Bulletin04.02.2011 - Tazriah

A gag order prevented the spokesman from offering specific details
on the bomb that blew out the windows in the front half of Bus No.
74 as it left a stop the Jerusalem International Conference Center.
Rosenfeld said, however, that it appeared the terrorist had planted a
bomb in a suitcase before escaping by foot.
“Had it been on the bus, it would have been much more
dangerous,” he stated.
At the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, Rabbi Menachem
Kutner of the Chabad Terror Victims Project said that victims and
their families can count on a network of support for their financial,
emotional and spiritual needs.
“We are all one – every Jew is a brother or sister to the next – and
thousands upon thousands of their family members are out there
now, praying for their recovery,” said Kutner.
In Beersheva, where schools were closed on Wednesday and
Thursday, Gorelik tried to maintain an upbeat attitude.
“One person who was injured got hurt because he opened the
window just as a missile landed in the yard,” said the rabbi. “As it is,
though, he is alive and doing well. That is a miracle too.”
BZA fo’ life
Club examines Israel and Zionism (beyond the politics)
By Leah Finkelman—www.brandheishoot.com
S
ivan Levine ’13 [granddaughter of Mr. Irving Hoine] is so
passionate about the Brandeis Zionist Alliance (BZA) that her
weekly presidential e-mails to the club are littered with
exclamation points and signed “BZA fo’ life.” The group, which has
been on campus for decades, is a cultural club that attempts to
provide a positive image of Israel through educational and cultural
events.
Through campus programs that highlight cultural aspects of Israel,
BZA gives students “an outlet to express their love” for the country,
Levine said. These include events like a gourmet buffet to showcase
Israeli culture through food and participating in the second annual
Israel Peace Week, a national celebration focusing on different
aspects of Israeli culture.
During Israel Peace Week, BZA passed out items like reusable water
bottles, to represent Israel’s green initiatives, and Lebanese pita
with Israeli hummus, to symbolize the potential for a relationship
between Lebanon and Israel. “A lot of our event planning is thinking
of ways to educate people on why we think Israel is awesome and
deserves attention,” Levine said, adding that plans are in the works
for Israeli Culture Week, which will take place some time before
finals. It normally falls on Israel’s Independence Day, but this year
the holiday is during exams.
There have also been Israel Shabbat celebrations co-sponsored with
Hillel and Chabad. BZA is under the Hillel umbrella, a relationship
that Levine hopes to strengthen and maintain.
Although Zionism, included in the club’s name, is usually
associated with political views, Levine stressed that the group
focuses on culture and, as far as she knows and always has.
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“Zionism isn’t necessary a political opinion, it’s just an ideology.
It’s complex, but it works for us,” she said.
The group begins their weekly meetings with the Brandeis Israel
Public Affairs Committee (BIPAC), a pro-Israel lobbying group.
“BIPAC and BZA have always shared a special bond and a similar
outlook in continuing the positive and fair outlook of Israel on our
campus. Each club embraces its own identity, while still
maintaining a mutually beneficial partnership with shared
resources,” BIPAC Vice President Alanna Drasin ’13 said.
The two groups often discuss Israeli politics and current events, but
Levine said she feels that the group “has to cater to a broad amount
of things, including politics,” and that politics falls under the
umbrella of Israeli culture.
“We’ve responded to things and events that we deem completely
anti-Israel, but everyone here has different opinions and I can’t
choose to honor some people’s opinions over others,” she said.
“We’re just here to advocate for and on behalf of Israel’s
reputation.”
BZA has partnered with other Israel-related clubs and groups with
defined political stances. Brian Reeves ’11, president of J Street U,
said that his organization and BZA have worked together, and their
paths rarely conflict. BZA focuses on culture and J Street U
emphasizes Israeli politics, particularly advocating for peace by way
of a two-state solution. He did add, however, that BZA has run
programs that “have been overtly political, and when that happens,
those political messages usually differ from J Street U positions.”
Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), has also worked with BZA in events like
last semester’s Jewish dialogue event, organized by J Street U. Lev
Hirschhorn ’11, a co-founder of JVP, said that his organization’s
mission is to “advocate for a just and lasting peace in Israel-
Palestine,” which he said sometimes conflicts with BZA’s events.
One example he gave was the Israel Peace Week event “Peace
Process 101: All You Need is AHAVA.” At the event, BZA passed out
AHAVA beauty products from the Dead Sea to represent the
relationship between Jordan and Israel, both of whom border the
Dead Sea. JVP boycotts AHAVA because their products are made in
what JVP considers to be illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian
territories, and thus are “an obstacle to peace,” Hirschhorn said.
“I know there are groups who oppose us, and we appreciate and
value discussion,” Levine said, adding again that most members of
BZA have different political views, and come together to share their
love for Israel.
Levine fell in love with the country when she spent a semester there
before coming to Brandeis as a midyear last year. “The second the
plane landed, I felt like I was home. As cheesy as that sounds, I’d
never felt a connection like that before. It encouraged me to learn
more when I got to Brandeis,” Levine said. She quickly became
involved with several clubs, but BZA is the only one she has stayed
involved with, serving as vice president under Rachel Goutman ’12,
who is now abroad, and president this semester. “I got close with
the people in it. I love them, and I love that they have the same
beliefs as me when it comes to Israel.”
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