Important Message
A Note from our Executive Director
Dear Hillel friends,
As we head into the spring, which is usually the most virulent anti-Israel season on college campuses, I often hear questions and concerns about Hillel’s role on campus. Some people tell me that Hillel is too left-wing. Others tell me that Hillel is too right-wing. Still others tell me that they believe that Hillel is doing little or nothing to support Israel.
Here is the truth: Helping students cultivate a closer connection to Israel is one of our core objectives in service of our mission, which is connecting with as many students as possible towards fostering a lasting commitment to Jewish life. We do that by working with students across a wide range of the political spectrum in finding their pro-Israel voices.
Things are heating up right on schedule at UCSD, the San Diego campus with the most anti-Israel activity. We are anticipating a divestment resolution before the student government during Passover. The students have been cultivating relationships with their student representatives all year and are well positioned to do all they can to defeat the resolution. They are also preparing to directly address the misleading accusations during the annual anti-Israel week in mid-May, with help from many national and community groups. We will keep you informed of what happens.
In the meantime, proactive pro-Israel events have been strong across the county. Here is a small sampling of what is happening this spring:
At Cal State San Marcos we will participate in the first Earth Day Festival on campus in late April, featuring information about Israel and the environment. We are excited that Cougars for Israel, a new pro-Israel student group, has begun its formal registration process. StandWithUs came to campus to do an advocacy trainingworkshop for a couple of these students and we are working with other partners agencies, including TEAM and the ADL, to do more programming before the end of the semester.
Eighty students at UCSD heard Ami Ayalon speak on ”Ensuring Israel Security and Achieving Peace in the Middle East.” Ayalon is the past director of the Shin Bet, the former head of the Israeli navy and a past Member of Knesset. The event was co-sponsored by Jewish Students Taking Action for Peace, Tritons for Israel and UCSD International Affairs Group, along with JStreet U. The following evening Tritons for Israel sponsored an evening with the Sderot Media Center, highlighting what life is like living along the border with Gaza under regular rocket attack.
At SDSU Aztecs for Israel are celebrating an Israel Week. Activities include sponsoring a film that portrays young people’s lives in Tel Aviv through the point of views of gays and straights, Jews and Arabs, men and women. They are also hosting a panel of three speakers representing AIPAC, Hasbara Fellowships and A Culture of Peace to discuss why they support Israel.
Israeli multi-media artist Nira Pereg is the “Innovator in Residence” this spring at ArtPower at UCSD. She has showcased her art at UCSD and will be speaking to a World Religion class at Palomar in early May. For a sampling of her work, check out http://nirapereg.net/Home_page.html. Also at UCSD, over 400 students and community members came to rock out to the music of Hadag Nachash, one of Israel’s most popular hiphop groups. Their “Sticker Song” is best known to American audiences: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIbjpev6U5s
As always, we welcome your comments, questions and concerns.
As we move into Passover, we wish you and your loved ones a sweet and joyous holiday that brings greater freedom and a taste of redemption for us all!
Chag sameach,
Lisa
