Spring Break
Student groups unite to celebrate Israel's 60th birthday
By: Boris Tsalyuk
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: On Campus
With this year marking Israel's 60th birthday, campus organizations are working together to ensure the occasion is properly commemorated and the spirit of Israel is brought to campus.
Yom Ha'atzmaut marks the proclamation of the establishment of the state of Israel, which was read by David Ben Gurion on May 14, 1948. This year, the Jewish community will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Israel courtesy of a collaborative effort by campus groups.
"We decided to combine with other groups to create a bigger celebration than usual," said Eric Merin, a sophomore government and politics major and Israel programming chair for the Jewish Student Union.
"It's also a part of a larger initiative on campus and that's to unite the Jewish community," he said. "We decided, let's bring everyone together so advocacy will be stronger."
Yom Ha'atzmaut will be marked on May 8 with "Israel Shuk: Passport to Israel" on Hornbake Mall. Merin said this year's festivities are modeled more after the celebration in Israel.
Each organization will represent a different Israeli city and there will be multiple tents and tables with various activities, said MASA Israel Journey campus representative and JSU vice president of finance Jenna Silverman.
"Everyone has been setting up their tent to be able to celebrate in their own way," said Silverman, a sophomore communications major.
The celebrations will feature a variety of activities including camel rides, traditional Israeli food and hookah, according to Amy Weiss, director of community initiatives at Hillel.
She said Israel at 60 will be a huge celebration thanks to months of cooperative planning.
"In the past, Hillel has allowed student groups to plan their own programs," Weiss said. "This year, because it's Israel's 60th, we knew that everyone would want to plan things so we decided to work together."
"We started out with an open meeting just brain storming ideas and then, on a weekly basis for a month and a half, we would meet and figure out how to divide and conquer and let everybody have a role in the big day," she added.
Yom Ha'atzmaut marks the proclamation of the establishment of the state of Israel, which was read by David Ben Gurion on May 14, 1948. This year, the Jewish community will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Israel courtesy of a collaborative effort by campus groups.
"We decided to combine with other groups to create a bigger celebration than usual," said Eric Merin, a sophomore government and politics major and Israel programming chair for the Jewish Student Union.
"It's also a part of a larger initiative on campus and that's to unite the Jewish community," he said. "We decided, let's bring everyone together so advocacy will be stronger."
Yom Ha'atzmaut will be marked on May 8 with "Israel Shuk: Passport to Israel" on Hornbake Mall. Merin said this year's festivities are modeled more after the celebration in Israel.
Each organization will represent a different Israeli city and there will be multiple tents and tables with various activities, said MASA Israel Journey campus representative and JSU vice president of finance Jenna Silverman.
"Everyone has been setting up their tent to be able to celebrate in their own way," said Silverman, a sophomore communications major.
The celebrations will feature a variety of activities including camel rides, traditional Israeli food and hookah, according to Amy Weiss, director of community initiatives at Hillel.
She said Israel at 60 will be a huge celebration thanks to months of cooperative planning.
"In the past, Hillel has allowed student groups to plan their own programs," Weiss said. "This year, because it's Israel's 60th, we knew that everyone would want to plan things so we decided to work together."
"We started out with an open meeting just brain storming ideas and then, on a weekly basis for a month and a half, we would meet and figure out how to divide and conquer and let everybody have a role in the big day," she added.
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