Israelpalooza educates about culture

Hoosiers for Israel played host to Israelpalooza during the weekend, a festival geared toward celebrating and bringing cultural awareness to Israel as a culture and a land, said Executive Vice President for Israel Programming Zach Plesent.

“It’s just a festival to celebrate and bring community together,” Plesent said. “We have food, games and mock Kotel.”

This year was the first time in three years Israelpalooza didn’t have problems with rain.
“Israelpalooza has been synonymous with rain the past three years,” Plesant said. “Two years ago it poured all night and it was too muddy and so we rescheduled, but it rained again.”

Another problem Hoosiers for Israel run into when planning the event is balancing having fun and still staying true to the culture it is celebrating.

“The biggest challenge is wanting to Israelize it, but still wanting to bring fun,” Plesent said. “If I had more time and resources I’d make it more Israel, but I don’t really know what that means, so even that is hard.”

IU Hillel supported the event by setting up booths and providing funds.

“Israelpalooza is a great way for students to learn about Israel and what a great place it is,” Rabbi Sue Silberberg said. “The fact that it’s all planned by students who care about Israel and who feel a special bond to Israel is really cool.”

Israel is important to IU Jewish students and Hillel because it is seen as the homeland for Jews, Silberberg said.

“We were in the land for thousands of years until the temple was destroyed,” Silberberg said. “It’s central to our worship and prayer ever since. We still face Jerusalem when we pray.”

It’s also the only place they haven’t been discriminated against, she said.

“Everywhere that we’ve been, we’ve faced anti-Semitism,” Silberberg said. “It’s the only place we can call home, where we know we won’t face anti-Semitism. Outside Israel everywhere we’ve been, we do and we have.”

During the event, Hooshir, IU’s Jewish acapella singing group, performed. Dance lessons were given and people played games and ate a feast.

Freshman Arielle Beuzieron said she attended the event to connect back to Hillel and IU’s Jewish community.

“I love Israel and enjoy when I can get involved with Hillel,” Beuzieron said. “The food and the people are really the best part. My friends are here, and it’s hard to get good food on campus as a freshman.”

Even though Jewish groups put on the Israelpalooza, Plesent said he hopes many
students outside the community get involved and learn more. Beuzieron said she thinks it’s important for all students to come.

“It’s important for students to get together and celebrate what makes us different and unique,” Beuzieron said. “It’s great that IU celebrates that and we can have events like this.”

Follow reporter Suzanne Grossman on Twitter @suzannepaige6.