Student groups unite to celebrate Israel's 60th birthday

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 Hazikaron, a day that memorializes Israel's fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, is the day before Yom Ha'atzmaut and its observance will be planned by the campus chapter of the Zionist Organization of America. They held a ceremony at Hillel on May 6.

"We must remember and reflect on the many lives that were sacrificed for the Jewish people to have a state," said ZOA treasurer Adina Rosenblatt, a sophomore letters and sciences major.

Alpha Epsilon Pi and Sigma Delta Tau have organized "Blue and White Bar Night" at Thirsty Turtle on May 7. There will be Israeli music, decorations, drinks specials and give-away prizes.

Students on campus said this holiday is a major reason to celebrate.

"I celebrate it the way it should be celebrated," said Alex Simone, a sophomore history major. "I like to drink, dance and have a lot of fun."

Although this year is the 60th anniversary, Simone said it is important to celebrate Israel's independence every year. He emphasized the importance of appreciating one another as well as rejoicing over the land.

"Our people and the land have been interconnected for thousands of years and because we hold onto each other and to the land, we are able to exist and prosper," he said.
Other students feel the day is an important reminder of what Israel stands for and the continuous fight to uphold its existence.

"Israel feels like home every time I'm there," said Charlie Davis, a sophomore finance major.

"Both of my parents are Jewish and I feel a connection with my people when I step foot on the beaches of Tel Aviv. It's more of a feeling than anything else."

Avi Blumenthal, a sophomore kinesiology major, said he plans to attend one of the campus events celebrating the holiday wearing a shirt with an Israeli flag to show his pride and respect for the nation.

The collective approach the student groups have taken has allowed them to share the responsibility and program these diverse festivities.

"We benefit from working together," Merin said.

"When we come together, we really have the resources and the manpower to pull off something as big as what this event is going to be.