Bringing Israel to Bloomington

Students who don’t want to spend thousands of dollars and a dozen hours on a plane to visit Israel but still want to experience the culture are in luck.

At Israelpalooza, Hillel House and its co-sponsors will turn Dunn Meadow into Israel for the country’s 60th birthday.

“It’s an annual event,” said senior Inna Kolesnikova of Hoosiers for Israel. “This year, we’re trying to make it extra-special.”

Anyone can come for free and enjoy the atmosphere of five recreated Israeli cultural centers – the Negev desert, Tzfat, Eilat, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv – with games, food, music and dance from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, April 6.

“It’s open to the entire Bloomington community,” said junior Nina Loftspring, logistics coordinator for Israelpalooza.

In the “Negev desert,” students can sip iced tea in a Bedouin tent as the klezmer band’s music drifts over from the resort city of “Eilat.” Children can explore a sandbox archeological dig in “Tel Aviv” while a henna artist works on a client in “Tzfat” and friends laugh over falafels in “Jerusalem.”

A climbing wall from Hoosier Heights will be available in the “Negev desert” area, along with the obstacle course that symbolizes the army stint all Israeli youths must perform. The Negev will also host the Bedouin tent where people can learn more about the traditionally nomadic people.

In “Tzfat,” an Israeli city known for its artsy, spiritual atmosphere, a henna artist will share space with a table hosted by do-it-yourself pottery company The Latest Glaze and a speaker on the Jewish mystical teachings of kabbalah, said Kim Kushner, Hillel’s program director and the primary staff advisor for the event.

In “Eilat,” a capella groups Ladies First and HooShir will perform, as well as acoustic guitarist Josh David, the Knap Yiddishkeit Klezmer Band and an Israeli folk dance group.

The food found in “Jerusalem” will include contributions from Bucceto’s Smiling Teeth, Falafels Flavors from Jerusalem and Baked! of Bloomington, among others. Popcorn, cotton-candy and snow-cone machines will also be on hand.

“We have a little bit of everything,” Loftspring said.

Jerusalem will be set up to represent the historic four corners of the city – Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim. They will have a replica of the “Western Wall,” in which people stick prayers.

“The idea is that the notes reach God,” Loftspring said.

At Israelpalooza, people can tuck their own notes into the replica and next time a student group goes to the real Jerusalem, they will stick those messages into the real wall, she said.

Students can also find information about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues and Israel at the tables for GLBT student union OUT and Keshet, IU’s group for GLBT Jews.

“Tel Aviv” will have plenty of activities for children to entertain themselves, including face-painting, toys and sand art. A sandbox will double as an archeological dig where kids can uncover “artifacts” such as pieces of pottery from The Latest Glaze.

The event will benefit Save a Child’s Heart, an organization whose doctors perform surgery on children in third-world countries.

“The best part about the organization is that it provides free heart surgery to children all around the world,” Kolesnikova said. “It really brings different people together.”

Loftspring agreed, saying Save a Child’s Heart, which is based outside Tel Aviv, was a good choice in part because it operates regardless of religious or political boundaries.
“This is a nonpolitical group,” she said. “It just, you know, goes to people who need it.”
Hillel will sell paper hearts that read “_______ saved a child’s heart” for a dollar apiece and hang them at the event.  They will also raffle off a $100 voucher donated by STA Travel.

All three organizers agreed that such an event would be impossible without the co-sponsorship of dozens of organizations like Union Board, OUT and CUEs from McNutt and Briscoe, as well as several companies and organizations of both the community and national levels.

“It’s hard if you just stick to one organization,” Kushner said.

Loftspring estimated that 50 to 60 groups are participating.

“We have about 100 volunteers coming,” Loftspring said. “A lot of different organizations you wouldn’t put together.”

While both the IU Democrats and the IU Republicans are co-sponsoring, organizers said the event is in no way a political rally or protest; the purpose is fun and education.
“We don’t want it to be politically charged,” Kushner said.

In case of rain, Loftspring said the event will be moved to the Flame Room in McNutt.
Organizers, sponsors and volunteers have worked long and hard to make Israelpalooza what they hope will be one of the best events on campus this year.

“I feel very passionate about it,” Kolesnikova said. “I want to make sure it’s memorable.”