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THE SHPiEL VOLUME 7 ISSUE 6 6 Nisan 5769 19Nisan 5769 March 31, 2009 April 13,2009 0. ... -, i *-, ,. 7 :.. r .. .. : .. .. '' . Sweet Shul Alabama BY LEORA ARNOWITZ SHPiEL staff writer There are only 800 Jewish families living in Gainesville, but this number looks huge to the residents of Dothan, Ala. That's why a new program at Temple Emanu-El in Dotlian, is offering Jewish families as much as $50,000 to move to the mostly Christian city and expand its Jewish population. But, for all the money seekers out there, this isn't something that will ever be seen in Gainesville, according to Rabbi David Kaiman, of local synagogue B'Nai Israel. Kaiman said although the Gainesville Jewish community is small, there are much smaller Jewish communities. He said Dothan is one such community, and the program is a creative solution -to its problem. "There are a lot of communities that are very, very small," Kaiman said. "And for them, it might be a way of keeping their Jewish communities alive. Compared to those communities, we are much, much bigger." B'Nai Israel is one of five synagogues in Gainesville. Its conservative congregation has an estimated 320 families. This looks gigantic next to the 55 families that are part of the Temple Emanu-El congregation in Dothan. SEE ALABAMA, PAGE 2 New England now least religious region in US, study finds BY MORGAN WATKINS SHPiEL contributing writer New England, a region historically remembered as a haven for Puritans and other immigrants fleeing religious persecution, is now the least religious region in the nation, according to a national survey. The study revealed that since 1990, the percentage of U.S. citizens identifying with no religion has almost doubled, rising to 15 percent last year. New England has surpassed the West Coast, with 22 percent of New Englanders claiming no religion, compared to 20 percent of West Coast residents, according to the American Religious Identification Survey. The findings marked a near- tripling of the unaffiliated population in New England. David Hackett, associate professor of religion at UF, said he believes this trend in New England is more of a shift away from organized religion than a shift away from God. "There is a new movement away from organized religious churchgoing and toward spiritual religious seeking," SEE RELIGION, PAGE 2 21 NEWS visit the new theshpiel.org The SHPiEL American religious landscape shifting, evolving RELIGION, FROM PAGE 1 Hackett said. "There are many people who don't go to religious synagogue but do believe in God. That's the larger trend that has been going on since the late 1960s and early 1970s toward spirituality." Hackett said he also believes geographic mobility and changing societal values have contributed to this shift. "There has been a shift toward a more psychologically self-oriented way of seeing the world," he said. "I don't think that it's a movement away from a religious understanding of the world, but a move toward a more individual understanding." One of the main factors researchers are considering for this drop in religious affiliation in New England is the region's diminishing Roman Catholic population. The area is now 36 percent Catholic compared to 50 percent in 1990, according to the survey. "Among the European-American population, which is predominant in New England, there has been a defection for several reasons," Hackett said. "The suburban Catholic Mass is more impersonal, more distant, and more institutional. That loss of intimacy from pre-Vatican II Catholicism is a turnoff." Some of the decrease may be attributed to controversies both within the Catholic Church and in the outside world. The Church lost a lot of its voice during these turbulent political times and recent religious controversies," said the Rev. David Ruchinski, parochial vicar of St. Augustine Church in Gainesville, located on W. University Avenue. Ruchinski said he does not, however, think this decrease in religious affiliation applies predominantly to Catholicism. "I suspect that'if you looked at other religious denominations, they're probably experiencing the same kind of thing," he said. While Catholicism has decreased among New Englanders, Latin American immigrants have kept the U.S. percentage of Catholics almost level at 25 percent of the national population, compared to 26 percent in 1990, according to the study. "A lot of Latin American immigrants are what we call 'cultural Catholics,'" Ruchinski said. "They may or may not go to church, but they will still identify themselves as Catholic.", After the first generation, Latin Americans tend to become less Catholic, largely due to a pressure to assimilate into American culture, Ruchinski said. This movement away from organized religion has not only affected Catholics, but other denominations as well. Rabbi Yoni Kaiser-Blueth, associate director for Jewish student life at UF Hillel, said. he believes part of the shift is caused by a failure to meet the needs of different religious members. "I think each demographic, if you break it apart, has very diverse needs. In a synagogue, a lot of the leadership is made up of senior citizens," Kaiser- Blueth said. "They tend to be less interested in being agents for change within the religion, and therefore the needs of other kinds of religious members such as younger people are not always met." Whether this shift away from religious affiliation in New England and the U.S. as a whole is a transitory phase or a more permanent trend ,remains to be seen. "I think there's a lot of pioneering efforts underway within the religions. Especially within the Jewish community, there has been a movement of minyans to create supportive prayer communities," Kaiser-Blueth said. "Religion has evolved outside of the synagogues." "Not buying Jews, project director ALABAMA, FROM PAGE 1 But, the number is growing, said 4 Robert Goldsmith, executive director I of the Family Relocation Project. The program has already brought one family to Dothan and hopes to bring 19 more. "We want to invigorate the Jewish LA community so we don't whither out and die," he said. Goldsmith said the program aims of those a to do that by getting young, Jewish approval p families to relocate to Dothan. He He sai said he feels Dothan is a vibrant program's community and many families seem families t( eager to move. their fam "In the past 18 months, our is mostly congregation has -grown from 43 whose kid family units to 55," he said. "Dothan he said. is growing and our Jewish community Kaiman is not going to die. Our mantra is 'It's Gainesvill not gonna happen here.'" it is stable He said it is an extra bonus for of young p the families that the program covers Kaiman all relocation expenses and assists related tc families in applying for financial aid students. if needed. comprised Goldsmith said he wanted to clarify the univer that not all families will receive the city. full amount of money for moving. The "We he families that need financial aid will employee; apply for it and can be awarded up to members $50,000, he said. said. "I gu "We're not buying Jews," he said. somewhat "We reimburse them for their relocation Goldsn expenses and get them financial aid if members they qualify." enough y The program is funded by donations problem through the Blumberg Family Jewish community Community Services, and 500 people presence have applied, will draw "The kind of family we want is "Really looking for a safe and secure place said. "We to raise their family and reinvigorate strong Jev their Judaism," he said. Goldsn One family that met these in the pr qualifications was the Reed family,, succeed. who moved to Dothan on Feb. 18 as on the p the first and only family to relocate said is alr through the program so far. Goldsmith "Our c said there are 14 other families being out," he s, considered for the program, and two work." says re in the final stages of the process. d a key element to the success is getting young o move to Dothan and raise ilies. Now, the community comprised of older people s have already moved away, said that although the e Jewish community is small, because it has a good amount people involved. said this might loosely be the University of Florida While his congregation is of families and not students, sity also draws families to the ive. a lot of professors and s of the university that are of our congregation," he ess everything in this town is connected to the school." nith said the community feel the program will bring oung people to solve the of their shrinking Jewish y. He said he hopes the of the new, young families more families and children. , it's all about the kids," he want the kids to grow up in a ish community." nith said he has full confidence )gram, and he is sure it -will The community is dependent program's success, which he eady well on its way. community isn't going to die aid. "We're going to make this Editor-in-Chief Zahara Zahav zahara@theshpiel.org Managing Editor Ben Cavataro cavataro@ufl.edu News Editor Zak Bennett zak@theshpiel.org Arts & Entertainment Editor Ankita Rao ankitarao87@gmail.com Sundry Editor Elaine Wilson elaine@theshpiel.org Executive Advisor/Mentor Giselle Mazur giselle@ufhillel.org Layout Editor Jackie Jakob jackie@theshpiel.org Web Editor Dan Feder dan@theshpiel.org Chief Visionary Faryn Hart faryn@theshpiel.org Photo Editor Stephanie Shacter stephanie.shacter@gmail.com Distribution Danielle Nichols dnichols@ufl.edu LA 0~% The Only Student-Run Jewish Campus Newspaper in the Country, Right Here at the University of Florida The SHPiEL visit the new theshpiel.org NEWS 13 DID YOU KNO W? Timeless Temple BY ANDREW FORD SHPiEL staff writer If both George Washington and John F. Kennedy have visited your synagogue, chances are you go to Touro. ( The nation's oldest temple has stood in Newport, R.I., since Dec. 2, 1763 as a symbol of religious freedom. Touro's founders came to America in hopes of practicing freely. In 1790, George Washington assured the congregation in a letter revered by those at Touro that the United States would not allow bigotry or persecution. The synagogue has seen a rich cross section of historical events. In 1776, the building was occupied by British troops and used as a hospital. In 1790, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson visited to promote the Bill of Rights. Tourno Synagogue Foundation is dedicated to the preservation of the synagogue but pushes for contemporary progress as well as recognition of the past. The foundation offer recognition such as the Judge George Alexander Teitz Award to "an individual or institution that best exemplifies the contemporary commitment to the ideals of religious and ethnic tolerance and freedom," according to the synagogue's Web site. The foundation also offers the Aaron and Rita Slom Scholarship for high school seniors who write a reflective essay on the significance of the George Washington Letter. Touro Synagogue hosts Congregation Jeshuat Israel and roughly 140 member families. The synagogue is Orthodox and uses the Sephardic liturgy. This temple has been recognized as a historical landmark for its cultural significance, but also for its architectural significance. The synagogue was designed by Peter Harrison, whose other works include Redwood Library and King's Chapel. The building has striking details like 12 Ionic columns each carved from a single tree; these columns are intended to represent the twelve tribes. Several additions have been made to the area surrounding the synagogue since its original construction, including a campus to accommodate visitors. Campus protesters mark anti-Israel week BY DANIELLE NICHOLS SHPiEL staff writer The Fifth annual Israeli Apartheid Week, commonly called LAW, took place across the globe in cities and campuses the first week of March. The international series of events aims to show opposition to Israeli apartheid and to gain support for the organization Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions for Palestine. According to the BDS Web site's statement, the goals of the movement are for "full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, an end to the occupation and colonization of all Arab lands including the Golan Heights, the occupied West Bank with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip and dismantling the Wall, and the protection of Palestinian refugees' Tight to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in U.N. resolution 194." IAW is one of the most important global events in the solidarity for Palestine calendar, and ever since it's 2005 launch in Toronto, it has continuously grown in size. In 2006, the organization expanded to Montreal and Oxford, and in the following year, five more locations were added, including New York, which brought IAW to the U.S. for the first time. From 2007 to 2008, there was a huge jump: With an addition of 19 locations, the group claimed 24 total locations. This year, IAW took place in a total of 40 cities. In addition to existing programs in Canada, England and the U.S., the event now reaches South- Africa, the West Bank, Mexico, Scotland and Norway. Locations include Abu Dis, Berkeley, Bir Zeit, Edinburgh, Edmonton, Johannesburg, Oxford, Kalkilya, San Francisco, Soweto, Tulkarm and Washington, D.C. The event's organizers are "capitalizing on the fact that people are horrified by the experience of the black people in South Africa and by the experiences of Jews in the Holocaust," said Orna Hollander, head of the Canadian Center for Israel Activism in a JerusalamPost interview. "Theanti-Israel movement hopes to inspire opposition to the State of Israel by applying the labels of Apartheid and Holocaust to the treatment of Palestinians by Israel." This year the focus of IAW lectures are the recent Israeli-Gaza conflict to "further confirm the true 'nature of Israeli. Apartheid," according to IAW Web site. Other themes of IAW included apartheid and the current context in Palestine, boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israeli apartheid: lessons from South Africa, Nakba and the right of return, and voices for Palestine: resistance to racism and apartheid. ef- BY ZAK BENNETT {Bong Bust) On March 26, about 15,000 water pipes were confiscated during a factory raid in Haifa, Israel. According to an AP article, the factory's 60-year owner was arrested. Israel outlawed water pipes in early March. Hookahs, bongs and pipes were a common marketplace item in shops all over Israel and are now disappearing off the streets. The narghilee," commonly called "hookah" in the West is an ancient Indian tradition adopted by most Middle Eastern countries. Narghile was a tradition of the higher-class people and royalty throughout 1600s. Now, it is extremely popular among young people in the West. Haifa is a port city in the north region of Israel, which lies on the M'editerranean Sea. Marijuana enters Israel through Lebanon, Egypt and Gaza, although Lebanon and Gaza are less likely to be points of drug entry due to recent conflicts. {This week marks the 30-year anniversary of the peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt) President Obama has made note of the significant event in hopes that the two countries will always remember it is possible to live in harmony. The peace treaty was signed March 26, 1979 in Washington, D.C after a short war in which thousands of people died. On the same day, a U.S.-Israeli Memorandum of Agreement was signed. The agreement stated the U.S.'s commitments to Israel in case the treaty was violated. It also stated the U.N.'s commitments and the future military and economic aid to be given to Israel. With conflict in the'air, the countries take a moment to remember .the peace they needed. On the day of the anniversary, President Shimon Peres spoke with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to congratulate him on the treaty's commitment, according to a Haaretz article. President Mubarak said he has never considered changing Egypt's policy toward peace with Israel, according to the article. 41 NEWS visit the new theshpiel.org The SHPiEL Ask BY ELAINE WILSON E st l Answers to all your kosher Ee r culinary questions Passover April 9 this year marks the feast of Passover, a holiday which many of my Jewish friends see as a time of uninspired cuisine. "I beg to differ: in high school, when days of consuming unleavened bread left them craving more from their food, I, along with the other gentile kids at the lunch table, couldn't wait to learn what new matzo innovations lay in their lunch bag. The unveiling merited mixed emotions; my Jewish friends practically dreaded the matzo creation, whereas the rest of us greatly anticipated the day's unleavened variation. Cinnamon and sugar matzo, matzo pizza, matzo ball soup-everything was new and delicious. Talking to those friends now, I know our respective attitudes haven't changed, but after taking a closer, look at Passover dishes, I realize the flavors and traditions aren't so novel to a gentile like me. Take the potato pancake-the basic idea of fried tuber patties spanned Europe from one side to the other, even crossing the North Atlantic. Potato farls, or potato bread, is made from mashed potatoes, flour, butter and salt and is fried in a pan, then cut into quarters. This simple Irish dish, enjoyed by my Irish-Catholic family, is not a far cry from a traditional Jewish potato pancake. Likewise, bread without yeast because it was originally made in haste calls to mind the simple form of leavening through baking soda, as found in soda bread. Whether preparing bread in a hurry or making ends meet, each quick, simple method has been yielding sufficient starch for centuries. T h i s Passover, take a certain pride in your culinary diversity, get creative with your matzo, and maybe even take an Irish perspective on your potato pancakes. IM Traditional Irish potato farls. Photo courtesy of visualrecipes.com 4 Email your kosher cuisine questions to elaine@theshpiel.org. Yiddish: Schlepping it through pop culture BY ALISHA KINMAN SHPiEL contributing writer While growing up in a Jewish household, it's not uncommon to have your mother tell you to wipe the "schmutz" off your face. It's also highly likely that you've heard people complain about their "schmuck" of a boss. However, for better or worse, these Yiddish terms are no longer confined to the Jewish community. Rather, they frequently fall upon the public ear and r - 0 p, 9, I I I I are commonly used in culture today. On March 16, comedian Jackie Mason used the Yiddish word "schvartze" when referring to newly elected President Obama during one of his performances. While some audience members had no idea of the meaning of the word- "schvartze" is a Yiddish slur for a black person-others were quite outraged by the derogatory remark. Many times before Mason's performance, Yiddish has been used in pop culture without making headlines. In fact, comedians both Jewish and gentile, such as Robin Williams and Sarah Silverman, use Yiddish slang repeatedly in their comedy without much criticism. However, the line seems to be drawn when the word is being used against someone in a negative tone verses using the word in an over-exaggerated and non- slanderous manner. B Nevertheless, the question at large remains: How did the trend of using Yiddish words in particular come to surface as a hot trend in the world of entertainment? Yiddish words are widely used in pop culture and seem to be getting more and more popular. From words such as "schlep" to "kvetch," Jews j have influenced pop culture once again. Much like Madonna's fascination with the study of Kabbalah in 1998, the use of Yiddish phrases here and there has become an increasingly popular touchy issue. Most entertainers seem to only apply derogatory Yiddish phrases to their '". performances, yet it is a reasonable question to ask if ' performers need to tone down their humor. In truth, when a Jewish entertainer refers to Yiddish slang, the audiences' opinions on Jews are slightly influenced. However, others believe that using Yiddish in the entertainment Comedian Jackie M industry is just for fun and should be cor. taken lightly. No matter how you view the Yiddish remarks, perhaps, while living as a college student in times when money is tight and employment is rare, a little ason. Photo courtesy of www.jackiemason. laughter could be the cure. As the Yiddish proverb goes, "What is soap to the body is laughter to the soul." A .'.7 7"-- The SHPiEL visit the new theshpiel.org SUNDRY 5 Shabbat Shilo: Dinner with Jewish radicals from the West Bank BY JOSH FLEET SHPiEL staff writer 90 Shabbat dinner with Jewish settlers from Palestinian territories was an unforgettable experience. Everyone knows Jewish West Bank settlers are rabid, armed racists who, more than anything or anyone else, are the reason why peace will never exist in Palestine. Forget the war machine made up of 18-year-old boys, the money-sex-power- starved political establishment, the unfeeling coldness of Israeli women. To be sure, these are all symptoms of the same destructive delusion. But, it is the settlers in the Palestinian territories who destroy the most and are the most deluded, and every clay, the Western conscience is more hard-wired to feel that behind all of Israel's moral quandaries-her apartheids and her holocausts-there is the insane smiling face of the Israeli settler. Today's world citizen, today's college-graduate intellectual doesn't merely believe this, he or she knows this deep down in the marrow. This, at least, has been my experience since entering the academia of American university. Before that, I was never really. challenged by anyone about my views. After leaving the sheltered confines of private Jewish day-school education when I was 11, I actually assumed that - everyone else in the sane, moral and free West agreed with me. Middle school wasn't so bad. The kids around me were more concerned with labels and logos and treating others as steps on the social ladder than they were with confronting the fabric of the Jewish state. And 9/11 certainly helped. For a while there, it seemed like every one was on "my" side. All Arabs were pegged as soulless animals who would destroy Us in a second if they had a chance, and Israel and the Jews were part of that ,Us. High school, too, didn't amount to much in the way of confrontation. In the forever-red North Florida county of my youth, most people believe Israel is God's country, too, and that it definitely belongs to the Jews (How else is Jesus going to return to earth and convert us all at once?). College has definitely been a change of pace. The tension on campus between Jewish and Arab groups only gets thicker with each new semester. A prerequisite for discussion of the Middle East is the notion that the suffering of Palestinians is solely a result of oppressive Israeli rule. And one in seven American Apparel hipsters wears a keffiyeh to show the rest of the world that they hates human suffering so much they are willing to spend $20 to look like the late Yasser Arafat-our generation's closest thing to Gandhi. Living for a few years in this environment, my views only sort of changed. I still believe in the necessity of a Jewish state. I still believe Israel is where such a state must be. I still believe terrorism is terrorism rather than a legitimate form of protest. The only difference: I believe that Palestinians are suffering; that Israel has done a lot to cause such suffering and that Israel could do infinitely more to alleviate the situation. But back to the gun-toting, bible-belt racists of the region with whom I ate dinner on Friday night. Did they bear their horns or their guns?, you ask. Did they make their meal with the blood of a Palestinian child? Did they propagandize you? Did they radicalize you? Did they infect you? Are you OK? Well, to answer in succession: No and no. Definitely not, that's disgusting. Maybe a little. No. No. I think so. Shabbat dinner with the family was, honestly, one of the happiest, worldliest experiences I've had in a while. Finding a meal for Shabbat in Jerusalem is an art and skill which I have yet to master. Because of this, I went to a synagogue on Friday night that sets up anyone and everyone who needs it with an open dinner table. This week, there were something like 10 needy people like me, but no one in the congregation was offering. The community leader repeated his announcement four more times. Someone came forward with space for one. The announcement was called again. And again. Finally, a man approached saying he had room for two. I quickly jumped on board. The man spoke English, but not very well. The young man taken in with me didn't speak any English.. I knew it would be an interesting night. We walked up the street with our host, his wife and his son, and we soon arrived at a characteristically cramped apartment in the Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem. Just inside the entrance of the apartment was the foyer/dining/ living room. A table was pushed against the wall so that there would be room to walk around. The space was small, and it turned out that there were three more members of the family-two daughters and another boy. The apartment belonged to one of the daughters. She's a student at Hebrew University studying social work. One of the sons is in Jerusalem at yeshivah. The rest of the family was visiting from the Israeli settlement of Shilo, which is almost 30 miles from Jerusalem. In the late 70s, the patriarch and matriarch of this family helped found Shilo, which is built next to the site of a biblical city of the same name (that Shilo was the capital and home of the Temple for nearly 400 years before ancient Jews picked up and moved over to Jerusalem). This family breathes, lives and believes the settler ideology every day. Israel was given to the Jews by God, they say. It belongs to Jews still. Jews must live there. And that's it. I didn't experience any radicalism on Friday night. I wasn't indoctrinated or judged. All I saw was a family of six ecstatic to be together again in a tiny apartment and equally happy to create space for guests. All I-tasted was some soup and chicken and rice. All I heard was six people singing with all their souls the same songs that Jews have been singing for centuries on Friday nights. All I felt was Jewish, clear headed, at peace, grateful that such a space existed, and sure that it was not because of these people that this region is it at war. Call me crazy. Send your questions, comments or concerns to our editor-in-exile, Josh Fleet -Josh@theshpiel. org SUSAN NEUGROSCHEL, GRI, CRS REAIIOR-ASSOCIAT L (352) 372-3375 5US., (800) 755-0086 TOLL FREE (352) 371-1 26 F AX (352) 376-0839 RESIDENCE (352) 870-1712 CELL sttsauneug@aol.com M. M. PARRISH, REALTORS" 3870 NW R3rd Sliec Gatncsville, FL 32606 Pach Offices s rdeponcintly Ownad AMd Opereatd. wvw.,mnparrish.comn 4500 Newberry Road Gainesville, FL 32607 phone: 352-336-6037 IT 'Sa Dove COSMETIC SUR GER Y 352 214-5976 AM ISRAEL CHAI SWEETWATER S R,, GAN4C COFFEE ROASTERS S -.. "'_' Thinking Globally-R3asTing Locally. .-ARTISAN ROASTED & FAIRLY TRADED , ARTISAN ROASTED & FAIRLY TRADED j GAINESVILLE DENTAL ASSOCIATES David M. Roshkind, DMD Gil M. Brodach, DMD Family, Cosmetic and Laser Dentistry Providing Floridians the Finest in Dental Care since 1976 Offering the Latest in Dental Services Most Insurance Plans Welcome Near Gainesville Health and Fitness Center 4965 NW 81h Ave. Suite B Gainesville, FL 32605 352-372-1966 www.GainesvilleDentalTeam.com Tonya Blackman TERtRTORY MANAGER Phone: (800) 258-2861 Fax: (877) 942-4135 www.myserviceoffice.com email: t.blackman@serviceofi-ee.eom 61 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT visit the new theshpiel.org The SHPiEL Rock out with your.parshah out BY JEREMY A IKERMANN SHPiEL staff writer For those of you who have a strong Love for garage punk rock music and the Torah and its teachings, "Patrick V" comes to you like a heavenly messenger. Patrick A has a weekly YouTube video where he talks about the week's parshah, weekly Torah portion. While his message is clear, his image is a little, well, "unorthodox" (some pun intended). Patrick is the lead singer of punk music band called The Can Cans. Though he is the only Jew in the band, according to the band's Myspace. page, Patrick studies Torah daily, is never shy about his Judaism, and although his songs are not overtly religious, spiritual undertones creep into the lyrics. With a weekly YouTube video series titled "Punk Torah," Patrick talks about the parshah in a "punk" way to gear it toward a younger generation. Patrickputs an interesting spin on the parshah, talking about it in today's terms so that modern youth can find connections to the Torah's teachings. But not everything is kosher with Patrick. In his videos, Patrick argues for the approval of tattoos by Jewish standards, even referencing the comedic pop-culture icon Mel Brooks to make his case. While Patrick brings up valid points on this and other similar cases, sometimes it seems like his reasoning is a little skewed to fit his lifestyle PUNK TORAH (the guy has tattoos on his arm). Patrick makes occasional connections to the parshah that may seem a little too far-fetched. In his segment on Parshat Pekeduei, Patrick relates the story of the parshah, which is repeatedly read in the Torah, to a Jodie Foster movie about aliens. The connection works on a superficial level, but it seems a little awkward to be comparing the actress's experiences in the movie with aliens to the parshah. This lone Jewish member of The Can Cans attempts to bring the ancient texts of the Torah into a more modern, "hip" light with admirable effort. The fact that Patrick plays punk rock music while discussing God seems a little shaky, but then again, he wouldn't call it "Punk Torah" without a reason. Check out Patrick A's weekly Torah segments at http://www.youtube. com/user/punktorah Passover this year will be April 8 April 16 or Nissan 15 Nissan 22. Don't forget to sell your Chametz (not kosher for Passover) and stock up on matzah. If you're feeling a little hungry for the familiar during the fun- filled week, try: The SHPiEL's favorite Pesach Recipe: ' Kosher for Passover brownies! Ingredients: 250 grams margarine (8.5 ounces) 350 grams baking chocolate (12 ounces) 2 cups matzah meal 2 1/4 cups sugar 1 pinch salt 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. baking powder . 8 eggs . Preparation: 1. Melt margarine and chocolate in microwave or double broiler. 2. Combine matza meal, salt, vanilla, baking powder. 3. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. 4. Pour margarine and chocolate mixture into eggs and sugar mixture, and then beat together. 5. Add dry ingredients and mix well. 6. Pour batter into greased 12-15 inch baking tray. 7. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. - - -n mm -5 *1 I' I I I I I I k I I: r~ I I I I I I I I I J .................... T T The SHPiEL visit the new theshpiel.org ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT [7 Student production "Hair" will grow on you BY ELAINE WILSON SHPiEL staff writer On April 3, the moon will be in the seventh house and Jupiter will align with Mars as the Florida Players close out the dramatic season with "Hair: The Tribal Love- Rock Musical." Set in 1968 New York City, Central Park to be exact, a "tribe" of hippies experience love and drugs, protest the Vietnam War and debate whether or not to dodge the draft. Their story is framed by an age of defiance set to powerful music. "[Hair] is something that's \,, hard to connect with, and that made me want to do it," said director Jen .Shorstein. "It's been an adventure for me and the cast." In order to make that difficult connection and develop the strong chemistry of the "tribes" of the 60s era, Shorstein assigned cast members online research, gave them information on astrology and soldiers in Vietnam and even led discussions about how cast members would feel if a draft were imposed once more. "We've been watching. documentaries," said Shorstein, who added that her cast also participated in chemistry-building activities. "We've played games in character," she said. The upcoming production of "Hair" features a scene of full nudity as cast members strip while burning draft cards. To prepare for this full commitment to character, cast members engaged in yet another group bonding activity. "We had a relaxation exercise and got naked in order to get comfortable with each other," Shorstein said. Aware of the controversial nature of the play, Shorstein said she is fully convinced that the final product will reflect the hard work and dedication of a cast that has come to live in the music and the movement. "We definitely have a love-filled family," she said. "I think that the audience will see it." Cast member Jessica Manning said she feels good about the musical and about the response the audience will give. She said that while the play was written for audiences more than 40 years ago, she said she still believes the show can have a powerful impact on contemporary audiences. "Even though people will be taking away a different message, people are going to come out of the theater feeling something," she said. Although "Hair" focuses on a hippie commune living secluded in the heart of 1960s New York City, director Shorstein expressed confidence that the students involved have come to understand the motives of the "tribe." Tackling love, peace and war, the actors have worked to understand these themes as they relate to their characters and themselves. Seeing the production as a cry of "peaceful defiance," Shorstein said she wants to explore what the show means today in a very different way. "I'm really excited'...it's really beautiful," she said. "Love, love, love, that's all we have." NBC's "Kings" a slick retelling of biblical David tale BY JEREMY ATTERMANN SHPiEL staff writer NBC's newest show to hit the air premiered March 15, although it was told the first time more than 2,000 years ago. NBC's new drama, "Kings," is based off the Biblical story of David and Goliath. The show takes place in the fictitious kingdom of Gilboa, whose capital city of Shiloh resembles a cleaner version of New York City. The kingdom is ruled by, the powerful King Silas Benjamin, a ruthless yet occasionally compassionate king. The story begins more or less with David's defeat over Goliath. David Shepherd, the allegorical reference to David, is a soldier fighting against the neighboring nation of Gath. When King Benjamin's son is one of two soldiers taken hostage, Gilboa's army is commanded to sit back and wait for further instructions rather than rescuing the captive soldiers. However, David feels it is necessary to bring back the soldiers, who he believes are being held in front of him on the enemy lines. After rescuing the two soldiers, David single-handedly destroys a tank, and a snapshot is taken of David standing triumphantly in front of the destroyed tank, which is called "Goliath." What follows is the beginning of David Shepherd's rise to popularity and good fortune within the kingdom of Gilboa. Shepherd is named the military's official spokesperson, and if you know the historical tale of David, you know Shepherd is being groomed for what looks to be the usurpation of King Benjamin. But only time will tell who will end up king. This show is riddled with biblical allusions to the story of David. David helps a mysterious passerby (who ends up being a close worker of the king) who touches Shepherd's forehead just as the sun passes above them in one of the most obvious cinematic allegorical references I have ever seen. King Benjamin also constantly states that he is doing the work of God, and that the vision he has is a clear sign from God that he is the rightful king to rule the nation and bring it into prosperity. Despite the flurry of allegorical allusions, creative and executive producer Michael Green (who has helped to produce the hit show "Heroes") states that audiences should not take the Biblical aspect of the story too literally. The show draws inspiration from the story of David, says Green, but it is not an actual depiction of it. Nevertheless, "Kings" comes off its two hour premier looking relatively strong. If you are a fan of "Heroes" or similar dramas, then you might want to consider giving this show a shot. Pictured: (1-r) Sebastian Stan as Jack Benjamin, Allison Miller as Michelle Benjamin, Susanna Thompson as Queen Rose Benjamin, lan McShane as King Silas Benjamin, Chris Egan as David Shepherd -- NBC Photo: Andrew Eccles 81 SUNDRY visit the new theshpiel.org The SHPiEL Political spotlight on Eric Cantor, a real-life Republican Jew BY MICAH LUTKOWITZ S H P .i E L contributing Writer For those who still believe that Jewish Republican is an oxymoron, look no further than Eric Cantor. Cantor represents the seventh district of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives and serves as the House Republican whip, making him responsible for soliciting votes and for maintaining party discipline among Republican House members. As the second most powerful Republican in the House, Cantor has become a leader of the Republican effort to oppose President Barack Obama's policies that expand the size of the federal government and to propose new ideas that confront the current problems that America faces. Republican leaders are increasingly relying on Cantor to promote Republican ideas about the economy through press conferences, interviews, speeches and television .appearances. Because Cantor s rise to prominence I coincided . with the election of Michael Steele, an- African- American, as the 4 Republican National : Committee Chairman, t h e Republican Party is " better able to characterize Cantor speaks on March 13 itself as a party that is inclusive of minorities. At 45, Cantor also provides youthful energy to a party that is trying to attract young voters. Some political commentators compare Eric Cantor to Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House who led the effort to reform government, the Congressional opposition to many of Bill Clinton's policies, and the resurgence of the Republican Party following the 1994 midterm elections. , at an Advisory Council Meeeting in Richmond, Va. Photo courtesy of www.ericcantor.com The comparison is not surprising because Cantor has thoroughly studied the history of Congress during the Gingrich years, and Cantor has been in frequent contact with Gingrich. Pundits also cite Cantor's leadership qualities and his ability to sustain party loyalty as similar to those of Gingrich. Cantor's leadership skills were on full display when he was able to ensure that every single. Republican in the House voted against Obama's economic stimulus plan, mirroring Gingrich's successful effort in 1993 to unite the Republican caucus and to resist Clinton's attempts to raise taxes. Because Republicans will need effective leadership in order to gain Congressional seats in the 2010 midterm elections, Cantor will likely spearhead the effort to return the Republicans to power. Ha1IIR!6rpergodtibattlndemI1t How long it takes an average 5-year- old to find the afikomen: How long it takes that 5-year-old to ask the four questions: Average blood alcohol level at the end of a seder: Average number of family fights at the table: Number of matzah-cream cheese - :combos you can stand for a week: Number of matzah crumbs you will find in your hamper at the end of a week: Fraction of Jews who trash or sell the chametz: Fraction of Jews who know what chametz is: 20 minutes 30 minutes 0.9 3.6 37 infinite 1/4 1/2 (-I -4 WI when a newspaper jUS THE SHPiEL Opinions expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect those of. The SHPiEL. We encourage comments from readers who possess all points of view. No, really, we're interested in what you have to say. Feel free to write a letter to the editor or you can contact us with a column idea. Please send comments to theshpiel@gmail.com. Disclaimer: Most of the above information has been well researched. Some was conceived while inebriated. We leave it up to you, oh dear, omniscient, silly reader, to figure out what's what. KVETCH 19 visit the new theshpiel.org The SHPiEL Thinking Outside the Lox: The exodus of our time "In every genera - tion, every individual must feel as if they per- sonally had come out of Egypt." -The Passover- Hagaddah When asked what the most impor- tant or most celebrated holiday in the Jewish year is, most people will answer Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kip- pur. Yes, Three-Day Jews come out of the woodwork, but truth be told, the Passover seder is actually the most celebrated night of the Jewish calendar. Passover is based on the story of the exodus from Egypt, the dra- matic story of how we left our time as slaves behind to become a united people with a new identity. And this is actually the second time in two months were we engage in this story, the first was during the weekly Torah cycle when we read the second book of Moses. So, I've been intently reading the story of the emergence of the peo- ple of Israel, and I've begun to think - what, if any, are the parallels from our story to the national story of the American people unfolding now be- fore our eyes today? bondage. We know the Israelites were slaves in need of saving, but can we also assert that today we have become slaves...to greed? To fear? The country Obama was just sworn in to lead is in worse shape than most can remember, and although Obama Throughout his campaign, Obama spoke a lot about hope, bringing masses together with the chant of "yes we can." Although the Israelites were unprepared for Moses' call for a new life, he too was offering change they could believe in. Both stories have two protagonists who emerge on the stage from out of nowhere. We've all read of Obama's fast ascent in the political world and especially his unique childhood and upbringing. Much of the same can be said of Moses. Sent away by his Is- raelite family in a desperate attempt to save his life, Moses grows up in Pharaoh's court only to escape when faced with a looming crisis of iden- tity. He later returns with God on his side to rescue the Israelites from gives every indication that he is up for the challenge, he recognizes that he alone cannot change the course of history. Time and time again, Obama has called on all of us to join the efforts that lie ahead as he focuses on mak- ing service a centerpiece of his ad- ministration. Just like Obama, who deflects the burdens and responsibilities by ask- ing all of us to share in re-imagining our world, Moses shares the story of the exodus with the real protagonist - the entire children of Israel. In order to become free, the Israelites have to imagine themselves as partners with Moses, and ultimately, partners with God. Throughout his campaign, Obama- spoke a lot about hope, bringing masses together with the chant of "yes we can." Although the Israelites were unprepared for Mosses' call for a new life, he too was offering change they could believe in. But, it took the, Israelites a full generation to finally shed their slave mentality. For many of us, the mere presence of Obama being sworn in as our 44th president may have been enough to change our outlook in life, and yet deep down in- side, we have to know that the real work still lies ahead. Just as Moses encountered a bush that was not being consumed, we are called to turn our eye inward and see the personal un-consuming bush in- side ourselves. How we respond will be up to us. But we all must respond. It is our opportunity to feel as if we too have come out of Egypt and final- ly left the shackles of slavery behind us. Promising the Holy Land: an excuse for the Likud Party to,-aE oppress the innocent? - KHADER ABU EL-HAIJA . A * . S *** The fu- Revisionist Zionist parties in Israel ture prime like Herut. Their 1999. charter called minister in for the right to build settlements in Israel, Benja- the West Bank. This charter does not min Netanya- stop here in destroying the peace hu, said that process. he is ready Under the "Self Rule" section of to negotiate the 1999 charter, it said "The Gov- with the Pal- ernment of Israel flatly rejects the estinians. I keep in mind that he and his party, the Likud party, won their seats in the Knesset by promising to not recognize a Palestinian state. Either Netanyahu changed his mind over night, and thus he is not representing the people who elected him and lying by claiming to repre- sent them now, or he didn't change, and he is playing a nasty game of politics. It seems that the latter is true, and Netanyahu is a liar. With the rise of the right wing in Israel, the question of their ideology that they cannot recognize a Pales- tinian state based on religious rea- sons must be addressed directly. The Likud party is the direct heir of older estinian state in Jordan or even an- nexing the Kingdom of Jordan itself into the State of Israel. The biggest joke is that Netan- yahu will say he wants peace while believing such things. As a Muslim, I see the Holy Land being written, or destined, for the Sons of Israel during Prophet Moses' The prophecy or the promise simply means that the Israelites will live there; it never, ever, justified injustice. establishment of a Palestinian Arab time. This does not, in any way, mean state west of the Jordan river." It's that the inhabitants there should be on the Israeli Knesset Web site. simply kicked out without a moral Were the writers smoking pot justification. while writing. this stuff? Or do they The prophecy or the promise sim- want to let the Palestinians have their ply means that the Israelites will live state on Mars? there: it never, ever, justified injus- Going back to Revisionist Zion- tice. ism, some may suggest having a Pal- Historically, the prophecy that the Holy Land is written for the Is- raelites was not fulfilled by wrong means, and the prophecy did meet reality during a war time when their enemy started the transgression and the war. The prophets, such as King Da- vid and King Solomon, did not aban- don their religion or the moral law throughout that conflict. The prophecy for the second com- ing of the Israelites to the Holy Land also never justified any injustice, from any side. In our modern times, I can't see any religious or nationalist justifica- tion for Netanyahu's idea for not rec- ognizing the Palestinian state on the Palestinian soil. Did Prophet Moses stand against discrimination in Egypt, only to en- courage it in the Holy Land? No. The future Israeli Prime Minister Netan- yahui has neither Torah nor moral basis. Questions? Comments? Contact Khader .at khader.abuelhaija@gmail.com rU Rabbi Yoni Kaiser-Bluth m m I I 101KVETCH visit the new theshpiel.org The SHPiEL Share it fairly, but don't take a slice of my pie BY GISELLE MAZUR SHPiEL staff writer Earlier this month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton proposed that the State Department fund a multimillion dollar scholarship program for Palestinian students to help them attend Palestinian and American universities. If approved by Congress, the program would launch for the 2010-11 school year. The,initiative came on the heels of a $900 million allocation to the Palestinian Authority announced by the secretary lastweek. It is unsettling, to say the least, that in this time of deep economic hardship, our country isgiving scholarship money to foreign students while our own public universities suffer from massive budget cuts and downsizing. This isn't specific to the Palestinian proposal. Instead, it's an umbrella observation about the way this country is run. According to The New York Times, UF recently cut 430 staff and faculty positions, and according to the office of University President Bernie Machen, the university will see a budget cut of $72 million to $75 million in the coming months. Now, I'm no mathematician, but that does not seem like a step in a positive direction for the educational future of our country's youth. The idea of giving money to needy countries is idealistic. Under normal circumstances, I would fully support the proposal, but now I just don't understand how the State Department can spend money on the education of others and let our own educations suffer. With more families running out of money, unable to afford to send their kids to college, and with schools accepting fewer applicants, how can we expect to get out of this hole? If the next generation of potential college graduates is severely lacking in numbers, we cannot expect our economy to get the boost it needs. American education has to be the top priority. And I am not alone in my thinking. The following is a typical comment on a Web posting of the Chronicle of Higher Education's article on the proposal: "We certainly do not owe anybody anything and should take care of our own citizens first. It is not just the Palestinians! It is all international/foreign students that receive endless supplies of money to get an education on the American soil. However, working native-born parents have to pay for the big ticket of education if they want their sons and daughters to go to college." I do fear that many of the negative opinions on the proposal are fueled by prejudice and hate. Many commented that the money was sending terrorists to school or that the scholarship money should only go to women. This kind of bigotry is also counterproductive to the cause. I am in no way saying that Palestinian students do not deserve an education. If we had the resources, I would love to fund degrees that could lead to a responsible and educated leadership of what will inevitably become the Palestinian state. However, I just can't support this frivolous giving when our own education system is collapsing.. End of Passover Open Mic Night g Investment will pay off big-time BY BEN CAVATARO SHPiEL staff writer Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's plan to give federal grant money to support education for Palestinian students-announced earlier this month on a trip to Ramallah in the West Bank- is an investment for the future. The secretary's proposal is well thought-out and wisely shows an understanding of how education leads to greater national security. Clinton's Middle East Partnership Initiative envisions about 10 U.S. scholarships each year for academically talented Palestinians who would otherwise not be able to obtain a higher education. The money would allow them to study at universities in the Middle East and in the United States. An additional 25 "opportunity grants" would be awarded for study at U.S.-accredited institutions, according to the State Department. What do we get for our investment, which is only a fraction of the amount of money A.I.G. paid in bonuses to its employees ($165 million) or Ala'ska's infamous Bridge to Nowhere ($398 million)? The students who participate in the Initiative will return home with more than just a degree and professional training. Like the thousands of foreigners educated in America in the past- among them leaders Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan-Palestinian recipients of the scholarships would be more apt to become partners for peace with the U.S. and Israel. With a better understanding of American people and with' a broad education, many will become bulwarks against instability and radicalism in a volatile region. Notably, the U.S. already funds thousands of Palestinians' education- many through the Access English Language Microscholarship Program, which includes 4,000 Palestinian youth among its 44,000 disadvantaged youth participants ages 14-18 who receive a high-quality secondary.education using an American-style curriculum. With nearly half of the population in the Palestinian territories under the age of 15, the U.S. should recognize that education is just as much a part of our Middle East national security strategy as economic development, military cooperation and diplomacy are. Clinton's scholarship proposal shows that recognition. The SHPiEL visit the new theshpiel.org ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1 4 (ud OZZ * 0 0 "Copyrighted Material w .'Svndicated Content Available from Commercial News Providers" * 0 0 * P 0 0 s 0 * * 0 * * 0 0 * 0 * * S * 0 * 4W -fm am _____00 a 4M vm- Infectious Mushroom BY ANKITA.RAO SHPiEL staff writer There was a giant blow-up mushroom on stage. The audience below jumped repeatedly, one hand pumping the air above their heads. They wore neon lights in their hair, gas masks and pants that could have fit four more people inside. Some half-naked teenagers waved an Israeli flag to the beat and continued to sport- their national pride through the day. It was a hot Miami ,afternoon on Saturday, March 28, and the Israeli psychedelic-trance duo Infected Mushroom was playing at the Ultra Music Festival, Since their debut in the Israeli trance scene, the innovative Amit Duvedevani and Erez Eisen have been ranked among the top 10 trance DJs in the world. From their roots in Israel to their relocation in L.A., Infected Mushroom has redefined themselves with each of their six albums. In the latest, Vicious Delicious of 2007, they sought to provide more danceable music by incorporating hip- hop and rock. Knowing this background, I watched with surprise as the crowd thinned out after the one-man DJ ATB spun us into a dizzy exhaustion with a perfectly timed rendition of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Infected mushroom began their set with a song that was neither catchy nor upbeat. After dancing and screaming from the previous act, the crowd seemed antsy as dark lyrics and somber rhythms took over. Jason, my friend and personal guide to all things trance and electronic, said they were actually very good, but placed awkwardly in Saturday's lineup between uncomplimentary shows. So maybe it wasn't their fault. It might have been the beating sun or the stark music contrast or the fact that the lines for a $5 bottle of water took a long time to procure. With the credentials that Infectious Mushroom has acquired of playing for millions live, incorporating drums and vocals on stage and selling out clubs on every tour the reception at Ultra did not denote a failed performance. It was clear that despite the dampened enthusiasm, the band had a devoted bunch of strung-out roadies that moshed near the stage for the entire hour and a half. A visit to the Infected Mushroom Web site forum tells me that others pronounced the set "legendary" and "the best yet." For fans who have followed Infected Mushroom from its 1999 "The Gathering" days, the change of pace and style is fresh and exciting. Even to my untrained ear, there was no doubt that Duvedevani and Eisen aim to rise to a new level with each new phase of their career. But for an afternoon without shade, popsicles and a grooveable beat, the giant mushroom seemed less than infectious. Check out the Israeli trance band Infected Mushroom at http://www. infected-mushroom.com/ 9 0 9 up 0 * 0 9 U 9 . 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 * . * . 121 SUNDRY visit the new theshpiel.org The SHPiEL Religion department gets axed in latest round of cuts -Ar GISELLE MAZUR SHPiEL staff writer Oren Shahar, third year religion major at the University of Florida, sported a homemade "Save Religion" t- shirt while working at Hillel on March 26, The shirt" is not a reaction to an uprising of. atheist activism but a response to a proposal made by Paul D'Anieri, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Shahar said The Society of Academic Religious Studies (S.0.A.R.S.) is selling the shirts for $5 each to help cover postage and paper costs as they petition CLAS to revoke a proposal that may drastically reduce the religion program at UF. Even religion professor Gwynn Kessler was spotted wearing one. --Recently, Florida Legislature advised all public universities to plan for a 10 percent budget cut next year, and UF President Bernie Machen asked all college deans to submit budget cut proposals that reflected this advice. Paul D'Anieri, dean of CLAS, drew up a proposal available on the CLAS Web site that listed a "worst-case scenario" solution. Shahar said he fears these cuts will inevitably lead to the death of the second oldest religious studies program in the country. "By cutting it down so small, the risk is the [department] won't be able to sustain itself,"' he said. "Next year they'll be saying, 'Well the religion department is so small, what's the point of keeping it?'" Taylor Sincich, third year religion major and president of S.O.A.R.S., said the cuts are based on quantitative data such as the number of students in the college, grant money and publishing frequency. Vasudha Narayanan, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of the department, published a summary of the religion program at UF that circulated among students, faculty and staff. According to the document, "the Department of Religion has 15 tenured/tenure-track faculty members, 36 graduate students, 103 majors, and 70 minors, with the number of majors and minors increasing dramatically in the last three years." Sincich explained that the cuts include reducing the number of faculty members down to three, which means layoffs for tenured professors who should have job security. "Firing faculty should not be an option," Sincich said. "I think the idea is that paying litigation fees from faculty lawsuits is still less -than the sum of their salaries." He said that at other schools, mandates ceasing new construction, hiring freezes and across-the-board salary reductions have been instituted to save jobs. He has overheard a few professors support the idea of salary reductions, but none have stepped forward to propose the idea. In his opinion, there is an unspoken fear that anyone who steps forward offering to take a pay cut will be targeted for the next round of layoffs. Sincich, Shahar, and the 18 other undergraduate and graduate students who showed up for a meeting with Dean D'Anieri at 8 a.m. on March 26 said they are worried about the credibility of their degrees. They fear that graduating with a degree from a program that had only three professors, or worse from a program that was cancelled shortly after they graduated, could hinder future opportunities. Shahar said the group was thankful that the dean offered to meet with them and answer questions, and he hopes that their concerns will be taken into consideration. In the end, it is just a proposal, and President- Machen can decide to make the cuts wherever he sees fit. Sincich said he hopes that the option of cutting religion will not make the final budget, but he advises students to prepare for the worst. "Graduate as fast as you can," he said. "That's all I can tell you." - 1 d ...where healthy never tasted so good! D'lites is the BEST real soft serve ice cream shop in Gainesville. We specialize in delicious low-sugar Cream (with no artificial sweetners). all...we also carry a full line of low- sugar and sugar-free products, as well as many low-fat and fat-free goodies. 6' Marketplace Plaza 4216 NW 16th Blvd. (Next to Hollywood Video) Check our daily flavors at 375-4484 www.gatordlites.com and low-fat And that's ice not NOW OPEN 2nd LOCATION Shoppes of Williston Road 5218 SW 34th St. (Next to Publix) 378-2969 Campus hostility lingers, student looks for solution BY ASHLEY ROSS SHPiEL contributing writer After the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip, anti-Israel and pro- Palestinian college organizations have recently been increasingly violent and outspoken. At York University, a mob of students shouting anti-Semitic and anti-Israel slogans had to be escorted away from the Hillel office by campus police, according to a JTA article. At New York University and the University of Rochester, students issued a series of statements that were extremely critical of the Jewish state. Akiva Tor, consul general of Israel for the Pacific Northwest Region had to cut a panel discussion about the conflict in the Gaza Strip after pro-Palestinian audience members heckled him at San Jose State University. Other colleges, such as the University of California, Irvine and Berkeley have also felt the impact of anti-Israel activists. But, at the University of Florida, protests from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides took place in Turlington Plaza in mid-February, and while each side clearly stated its view, neither side acted in violence. Hoping to avoid any sort -of unnecessary violence or conflict, Andrew Hecht, who is a freshman political science and history major, said he is trying to bring both sides together. Hecht, who was raised Jewish, witnessed the on-campus protests between the Jewish Student Union and Islam on Campus in February. "You had both sides picketing for the same thing: peace," Hecht said. Hecht is trying to put together a roundtable discussion between JSU and Islam on Campus for the fall semester. He'd like to put both organizations in a room together-for as long as 24 hours-to push them into finding some kind of solution or compromise to the current issue between Israel and Palestine. He said that ideally, the event would be open to the public and would introduce the conflict in Gaza to inform students of each side. Then the doors would close after a couple hours to let the two groups discuss privately. Hecht's idea for this event goes as far as sending footage to news stations like CNN and Fox, but only if some kind of conclusion is found. "Politicians have been trying to find a solution for years," he said. "It would be educational if UF students could try to find one." Hecht thinks he doesn't know enough about the conflict to propose any kind of compromise, but he plans on spending his summer reading up on material to become educated on the topic. * -I P, 1^_ |