From Israeli-style dinners to hookah smoke in Bruin Plaza, Jewish student groups plan to celebrate Israel’s 59th birthday with a week of events celebrating the country’s culture and people.
Organizers said they hope to give students a glimpse of the real Israel, beyond the images of war and violence in the news.
The events for this year’s Israeli Independence Week, which began last Wednesday and end this Friday, were organized by Bruins for Israel and Hillel at UCLA.
The biggest planned event of the week is the Israel Expo to be held in Bruin Plaza on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which will include Israeli food, music and speeches by students, Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller of Hillel at UCLA, and the Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles.
Shirley Eshaghian, secretary of Bruins for Israel, said in response to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict that the focus of Israeli Independence Week is to dispel misconceptions about Israel and emphasize Israel’s desire for peace with its neighbors.
The conflict began in July 2006 when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel, sent troops across the border between Israel and Lebanon, and captured Israeli soldiers. Israel responded with air strikes and an invasion of Lebanon.
The conflict ended when both nations accepted a U.N. resolution calling for a cease-fire.
“The media is skewing people’s views,” Eshaghian said. “A lot of people think that Israel does not want peace, but that’s not true. Israel does want peace.”
Israeli Independence Week celebrations in previous years have been marked by protesters who wished to draw attention the current situation for Palestinians, saying they have suffered greatly as a result of the conflict.
“For Israelis, it’s a day of celebration, but for Palestinians, it’s the anniversary of a major national tragedy,” said Khalid Hussein, co-president of Students for Justice in Palestine, referring to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.
Hussein did not say if protesters would be present at this week’s events.
The Israel Expo will feature the release of 118 doves ““ two doves for each of Israel’s 59 years of independence ““ symbolizing Israel’s desire for peace, said Gilad Shoham, Israel Program Coordinator of Hillel at UCLA.
“Israel wants peace, and Israel is all about peace. That’s really the whole idea behind the week,” said Leeron Morad, president of Bruins for Israel.
Tuesday’s “Puffs for Peace” will invite people of all ethnic backgrounds and political views to smoke hookah together in a tent on Bruin Plaza and share ideas for peace, Eshaghian said.
Shoham and Eshaghian both expressed concern that students’ perception of Israel comes only from the media coverage of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The aim of the events is to challenge the stereotypes that often arise when reporters attempt to present a country’s people, culture and society in a two-minute segment on the news, Shoham said, and he added that the news often focuses on violence and political leaders.
“Violence and leaders ““ that’s what they’re going to remember,” Shoham said.
Along with distributing cookies on Bruin Walk, Jewish student groups plan to put up posters and photos to inform the campus about Israel’s history, variegated culture, and numerous technological contributions.
Shoham said he hopes students will use this information to think about and reevaluate their perception of Israel.
“Because of (the conflict) we want to make sure people know the facts about Israel,” Eshaghian said.
Today’s photography exhibit in Kerckhoff Art Gallery is designed to celebrate the diversity of Israel’s multifaceted society.
The events are planned to attract students and community members with diverse interests and backgrounds. In an effort to educate as many students as possible about Israel, this year’s celebration features more events than previous years, Eshaghian said.
Last week’s celebrations included a dance party at Club Avalon, which drew a crowd of about 850 students, some from as far away as Santa Barbara.
Events this week will include a night of Israeli music and pop culture to celebrate the country’s culture and a technology fair to celebrate Israel’s contributions in that area.
Bruins for Israel and Hillel also partnered with various on-campus student organizations throughout the year, including Bruin Democrats and Bruin Republicans, to involve as many students as they can in the celebration for Israeli Independence Day, Shoham said.
“We’re aiming to reach out to all students, not just Jewish students but every student on campus,” Eshaghian said.
Shoham said partnering with different student groups is an effective way to educate the campus community because those efforts have resulted in “bigger events, those that cater to more people.”