Dear Friends,

The recent terrorist bombings in the Sinai have focused our attention once again on the scourge of violence that is sweeping the globe, from New York City, to Madrid, to Jerusalem, to Chechnya, to Bali. Having just returned to the United States from Israel, I know first-hand how the Sinai bombings touched the lives of individual Israelis.

Therefore, I would like to invite you to participate with the entire Hillel movement in a global event that repudiates this international tragedy. On Thursday, October 14 at 8 p.m., you can participate in a concert to protest international terrorism that has been organized by Hillel's Freeman Center for Jewish Life at Duke University.  Six months in the planning, the concert will be simulcast on the Web . You can access the broadcast at http://www.hillel.org/hillel/NewHille.nsf/445cfa50fbcd8c0f852567cb005bd58e/72baa2412b875ce685256f2a00528cfb?OpenDocument. The concert will feature a performance by the group Sister Hazel (whom I'm told is popular among students) and will include testimonials from terror victims in Israel, New York, Lebanon, and the Sudan.

Even if you don't like rock and roll music, we invite you to log onto your computer and send an email message of support, which will appear on the webcast and will be read aloud at the concert by emcee Joel Chasnoff.

This concert is being co-sponsored by 15 groups of all backgrounds and ideologies on the Duke campus. They are united in their forthright opposition to the use of terrorism. By contrast, planners of a meeting of the Palestine Solidarity Movement that will take place this weekend on the Duke campus have refused to sign a public declaration condemning terrorism. You can read more about this situation at <http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?strwebhead=Pro%2DPalestinian+forum+creates+hubbub+at+Duke&intcategoryid=4&SearchOptimize=Jewish+News> and at <http://www.jewishweek.org/news/newscontent.php3?artid=9973>

I am proud that Hillel, working with all of the national partner agencies through the Israel on Campus Coalition, has brought the entire Duke campus together in this way. Our role at Duke builds on successful programs in previous years at The Ohio State University, Rutgers University and the University of Michigan.

In addition to the concert, the Freeman Center is sponsoring lectures and a Shabbaton that feature such speakers as Mitchell Bard, Avraham Burg, and Daniel Pipes. Hillel and the Freeman Center are committed to providing a wide range of speakers that reflect our commitment to Israel's right to thrive as a Jewish state within secure and recognized borders.

We owe a debt of thanks to Hadassah for providing a leadership gift of $10,000 to make this event possible. I invite Hillel's friends to join Hadassah in helping to defray the cost of this program by making a targeted donation at <https://www.hillelworld.org/donation/donation.asp> and earmarking the donation for the Duke Students Against Terrorism Concert/Webcast.

I hope you will help support this event and join us for the simulcast on Thursday night so that you too can take pride in Hillel's work.

B'Shalom,

Avraham 

P.S. I hope that you will help in our effort by sharing this message with your friends, colleagues and associates. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Avraham Infeld

President

Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Arthur & Rochelle Belfer Building

Schusterman International Center

800 Eighth Street, N.W.

Washington, DC  20001-3724

202.449.6560 (phone)

202.449.6609(fax)