CHAI hosts "Shark and the Fish"

Coalition of Hopkins Activists for Israel (CHAI) and several other student groups co-hosted the "Shark and the Fish" event this past Tuesday evening to celebrate the recent release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas  and to discuss Israeli human rights policies. The event included talks by two emissaries from Shinshinim, a program by the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency for Israel to educate communities abroad about Israel and Israeli culture, and an Israel-native Hopkins political science PhD student.

Had Shalit not been released on Oct. 25, the day of the event, this date would have marked Shalit's 1948th day in captivity, a significant number for Israelis.

"[1948] symbolizes independence and freedom, as Israel declared its independence in 1948," CHAI President Ali Cohen said.

200 T-shirts that were created for the event to raise awareness of Shalit's captivity were distributed. Created by the NU Campaign, a T-shirt company that creates designs to raise awareness of important Israeli and global issues, the shirts depicted a shark and a fish, an illustration of a story Shalit wrote as a child of two natural adversaries becoming friends. On the inside of the shirt was a description of Shalit's captivity and the text of his "Shark and the Fish" story.

The event was co-hosted by several student groups including CHAI, Jewish Students Association, Black Student Union, Diverse Sexuality and Gender Alliance, Delta Xi Phi, JHU All-Nighters, Hopkins Hillel, Hasbara Fellowships, StandWithUs, Israel on Campus Coalition of Greater Washington, American Jewish Committee, Center for Jewish Education, Israel of Campus Coalition and NU Campaign.

For their talks, the two emissaries from Shinshinim, Shani Yamin and Roi Dor, discussed the effects of terrorism on their lives in Israel.

Growing up in Israel, Yamin and Dor were constantly aware and listening for the air raid sirens so they would have time to reach their air raid shelters. Dor recounted one incident when the sirens sounded, and after entering his family's shelter, hearing and feeling a powerful blast. When he and his family emerged from their shelter shortly afterwards, they discovered their neighbor's home had been demolished by an attack. Although no one was harmed and his neighbors were able to rebuild their home, the incident still greatly affected Dor.

"After so many years of [hearing the sirens], even in your sleep, you just jump up [when you hear sirens]," Dor said.

Yoni Abramson, a political science PhD student, spoke about human rights policies in Israel.

"Israel has much more to offer than conflict," Abramson said.

Abramson spoke on how women's rights have progressed in Israel, citing that currently five high level government administrators, 24 parliament members, five supreme court judges are women.

Abramson also spoke on the strength of the prisoner's rights in Israel, comparing the physical condition of Shalit upon his release with those of the Palestinian prisoners released by Israel.

"[Shalit was] very skinny, very pale and very weak [when he was released]," Abramson said. "He actually fainted in the helicopter [and had to receive] medical care before walking home.

"[Released Palestinian prisoners] are full with strength; some of them are chubby."

Abramson spoke on the state of gay rights in Israel too.

"You can't have a gay marriage in Israel," Abramson said. "But you can marry outside of Israel and be recognized in the Interior Affairs Office, which is more advanced than other European countries."

Abramson noted the difficulty in Israel in maintaining a balance between human rights and state security. Abramson discussed the example of a group calling for the destruction of Israel.

"The courts need to decide on the balance between state security and the right to organize," Abramson said. He noted, however, the courts have tended to favor human rights over state security in the past.

"We are a vibrant society that deals with these human rights," Abramson said. "It is more important [to address these issues] than ignoring them or accepting them."

Cohen explained that the especially large amount of interest among Jewish people in Shalit's story was because of a concept known as "Redemption of Prisoners," which says captivity is worse than death. Thus many Israelis were eager for his return.

She also attributes the interest in that the current generation to the fact that many grew up knowing the story of his captivity.

"Shalit's capture was meaningful to Jews worldwide, especially in Israel, as he was considered a brother, son, and friend to all.  Jews at Hopkins have grown up rallying to return Gilad to Israel, so his recent release was an especially significant event," Cohen said.

Yamin and Dor will be beginning their military service within the next few years and expressed the sentiment that they wanted Shalit to be released because they knew if they were captured, they would want to know that their government was doing everything to secure their release.

Senior Gabrielle Matuzsan was one Jewish student at Hopkins who felt a deep connection to Shalit's story.

"When I heard about him being released, I burst into tears. It felt like an era was coming to a close," Matuzsan said. "[Shalit's story represents] how far Israel will go to be able to stay a country and be a homeland for the Jewish people."