Celebrating Sukkot in solidarity

The room was silent and, even with plates full of food in front of them, students were still, captivated by the sobering video clips of the now-infamous story of Hamas-captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.

The Hillel Israel Sector sponsored “Solidarity in the Sukkah for Gilad Shalit” on Tuesday night in the second floor auditorium of Steinhardt Hall, as an opportunity for students to discuss the four-year captivity of Shalit in the Gaza Strip.

Since Shalit’s capture in 2006 by Hamas militants, there has been much debate both in Israel and the international community as to how to ensure his release.

The dinner and discussion began with two short video clips. Then Sharona Kramer, Hillel’s Israel Fellow, introduced Israeli society, Rabbi Jonathan Shulman introduced the religious understanding of captivity and College junior and Hillel Israel Sector Chairman Josh Belfer introduced American policy toward negotiating with terrorists.

Discussion then centered around Hamas’ lastest demand for Shalit’s release, which consisted of releasing 1,000 terrorists in exchange for the one soldier.

“What is the price of Gilad Shalit’s life? How do you determine this value?” asked Wharton senior Tal Manor, an exchange student from Israel and one of three Israelis in attendance.

Belfer said he was very impressed with the turnout and the success of the discussion. “To have people talking about it and to imagine people going back to their roommate and talking about it … that’s what we want,” Belfer explained.

College senior Evan Philipson, president of Penn Israel Coalition, a subgroup of Hillel Israel Sector, added that the primary goal of events like these was education. People “see the media. Conflict, conflict, war, war. People don’t see that Israel is a functioning democracy.”

“There is so much more to Israel than the headlines” Belfer added.

College freshman Marlee Stesin attended the event and enjoyed the informative aspect of the discussion.

“As a Jew living in the U.S., I feel responsible for knowing what goes on in Israel and I knew in general about the situation but learning the details really helped me formulate my own opinion.”

Upcoming Hillel Israel Sector and Penn Israel Coalition events include the anticipated Oct. 19 moderated discussion with Penn for Palestine hosted by the Philomathean Society and the Oct. 25 visit by Neil Lazarus, an expert on the Middle East and pro-Israel advocate that gives, as Philipson explained “fun and a little unorthodox” seminars.

Editor's note: This article has been edited from its print version to reflect that Wharton senior Tal Manor said the quote originally attributed to Engineering senior Tal Bar-Or.

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