UCI will be hosting notorious and hateful speakers starting Wednesday with Norm Finkelstein. Which will be followed by ten days of what we casually call hate-week. Partially in response, but also as an affirmation of Jewish identity, Anteaters for Israel has spearheaded a week-long Israel celebration that we are happy to be co-sponsoring. iFest is certainly the largest attempt at UCI to bring a different view of Israel to the campus- and we hope it succeeds in speaking to the majority of students who are uninformed, and uncommitted to the radical Muslim agenda on the campus.
Perhaps the most audacious part of the week will be Thursday night, when an expected 900 people will converge for OASIS – a club night in Garden Grove.
It will be the largest pro-Israel event in OC Jewish Student history by far. Students from all over Socal are expected to this massive Israel party -with Israeli dj’s, complimentary admission drinks, and busing.
Come next week, the mood on campus will change, but we hope that this series of events will garner many more friends for Israel and the Jews on the UCI campus – where we truly believe that the majority of students are sick and tired of 1)their school being used as a recruiting ground for radical Islamic movements, 2) the vilification of Jews and other minorities, and 3) the bullying gangs of MSU students that intimidate dissenters.
Far from it.
Is this an invitation to be rude and simplistic?
Uh-oh. A sophisticated, nuanced analysis from Haim. What in the world is next?
It’s essential to counter the anti-Zionists and anti-Semites, but all too often these activities alienate uninformed students by going way overboard on the pro-Israel side. Many young Jews are attracted to the message of Finkelstein et al. because, on the face of it, these figures look like they are promoting social justice, democracy, and equality. These young people’s concern for justice is positive and should not be vilified. Rather, show them that many committed Zionists are also critical of various aspects of Israel’s politics and action, and that many Israelis are also concerned about promoting liberal values in their society. Acknowledging and displaying Israel’s pluralism and the open debate that takes place within its society is the only way to show them that Finkelstein, rather than defending their values, is a crazed and rabid totalitarian unwilling and unable to engage in rational discussion.