Israelpalooza continues despite inclement weather

For the second time in more than three weeks, the students and staff organizing the Israelpalooza ran through the regular motions of setting up the event.

Clouds crept in as tents were erected, and the music began to blare. Initially slated for April 1, the event was already canceled once before.

Activities included an inflatable obstacle course, Henna drawings, rockwall climbing and cotton candy spinning.

Rabbi Seth Cook stood in the distance with his family close by. Cook is the leader of the on-campus Jewish education program Aish.

Crouching on the ground and positioning himself on one knee, Cook extended his arms and smiled as his infant walked in his direction.

“(We) came out here to support Israel,” he said.

Freshman and chair of the Israelpalooza event Amanda Phillips stood under a tent talking with others working the event.

Phillips described a flustered and chaotic series of sequences when she had to cancel the event the first time.

She said she ran into many struggles trying to obtain staff to work the event the second time. Fewer students were able to stay for the event because of class schedules.  

“To reschedule something like that is really, really crazy,” she said.

The planning for the event began in December when Phillips decided to tackle the project. She worked with other members of the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center to strategize a budget proposal for the IU Student Association Funding Board.

After being granted the necessary funds from IUSA, it was time to start making phone calls, book the live music, organize various activities, establish a marketing ploy, order food and seek volunteers, she said.

Phillips said she was glad to see students of all ages enjoy the festivities the event had to offer. As a freshman, she said this event was something she was not familiar with and had to go through other organizations and individuals to learn what exactly others expected of the event and how to run the show behind the scenes.

“For me, it’s a learning experience,” she said. “I now know what goes in to putting on an event like this. Coming in and never having been to the event, (it was) a great experience I’ll have with me for the rest of my life.”