Vigil honors Rabin's memory

Students call lastStudents call lastyear's assassinationStudents call lastyear's assassinationan 'immense loss' Jewish peace and unity became the focus of a memorial last night, commemorating the first anniversary of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination according to the Jewish calendar. Rabin, well-known for his efforts toward peace in the Middle East, was murdered last November in Tel Aviv by a Jewish extremist. Sponsored by IsraeLink, the evening included a speech by Daniel Kutner, the New York Israeli Consulate's consul for academic affairs. Originally scheduled to take place on College Green, the memorial was moved to Houston Hall after Kathy Change committed suicide on the Green Tuesday. In addition to prayers and songs paying tribute to Rabin, several students gave personal accounts of their time abroad in Israel during the assassination. College freshman Aharon Charnov spoke of the difficult emotions he experienced after Rabin's death. "There was a feeling of immense loss -- the loss of a fellow Jew and human being, and possibly of the peace process," he recalled. Tamar Migdal, also a College freshman, said the future of Israel was more uncertain than ever immediately following the assassination. "I wondered how a Jew could fight against another Jew," she said. "Everyone in Israel seemed to share a sense of loss and grief." Attempting to address the meaning of "Jewishness," Kutner explained that while religious fervor is important, there are many secular methods of protecting "the state of the Jewish character in Israel, including knowing your history." Kutner urged the more than 100 students in attendance to become involved and learn about the current situation in Israel. "The best way to participate is to spend time in Israel," he said. "Then you will be in a better position to make yourself heard." Kutner also called for "tolerance and dialogue" between Jews. "It doesn't matter who pulled the trigger," he said. "We should not develop feelings of hatred toward our fellow Jews -- this should be the message to the present and future generations." College junior and IsraeLink President Meyer Potashman said he was especially pleased that so many people came to the event. "Rabin was an important leader of the Jewish people and we should all remember his legacy," he said. "It was our goal tonight to see what we could learn from the assassination since it happened and where the Jews are today." College sophomore Yoni Slonim said the ceremony achieved an important goal. "The speakers were able to present a non-partisan effort to commemorate the greatness of Rabin," he noted.

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