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Brandeis students filled the atrium of the campus center as over 100 students attended Yom Hazikaron ceremony in the Brandeis Campus Center last night.  The ceremony was organized by the Brandeis Zionist Alliance to commemorate Israelis who have fallen in war or to terror.  Despite being in the midst of finals, Brandeis students showed unwavering support for Israel in her persuit of peace. The ceremony consisted of poems, speakers, and Hatikvah.  Each member of the ceremony wore white shirts, as is traditional in Israel.

The crowd consisted of a mix of students; Israelis and Americans, upper classmen and lower classman, Jewish and not Jewish, religious and secular.  The crowd overwhelmed the seats set up for the event.  Some students were forced to stand on the balcony of the second floor to participate.The event began with the Yizkor prayer.  Then, Professor Troen of Israel Studies addressed the group.  He spoke about the differences between memorial day in America and Yom Hazikaron.  Saying that when he grew up in the US, he never visited a cemetery, but when he lived in Israel, children grow up visiting the fallen soldeirs.  He also told the group about his daughter’s experience in the IDF as a medic in Gaza.  She was traumatized from that experience for many years after.  Professor Troen’s touching address was followed by two readings and an a capella performance.  Manginah, the premier co-ed Jewish acapella group at Brandeis, sang Uf Gozal.  Following the songs, organizer and Israeli native Suzanne Rothman spoke about her experience with terror victims.  She spoke about two members of her community killed on public busses by terrorists and a third killed in service during the recent war with Lebanon.  The ceremony concluded with the crowd singing Hatikvah.  As the crowd dispersed, students hugged each other, eyes filled with tears.

Brandeis reaffirmed a serious commitment to Israel last night.  Brandeis students spoke with their presence (despite finals) and not with a YouTube video.  Brandeis students support Israel beyond Israeli music, beyond the free food, and beyond the free t-shirts.