Hillel celebrates Independence

Junior Jessica Peltz feels a very strong personal connection to Israel. She spent six weeks in the country last year, and as part of her trip, trained for one week with the Israeli army.\n"The patriotism that Israelis have is amazing," she said. "They have a lot of national pride, and they're so happy to be able to live there."\nPeltz participated in the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center's celebration of Israeli Independence Day ("Yom Ha'atzmaut" in Hebrew) yesterday afternoon from noon to 4 p.m. on the Collins Living-Learning Center lawn. Signs that read "Happy 54th Birthday Israel," as well as Israeli flags, were displayed to honor the occasion, and Israeli music could be heard playing in the yard.\nSheryl Rosen, Hillel program director, said the event allowed students to voice their support for Israel.\n"It's important for people to show their dedication to Israel and that they care about Israel existing for many years into the future," she said.\nIsraeli foods such as hummus, pita bread, figs, dates and cucumber salad were served to participants and visitors, as well as a birthday cake decorated to look like the Israeli flag. Students also had the chance to make their own candles, necklaces and bracelets.\nBen Lewis, a sophomore, said due to recent events in Israel, its citizens are not able to celebrate the 54th anniversary of Israeli independence in peace.\n"Israelis don't have the opportunity to celebrate this year because they're so concerned with security issues," he said. "It's important to show our support for Israel now more than ever."\nThe IU chapter of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee distributed pamphlets entitled "Your Guide to Israel" at Collins and various other locations on campus. "Your Guide to Israel" included maps of and information about the 1947 United Nations partition plan and Israel's borders after the Six Day War of 1967, as well as an article from The Jerusalem Post mourning Shmuel Akiva Weiss, an Israeli soldier killed by Palestinian gunmen April 8 in Jenin, a city on the West Bank.\nSophomore Calli Schiller, AIPAC co-chair, said the event was an opportunity to educate students who do not know very much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.\n"I think it's so important to get education across," she said. "By us being out here showing our love for Israel, other people can hopefully begin to understand the conflict on a much deeper level as opposed to the superficial CNN level."\nIn addition to the Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration, Hillel students supported Israel by participating in a large pro-Israel rally Monday afternoon in Washington, D.C. Hillel Assistant Director Josh Stein traveled with 45 students via bus to the Capitol, where they joined over 100,000 people who shared their support for Israel. \n Rally speakers included former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, author Elie Wiesel and Representative Dick Armey (R-Texas).\n "I thought Rudy Giuliani was the most powerful speaker because of his close connection with terrorism and his sympathy for what Israel suffers on a daily basis," Stein said. "I was moved by the number of both Jewish and non-Jewish speakers and participants who sympathize with Israel's struggle."\n Sophomore Moshe Siegel attended Monday's rally in Washington as well.\n "I think it showed the world that people from all over America are supporting Israel," he said.\n Stein said some Hillel students will travel to Washington to attend the AIPAC Policy Conference April 21-23.