Dear Colleague,
This week, Israel will be celebrating its 62nd birthday and, chances are, there will be some commemoration of this event on your campus, either this week or the next.
I would like to urge you to take part in the event, show your presence, say a few words from the stage if possible, and let students know that, contrary to much amplified anti-Israel rhetoric from the radical Left, thoughtful faculty do understand what Israel stands for.
The presence of even one faculty member on the stage will go a long way toward diffusing our students sense of besiegement and abandonment.
For a student, you represent the soul of the university; not the Hillel director, not the Rabbi, not even the Israeli Consul, and surely not the musicians who sit on the stage ready to entertain the crowd. It is you, with your lab coat, your statoscope, a library book under your arm, or a bunch of graded homework that mediates to students the norms of ordinary responsible society. It will mean a lot to them.
The idea worked miracles at my university (UCLA). Since 2006, a faculty member has been invited to speak from the stage (3-5 minutes) and represent the faculty at large, In 2008, attending faculty members were recognized from the stage: e.g., Prof. XYZ from Engineering, Prof. ZYX from the Law School. etc etc.
In 2009, someone objected to “roll calling” and faculty were recognized by Departments: e.g., We have here faculty representatives from the school of Engineering, from the Law School. etc etc. Students confided with me that this simple gesture gave them more support, strength and pride than the speeches, the music and the Falaphel.
My advice, contact the organizers and urge them to personally invite their faculty list to attend the event. And even if the organizers do not resonate with the idea, dont wait for official invitation; Just be there, hop on the stage and say: “I am a professor of XYZ in this esteemed university, and I felt like being here, with you at this celebration, and to tell you what Israel means to me……”
It is dignified, personal and honest, something that even our left-feathered colleagues would view with respect.
Thanks for being there!
Judea Pearl
Computer Science, UCLA