In the last few weeks, I’ve had a lot of people ask me, “So, what really going on at York,” and “How are students feeling about the situation”  so when I saw this video, I decided to post it.  I think it shows what student are feeling, and the comments on the youtube post give you a sense of the frustration at York and across this city.  Students on campus are also asking what they can do, so I’m encouraging everyone to  forward the video as a first step in raising awareness.  Hillel is working on a bunch of initiatives to help students deal with anti-Israel events on campus, and to help them to feel safe and proud of their Jewish identity.  Also check out www.peaceoncampus.ca

See the original article here

Hillel at Sapir College in Israel sent an aid shipment to people in Gaza. The sign reads: "Hillel of Sapir – Gathering humanitarian equipment for Gaza."

As Israel has disengaged from Gaza, Hillel in Israel expanded its humanitarian work to help collect relief materials for residents of Gaza, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Eyal Mazliah, director of the Hillel at Sapir College, located in the rocket-damaged town of Sderot, agreed to help an organization reaching across the Gaza border. His kibbutz, Kfar Aza, serves as the local drop-off point for material despite the fact that mortars recently landed inside Mazliah’s small kibbutz from Gaza.

Sapir College’s Hillel had spent the past month gathering equipment for bomb shelters and running activities for children taking refuge in bomb shelters in Sderot. “When [the Gaza relief group] approached us for help, we already had many blankets and coats collected,” Mazliah said.

What did it feel like to help the population on the other side of the border?

“Look, even when your windows shake at night from the rocket attacks, you can see across the border that Gaza is dark for a month,” he explains. “You feel the humanitarian situation. Most people here say Hamas brought this upon them, but we’re still talking about children who we will have to live with in the future. The people who are closest to this should do the most. It’s a basic humanitarian act.”

From the Canadian Jewish News

At a time when the global media portrays IDF soldiers in a biased, inaccurate light, this article reveals another side of their story, one based on reality.

They arrived in Akko early that spring morning, an elite IDF paratrooper unit, exploring the narrow stone streets of this ancient seaside city. As part of their rigorous training, they had already learned how to navigate out in the field; now they had to run and navigate in an urban environment. So they found themselves in Akko, a city in which Arabs, Jews and Christians all manage to reside together. The old city walls that surround the port are remnants from the Crusader period. Centuries ago, Akko was the capital of the Latinate Kingdom of Palestine as it was then called. Ships from far-away Genoa, Pisa and Venice sailed into its harbor. Today the port is home only to small, simple fishing boats.

Divided up into groups, the paratroopers started glancing around to get their bearings. Though alike in their olive-green uniforms, with their M16’s casually dangling down their backs, one soldier stood out from the rest of his comrades. His name was Dov, which means ‘bear’ in Hebrew and for him, a most appropriate name. A huge bear of a young man, six foot four without his army boots, his wide shoulders and bulging muscles strained against the fabric of his extra-large uniform. Yet Dov was always cheerful, kind-hearted and popular with his fellow soldiers.

Just then a group of young Arab schoolchildren hurried past, chattering rapidly to one another.

“I wonder what they’re saying?” Yair, one of the soldiers, commented.

“They said if they’re late for school, they will be in trouble,” Dov replied.

“Since when do you know Arabic?” Tali laughed.

“I learned it in school, just like you did,” Dov told him.

“Okay, if you know Arabic so well, go talk to one of those school kids,” Yair challenged, “and we’ll listen into your conversation.”

“Sure,” Dov agreed amiably.

He noticed one tiny girl trailing slightly behind the rest of the schoolchildren. She must have been about five but small for her age, with olive skin and short black hair. A fragile little sparrow of a girl, yet she was spunky too. When this enormous Israeli soldier, whose M16 was almost the same size as she, suddenly squatted down in front of her, she seemed unperturbed. Her dark-bright eyes looked directly into his hazel ones.

“Hello, cutie, how are you today? My name is Dov. What’s your name?” he asked in fluent Arabic, using a soft, friendly tone.

The child smiled but did not reply.

“Let me guess your name then. Is it Fatima?”

The little girl shook her head.

“Could it be maybe, Hanan?”

She giggled. “No.”

“Mm, let me think then…is it Yasmin?”

“That’s my big sister’s name,” the child replied.

Dov’s knowledge of female Arabic names was exhausted. “I give up!” he exclaimed.

“My name is Cinderella,” the child announced proudly.

Dov laughed. “You’re joking! Is your name really Cinderella?”

“Yes,” she insisted. “That’s really my name.”

“Well, Cinderella, it was nice talking to you. Have a good day at school.”

Dov unfolded himself back to his towering height. The child scampered off, down the narrow stone street.

“Well, what do you have to say?” Dov turned to his friends with a smug smile.

“Now do you believe I can speak Arabic?”

“I guess you do,” Yair reluctantly admitted.

“Yeah, but you spoke only to a little kid. How hard was that?” Tali challenged.

But Dov was still following Cinderella with his eyes. Perhaps she sensed he was watching her for suddenly she turned, gave a quick grin and a wave of her small hand, whirled round again and smashed her head into a stone wall. She cried out in pain and in an instant Dov was beside her. He scooped her up, examined the bump on her forehead, gently wiped away her tears with his huge hand.

“Cinderella, don’t cry,” he murmured comfortingly. “It’s a big bump but it will feel better soon. I wish I had some ice to put on it. That’s what my mom did for my bumps when I was a little kid.”

Cinderella sniffed. “You bumped your head too?” she asked wonderingly.

Dov laughed. “Sure, my head may be big but I still get my share of bumps. We all do.

Tell me, would a candy help your head feel a bit better?” he asked, fishing inside his uniform pocket and offering her the sweet.

She nodded, blinking away her tears, and popped the candy into her mouth.

“Now tell me where your school is, Cinderella, and I’ll take you there.”

She pointed with a tiny finger. “Down that street.”

So Dov, the huge Israeli soldier with the M16 on his back and compassion in his eyes, gently carried his new little friend right to the gate of her school. Both were unaware how incongruous they looked. But to them at that moment it did not matter that he was an Israeli soldier and she was an Arab child, that their peoples were bitter enemies, at war with each other for the same piece of land. Cinderella’s uncle may admire suicide bombers, viewing them as holy martyrs. In her school, she might be taught to hate the man who had so tenderly carried her there. And yet perhaps she would remember him with fondness, as he no doubt would remember her…

The media was totally unaware of this event. CNN was not there to record it, British reporters did not witness the sight, the Peace Now movement was nowhere near. However, this story did come from a very reliable source – my own soldier son, who was there in the narrow streets of ancient Akko early that spring morning.

If you wish to express your support for IDF soldiers like Dov, whose lives are still on the line, email menucha@connectionsisrael.com

Asaf Ben Zvi, 2008 Sugar lift, spit bite, 160X60 cm

I’ve heard about the Museum on the Seam a few times, but I just had a chance this morning to visit the website. I think it’s really interesting. I’d love to hear your comments!

Museum on the Seam is a unique museum in Israel, displaying contemporary art that deals with different aspects of the socio-political reality.

Through the works of artists from Israel and abroad, who respond to the stress and tension between and within groups, the museum invites the visitors to examine the degree of influence of the social environment on the individual and vice versa.

Between the local and the universal, between pluralism and extreme ideologies, the message of The Museum calls for listening and discussion, for accepting the other and those different from us and respect for our fellow man and his liberty.

Rally Banner

Toronto for Israel Rally is the first student led rally supporting Israel since the recent conflict began.

The rally is expected to attract broad community support for Israel will take place this Sunday, January 18th, 2009 at Dundas Square (Yonge and Dundas) at 1 pm.   Toronto for Israel Rally will demonstrate solidarity for the people of Israel who have endured close to 9,000 Hamas terrorist missiles from Gaza.

Torontonians will send a clear and unequivocal anti-terrorism message as Israel continues to defend close to a million residents of Southern Israel who have been targeted by Hamas missiles. The rally has been organized by a cross section of university and college students across the GTA through Canadian Centre for Israel Activism, Hasbara Fellowships and Hillel of Greater Toronto, all organizations representing Jewish students.

Organizers have made security concerns for a safe and peaceful rally a priority. Flags and signs will be provided.

The event info can be seen on facebook.

I am sure you all are aware by now of the situation going on in Gaza and the Western Negev. Saturday marked the start of “Operation Cast Lead,” the name o the operation where the IDF is taking initiative and protecting the citizens of Sderot, Ashkelon and other Western Negev communities and kibbutzim.

December 19 marked the end of the 6-month ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.  Two days later, 84 rockets and mortars were shot from Gaza to the above areas.  No other country in the world would stand-by as its citizens are targeted on such a scale.  Israel must protect its people.

To better understand the situation, we leave you with this article, “What would you do?” written by Lorne Gunter for the National Post.

Israeli news sites are always being updated. Feel free to read any of the following;

www.jpost.com

www.haaretz.com

www.ynetnews.com

The UJA has a constant update with worldwide headlines of the situation here.

Photo Source: Ynetnews.com

Natalie Reznik, born in Haifa, Israel, has made it to the top 10 in So You Think You Can Dance Canada.

We would like to wish her a mazal tov for this great achievement.

Natalie moved to Toronto as a pre-teen. She has been dancing since she was 17, and has performed in Cirque du Soleil and as a back-up dancer for Nelly Furtado’s your last summer.

The show is a spin-off of the American show, So You Think You Can Dance on Fox.

Interestingly enough, Thornhill born, Lisa Oberman, was on last season’s Nolad Lirkod, (Born to Dance), Israel’s version of the show. Lisa was an “oleh hadasha” (new immigrant) when she was on the show, and is now in the Tel Aviv product of Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat and a dancer in some Israeli music videos

Lisa Oberman on Nolad Lirkod

Boaz Mauda won the title of “Kochav Nolad” (“Israeli Idol”) in the summer of 2007.

He then continued onto the Eurovision song contest, where he came in the top 10.

Shiri Maimon has a similar musician resume from 2005, where she was runner up in “Kochav Nolad” and the same year came in the top 5 of the Eurovision song contest.

This past week, at the MTV’s Europe Music Awards, Shiri Maimon was nominated in the top 3 of Europe’s favourite music acts.

Shiri Maimon at MTV Europe Music Awards (photo source: Ynetnews)

Other recent internationally popular Israeli musicians include Yael Naim and Dana International

Dana International (photo source: danainternational.co.il)

Yael Naim (photo source: www.yaelnaim.com)