity to

connect interested Hoyas to representatives

from Taglit-Birthright, Masa Israel, the ZOA, and

the David Project, all of whom attended our

celebration. Every interaction is a chance to

share our passion for the Land, People, and State

of Israel and “Israel on the Hilltop” no exception.

As a result of their engagement last month, a

large group of Georgetown students will be

visiting Israel for the first time this summer. We

expect to have an even larger and stronger

Jewish and pro-Israel community for next year’s

“Israel on the Hilltop!”

The GIA always welcomes pro-Israel students

from across the country and is always eager to

connect with activists when their work brings

them to DC. Don’t hestitate to shoot us an email

at gia@georgetown.edu and follow us on Twitter

at @hoyas4Israel.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

29

by Rebecca Rubenstein and Ali Cohen• • •

STUDENTS PARTIED LIKE THEY WERE ON THE BEACH IN TEL-AVIV

On April 26th, Johns Hopkins celebrated Israel’s 64th Birthday with the Coalition of Hopkins Activists for Israel’s (CHAI) 5th Annual Israel Fair, where over 300 students celebrated Israel’s Independence Day! This year over 10 other student groups cosponsored the event and it was a huge success. The groups included: Hopkins American Partnership for Israel. (HAPI), JStreetU, Jewish Students Association (JSA), Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity (AEPi), Queer Bagel Society (QBS), Jewish-Christian Coalition, Jews in Greek Life (JiGL), Diverse Sexuality and Gender Alliance (DSAGA), Multicultural Greek Council, Black Student Union (BSU), Organización Latina Estudantil (OLE), Hopkins Eritrean and Ethiopian Society (HEES), Hopkins Sustainability Network, and Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). The event could not have been made possible without our wonderful outside sponsors: Hopkins Hillel, Hasbara Fellowships, David Project, StandWithUs, Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC), Israel on Campus Coalition of Greater Washington (ICCGW), and American Jewish Committee (AJC). It was incredible to organize the event with such a diverse and supportive group of students and Israel advocacy professionals – for the first time, members from a wide cross section of the campus community were not only educated on a variety of Israel-related topics, but they all actively participated in bringing the event to fruition. Christine Hall, JHU '12, President of OLE exclaimed, “I think the event turned out very well. It was very successfully executed and everyone really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Also it was fantastic that so many organizations got involved in it. It is always nice to have these types of events where everyone comes together for a common cause, and

in doing so learn so much about different people, cultures, and issues that are going on around the wide.”!

The theme of this year’s Israel Fair was “Tel Aviv Beach Party”. Students jumped right in and played matkot, listened to awesome Israeli music, and ate falafel, humus, and other delicious Israeli food. When they entered the fair, attendees visited stations where they learned about Israel’s hi-tech and environmental sustainability advancements, and strong record of human rights and humanitarian aid. As a fun activity, students made sand art while learning the history of Tel Aviv. We also baked over 500 cupcakes, frosted them in blue and white and arranged them to look like the Israeli flag. AEPi brothers built a balloon arch and decorated the courtyard to look like Israel took over campus. Members of DSAGA brought awareness to the campus community of Tel Aviv’s recent rank as number one gay city in the world! Important to note, the entire Jewish community was behind this event, as all of the political and cultural groups bonded and prepared together to provide a united message of support of Israel as a Jewish, democratic state. Upperclassmen exclaimed that Israel Fair was the best one yet - the students had an awesome time! Hugo, class of 2015 said, “I loved the fact that I got to play Israeli music on the quad!” and Karen, also class of 2015 said, “I loved baking cupcakes and the flag came out awesome!” Passersby enjoyed the vibrant Israeli culture that CHAI brought to JHU this year! Israel fair was a creative way to commemorate Israel’s independence and showcase how truly amazing Israel is to all of the Hopkins students. We are looking forward to a bigger and better celebration of Israel’s 65th year of Independence at the 6th Israel Fair next year!

JOHNS HOPKINS

31

by Brooke Weinbaum• • •

PASSPORT TO ISRAEL

Blue and white balloons,

Israeli flags, and the obligatory

blow up hammers filled

Traditions Plaza the day before

exams began at FAU. As

students walked by they were

intrigued in what was going

on, where the Israeli music was

coming from, and how could

they get their hands on falafel.

As students entered the

plaza they were given a blank

“passport” to fill up. When they

visited a certain amount of

stations around Israel they

were able to get falafel and

even a t-shirt. Stations

included social action, writing

notes for the Kotel, Zionism

101, technology, our very own

Yalla Israel Magazine, a JNF

table and the green efforts

going on in Israel, and even an

appearance from JNF’s Blue

Box Bob. Hundreds of students

filled the plaza and enjoyed

dancing to the Israeli music

while eating their falafel.

Even kids came to have

their faces painted and balloon

animals to celebrate Israel.

Around 1 pm everyone started

singing happy birthday and

huge decorated cakes were

brought out for all of the

students.

Hillel and Owls for Israel

were so happy with the huge

turn out. Even a local news

station came to show what

positive events were going on

at FAU. Incoming President of

Owls for Israel, Noah

Tenenbaum, said “I’m so

happy the party went so well.

We were able to show many

people the great aspects of

Israel and hope to do the same

next year!”

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY

33

we

by Rose Morris• • •

BOCA RATON CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE UNDER THE STARS

On Israel’s independence

day, the Jewish Federation of

South Palm Beach County and the

Jewish Community Relations

Council (JCRC) partnered to create

the annual ‘Israel Under the Stars,’

in Boca Raton, Florida at Sunset

Cove.

As hundreds of South Palm Beach

County residents joined together

in solidarity of Israel, they visited

exhibits from eleven local

synagogues, enjoyed delicious

Israeli foods, and enjoyed

performances of students from

local day schools, former

American-Idol Semi-finalist Brett

Loewenstern, and Jewish

entertainers Sam Glaser and Todd

Herzog. Advocates of Israel

included Rabbi David Steinhardt,

JCRC Chair and Rabbi of B’nai

Torah Congregation, Pastor Tye

Riter of Calvary West Boca and

Betty Kane, the Jewish

Federation’s Israel and Overseas

Committee’s Chair. They were

enthusiastic and confident about

the state of Israel’s future.

Weeks leading up to the 2012,

‘Israel Under the Stars,’ a flash

mob dance was coordinated

among local day schools and

synagogue Hebrew schools. The

crowd was in for a surprise as 100

dancers emerged across the

crowd and simultaneously danced

to an Israeli song concluding with

an excited, ‘Am Yisrael Chai,’

which translates to ‘The Nation of

Israel is still alive!’

Boca Raton is among hundreds of

cities across the world celebrating

Israel’s 64th anniversary of

independence.

SOUTH PALM BEACH

1435

by Sara Weiner• • •

WASHINGTON DC ROCKS OUT WITH HADAG NAHASH

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WASHINGTON D.C.

37

by Stefanie Bregman• • •

CHICAGO’S IDAYS CELEBRATES 64 YEARS WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE For more than 30

years, The Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of

Metropolitan Chicago (JUF)

has hosted Israel Solidarity Day, Chicago's largest

community-wide event celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut,

Israel's Independence Day.

This year, the annual festivities were transformed

into iDays—more than a dozen different events, geared

to a variety of interests and

geographic areas, from April 26 through May 14. The

change gives more people more ways to celebrate Israel.

All funds raised from iDays

will provide Israeli children with the supplies they need to

enrich learning and literacy.

"JUF's iDays is Chicago's

celebration of Israel@64. From bar nights to lectures to

events specifically for teens and families with young

children, iDays brings

together Jews from across the Chicago area to stand with

our community and support Israel, our Jewish homeland,”

said David Sherman, Chair, 2012 Israel Solidarity Days

The iDays celebration kicked

off April 26 with a Yom

Ha'atzmaut Celebration at Daley Plaza featuring Re-Vital

Israel theatre dance group, one of Israel's most renowned

dance companies. Several

hundred people donned their blue and white and were

surprised to witness an Israeli dance flash mob right in the

heart of the city. The party

continued that night at JUF’s Young Leadership Division’s

Blue and White Bar Night: A Night in Tel Aviv, where 250

young Jewish Chicagoans

showed their support for Israel, participated in a

Western Wall experience and snacked on their favorite

Israeli junk food.

But the biggest and most

exciting iDays celebration was held Sunday, May 6—nearly

4,000 Chicagoans came out to

celebrate at two exciting, new community-wide events.

IsraFest, a day of Israel-themed activities geared

toward families with children

12 and under, was held at six locations throughout the city

and suburbs. The day featured basketball clinics with Israeli

star, Tamir Goodman, Israeli

arts and crafts, screenings of

Shalom Sesame and Rechov Sumsum and an opportunity

to meet the characters, and more!

See photos from IsraFest and the Teen Walk with Israel.

And 500 plus spirited teens

joined the inaugural Teen

Walk with Israel, "Look Back, Walk Forward." The day began

with a meaningful program with Holocaust survivors at

the Illinois Holocaust Museum

in Skokie, followed by a Walk with Israel from the museum

to the Mayer Kaplan JCC for a celebration of Israel complete

with advocacy programming,

hands-on service projects, sports and more.

iDays also featured movie

screenings of Israel Inside:

How a Small Nation Makes a Great Difference on May 8

and lectures by Israeli academics and authors,

including Etgar Keret.

To learn more, visit

www.juf.org.

CHICAGO

39

by Adee Drory• • •

15,000 COME OUT TO CELEBRATE Thousands attended the highly anticipated, community-wide “Celebrate Israel Festival” sponsored by the!Israeli Leadership Council (ILC) on April 29, from 10:00am-6:00pm. The event was held at the Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, 2551 Motor Ave. in Los Angeles. www.celebrateisraelfestival.com!! The day began at 8:30am with a 1.5-mile free “Salute to Israel Walk” presented by StandWithUs.! Thousands walked from the park to the Museum of Tolerance and back to show solidarity with the State of Israel.! A salute to Israel drive-by will herald the start of the walk with the 9/11 Tribute Cars “Fueled by the Fallen.”!

The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Golden Stars Skydiving Team who wee to kick off the official ceremony on the main stage at 1:00PM showed up a bit late due to winds, but non-the-less, received a welcoming audience with cheers and applause.

Dignitaries include: State Assemblyman Mike Feuer, Council General of Israel David Seigel, Councilman Paul Koretz, LA County Sheriff Leroy Baca, Councilman Dennis P. Zine, LA Controller Zev Yaroslavsky, City Controller Wendy Gruel, Congressman Brad Sherman, Councilmember Jan Perry, Councilman Rosendahl, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, among others including Festival Chair Debby and Naty Saidoff and ! ILC chair Shawn Evenhaim, President of the Jewish Federation Jay Sanderson amongst others. . Syndicated talk show host Michael Medved will host.

! Israeli star Eyal Golan toplined the Festival’s 5 stages with performances throughout the day including folk dancing and DJ Dance Party.!

The pinnacle of the festival, “Positively Israel,” pavilion wshowcased the small state’s leading innovations in technology; a massive 5-foot art installation and! tents! featuring Spirituality, Judaism and a Genealogy database to store the family history.! ! Kids frolicked in the KIDZONE Amusement park and everyone enjoyed Café Tel Aviv with ethnic Israeli foods, world music,! drum c i r c l e s , f o l k d a n c i n g a n d a 200vendor! village! showcasing Israeli artwork, paintings, sculptures, fine arts, jewelry, Judaica gifts. and much more.

A noted success for this year’s festival was

parking logistics. With the huge support and help of building owners in Century City who gave festival attendees discounted parking rates (CBRE 2000 Ave. of the Stars, Ace Parking 2121 Ave of the Stars, Standard Parking Century Park West Garage and Constellation Place Garage, AMPCO 9911 W. Pico Blvd) and Fox Studios who were gracious to give festival attendees access to park on their highly secured lots, everyone who attended had a place to park.

Co-sponsors of the “Celebrate Israel Festival” include:! Debbie and Naty Saidoff ,StandWithUs, Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles,! Jewish National Fund, Jewish Life Television, Mati Israel Community Center and Hidbaroot Los Angeles.

Israel’s myriad technological innovations were showcased at the “Positively Israel” Pavilion, an interactive space spearheaded by Jewish National Fund (JNF).! It highlights imaging, renewable energy and energy conservation, sustainable agriculture, water management, medical technology advancement, integrated photo swapping applications, digital product placement, and the newest in “windows” car technology, to name a few.

One of the Festival’s goals was to engage the community through art. The Youth Art Expo features 5-foot art pieces by the four finalists from My Israel Art Installation competition depicting their interpretation of the Star of David and the Menorah. Art installations were funded by the ILC. The Youth Art Expo is an initiative of the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles to engage young artists.

The Digital Jewish Genealogy Database is presented by the Museum of the Jewish People, (Beit Hatzfutzot). A high-tech, multi-faceted database that gave attendees the opportunity to enter their family’s history via iPads and laptops where the data was collected and will be preserved for generations to come.

The KIDZONE included an amusement park with rides for all ages, free arts and crafts area, kids stage with live entertainment all day, face painting, stilt walkers, a petting zoo, juggling acts and more. Spiritualism and Judaism tent is offered by Hidabroot Los Angeles with lectures and information from renowned Rabbis, a stand-up comedian and kosher food dedicated to Orthodox guests.

With the huge success of this year’s event, people are already marking their calendar for next year’s celebration on April 21, 2013. For More information f e s t i v a l @ i s r a e l i l e a d e r s h i p . o r g o r www.celebrateisraelfestival.com

LOS ANGELES

41

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Photo taken at Celebrate Israel Festival in LA