Redlands Seder

Join us for the annual Hillel Redlands showcase event of the year! Each year, the Hillel Redlands board introduces the Redlands community to our holiday of Passover with an interactive, educational, and fun Passover Seder event on campus, attended by 200 students, staff, and faculty. A full traditional Passover Seder dinner will be catered by Bon Appetit.

Tuesday, April 3rd, 6-9 PM

University of Redlands Orton Center

Cost: $10

1st Night Seder

UC Riverside Hillel will be making a traditional, homey Seder on campus. We will be going through the Haggadah and will have our Pesach dinner catered by Western Kosher, a Glatt Kosher market in Los Angeles. All Hillel students are welcome, but because of the expense of the dinner, we need you to RSVP in advance.
Friday, April 6th, 6-9 PM

UC Riverside, HUB, 2nd Floor

Cost: No charge, but donations appreciated.

2nd Night Seder

Like years prior,Temple Beth El in Riverside is incredibly generously opening the doors to their community wide Seder. Although the Seder costs $46 for non temple members, Temple Beth El is allowing Hillel students to come FREE with reservations in advance. Rabbi Singer will be leading a discussion about the significance of Passover at 5 PM, and the actual Seder begins at 6 PM.

You MUST RSVP with the Temple office at 951-684-4511 by March 28 with your meal choice (chicken/salmon/vegetarian/vegan). No walk ins will be allowed.

Saturday, April 7th, 5-9 PM

Temple Beth El: 2675 Central Avenue Riverside, CA 92506 Cost: Free with RSVP by Mar. 28

We congratulate SJP on the only condemnation of actions unbecoming of this prestigious institution in recent history. Though, we are left to wonder why it came five days after the Chancellor immediately condemned these actions covered by the LA Times, The Press-Enterprise and elsewhere. Indeed, UCR’s culture of diversity is far from perfect, and more are learning about the desire to squash our bastion of tolerance.

Sadly, SJP qualified their condemnation only to the defacement of the flag (the symbol of the only Jewish state in the world; there are 56 Muslim countries), while expressly denying any official involvement in last week’s disruption of Highlanders for Israel’s presentation by members of the Israeli Defense Force.  Instead of claiming that the disruption was an “official” act (whatever that means), SJP merely claims that “a few of our members took part in the walkout.” Among those “few” (30+) members included the paid national campus coordinator for American Muslims for Palestine, Mr. Taher Herzallah (who likely basks in the attention we are giving him). You may know him better as one of the three UCR students (now alumni) that were referred to as the “Irvine 11.” Indeed, following up on that career-building event, Mr. Herzallah, now a paid speaker on the national circuit, graced his alma matter with his presence. This was quite a homecoming for Mr. Herzallah, the former President of SJP at UCR.  Despite the obvious connection between SJP and the actions that occurred, SJP refuses to take credit, acting as though Mr. Herzallah was a mere bystander.

Instead, SJP claims the all-American platitude that it has “a long history of peaceful, non-violent protest and we are proud of the tradition of civility that we have displayed in our actions throughout the years.” In doing so, they merely claim that their actions at the Highlanders for Israel meeting was a “silent walkout.” Apparently, those claiming it was silent must not have stayed around to watch Mr. Herzallah and others for a series of five minute speeches, which he quickly interrupted others to insist that this was a “dialogue.” (Watch and judge for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdQvRgW4fVM) Mr. Herzallah apparently was in a rush, opting not to wait for the question and answer time, instead choosing to turn the entire event into the Mr. Herzallah show. If any member (current or former; paid or unpaid) of Highlanders for Israel or Hillel ever turned an SJP event into a self-glorification opportunity, we would immediately condemn such actions. The silence from SJP is deafening.

Perhaps part of the emotional pull (or simply intentional misinformation) that motivates members of SJP is the desire of the organization to portray pro-Israel events organized by student groups as an official activity of the University. Indeed, their expressly-limited condemnation letter states that many members of SJP “felt threatened and outraged that the University was hosting members of the Israeli military establishment,” going on to conclude that “these individuals should not have been invited to campus in the first place.” Perhaps SJP should review both the Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly clauses in the First Amendment, as well as the policies of UCR which allow any registered student group to meet on any issue and utilize university facilities. SJP’s attempt to conflate students’ exercise of their First Amendment rights with officially-endorsed “University” action is simply disingenuous, and paid, professional student organizers like Mr. Herzallah should be informing SJP’s current students of the same, even though it would undermine SJP claims of unfair treatment.

Indeed, Hillel and Highlanders for Israel present a culture of tolerance that SJP should model itself after. For example, SJP invited Abdul Malik Ali to speak last year (as they have for many years) who spouts bizarre conspiracy theories about Jews, including the idea that Jews were behind the atrocious acts of 9-11. Although we were aware of the meeting, we were also aware of SJP’s rights to meet, discuss, and consider Abdul Malik Ali’s views on the world. In fact, Hillel welcomes this exchange of ideas as we believe we will win when all ideas are considered.

Will we ever know who committed the vandalism of the Hillel flag of Israel with absolute certainly? Of course not. But silence to condemn the shameful attempt to silence and intimidate Hillel members at our recent speech make many wonder who was behind the shameful destruction of the flag- another attempt to silent and intimidate Hillel members. SJP’s denial would have a lot more credibility if they took credit for actions we have on video.

-Adina Hemley, Director of UCR Hillel

If you want to just come for dinner (which is TOTALLY FINE!), come at 6:00 PM.

Location:

Please RSVP at hillel@iehillel.org so we have enough food.  If you are interested in coming but don’t drive on Shabbat, let me know, and I can arrange for you to sleep over in Rancho.

If you want to light candles, come at 5:00 PM for lighting and services. If you want to just come for dinner (which is TOTALLY FINE!), come at 6:00 PM. Please let me know whether you can drive or if you would like a ride.

21+ Event

For the address and to RSVP, please contact Adina Hemley at adina@iehillel.org.