In a public statement on September 24th, 2017, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones condemned “anti-Semitic attacks hidden under the guise of anti-Zionist rhetoric.” “Members of our Jewish, African American, Latino/a and many other residents of our diverse community find themselves asking whether they are welcome and safe…
by Danah Kirsh Before coming to the University of Illinois, I took a gap year in Israel on Nativ College Leadership Program. Of the many memories I made, one in particular stands out. One of the most amazing times of my year spent living the life of an Israeli was…
“Illinois to Israel News Update” is a video project about the strong & ongoing relationship between the State of Illinois and Israel! In this first episode, we highlight several recent stories about the Illinois-Israel partnership. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel signed an agreement with the Israeli Minister of Economy Eli Cohen…
by Evelyn Tarnovsky Technology giant Microsoft has announced it will join a new research partnership between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Cornell University, and the University of California, Berkeley. This interdisciplinary collaboration is known as “CryptoCurrencies & Contracts” or IC3. “We are excited to…
Shani Benezra addressed a crowd of hundreds at the AIPAC Indiana Annual Event in Indianapolis on August 15th, 2017. The attendees included Members of Congress, representatives of the U.S. and Israeli militaries and notable activists and philanthropists. She spoke about her passion and commitment to a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and…
by Elan Karoll How to describe A-WA? Israeli, Yemenite? Jewish, Arab? Traditional, Modern? Electronic, Hip-Hip? These three musical sisters are breaking all rules, and the result is simply stunning. They are rocking the charts across the Middle East, and you need to hear them right now. Listen to their viral-hit,…
by Elan Karoll The Traveler’s Prayer is recited by Jews before long journeys, in accordance with Jewish law. However, the practice of saying the prayer before trips to Israel has been adopted by many non-Jews alike as a nice tradition. Spiritual and religious people of all faith backgrounds can find…
By Hayley Nagelberg & Elan Karoll It is nearly unbelievable that this academic year is now at an end. As we approach finals, we want to reflect on what Illini Public Affairs Committee has been up to this year, and set a course for where we are headed as an…
by Jack Cadden Originally published in the JUF News on May 8th, 2017. To the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, My name is Jack Cadden. I am a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying Political Science and trying to pursue a Business minor. I was born…
by Elan Karoll If you are going to Israel, this short dictionary of common Israeli slang words and phrases will be very useful. Most of them make no sense, and some actually contradict their literal meaning in Hebrew. But, if you want to talk like a real sabra (see definition below),…
These University of Illinois students shared why they love Israel as part of our Illini Love Israel Fridays social media campaign. Want to be featured too? Let us know! Suggested Post: Free Trips to Israel for Students
by Emma Palatnik On Thursday, April 27th, 2017, Ambassador Dennis Ross spoke at the University of Illinois about his decades of experience as a top U.S. diplomat. Here are five fun facts to know about him: 1. Dennis Ross is has held many positions in the American government. These include:…
