Music, food and cultural displays filled Tulane University’s Academic Quad on Wednesday, April 22, as students gathered for Israel Fest, a campus event celebrating Israeli culture and community.
Organized by Tulane Hillel, the student-led event had free food, a dunk tank and a mechanical bull.
Student clubs and organizations tabled the event, supporting groups such as TAMID, a nonprofit that develops the professional skills of undergraduate students through hands-on interaction with Israeli businesses, and Tulane Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is dedicated to strengthening the US-Israel relationship on campus.
“A large number of students have varying connections and identities related to Israel,” Gary Brandt, executive director of Tulane Hillel, said. “They wanted to have a day where they could stand in solidarity with one another and celebrate the culture … the people, the music, the food.”
Students also sold goods such as coffee and clothing, fundraising for Israeli causes.
“We’re fundraising for a trauma center in Israel for victims of terror attacks and war,” Tulane senior Noa Arad said. “[The trauma center] is a nonpartisan organization, and our club has a cultural focus, so we want it to be something to give back and fundraise.”
“It’s really cool being able to have representation around campus, not just one group, but all groups should be celebrated and appreciated,” Tulane sophomore Yamit Drotman said. “I’m very proud of who I am, and I want to celebrate it.”
Some pro-Palestine groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Coalition at Tulane, expressed opposition at the event and online.
“We reject this blatant attempt to whitewash and normalize a brutal occupation that enforces separate legal systems based on identity, deprives civilians of freedom of movement and basic resources, and is actively displacing millions of people in Lebanon, Gaza, and beyond,” PSC said in a joint statement on Instagram.