[Peace-discuss] Fw: A Message from Hillel

[Karen Kohn]

To: <hillel-l at prairienet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2002 8:43 PM
Subject: A Message from Hillel


> Shalom everyone. We are writing to you concerning an issue that many of
you
> are probably already aware of. The Daily Illini has made the decision to
> run a series of paid advertisements from a private organization,
> campustruth.org, that could be interpreted as Pro-Israel propaganda. We
> want to insure you all that while Hillel Foundation is a pro-Israel
> organization and supports  Israel's right to exist as a sovereign Jewish
> state, neither Hillel nor our Jewish student community here at the U of I
> were involved with the printing of these advertisements. Indeed, we were
> just informed of them early this morning. Over the past semester and a
> half, many members of our community have worked earnestly and successfully
> towards establishing peace, understanding,
> and relationships with members of the Arab, Muslim, and pro-Palestinian
> communities on campus. As we enter into Thanksgiving Break, please
remember
> the elementary-school ideal of the holiday, where two conflicting groups
> accepted their differences but sat down to share one meal together in
> recognition of their commonalities, and their humanity. As these ads are
> published and passions stir surrounding the issues in Israel and the rest
> of the Middle East, we encourage each of you to continue to work towards
an
> atmosphere of unity, understanding, and diversity on our campus. Also, we
> have a request for those of you who may be inclined to respond to these
> advertisements and controversies, whether in the pages of the DI, on the
> Quad, or in any other way you deem fit. Please do so, but remember in
doing
> so that your words carry large implications, and so do your actions.
Please
> remember when you publicly respond that you are a representative not only
> of yourself, but of our Hillel Foundation and our Jewish community, and so
> I ask you to calmly and rationally share your opinions while remembering
> the need for tolerance, patience, and understanding on all sides. Should
> anyone desire to speak with someone about this, please feel free to
contact
> Alison Siegel at aesiegel at uiuc.edu, Jeremy Fine at jmfine at uiuc.edu, or our
> Hillel Director, Alan Potash, at alan at uofi-hillel.org.
> Thank you all very much for your time, and we wish each and every one of
> you a peaceful, relaxing Fall Break.
>
> B'shalom,
> Alison E. Siegel and Jeremy M. Fine
> Co-Presidents, Hillel Leadership Council