A bounce house, cake buttons and condoms marked Cal Poly’s celebration of Israel’s 58th birthday on Dexter Lawn Thursday in an event sponsored by Hillel, Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo’s Jewish cultural club.
“Israel is not just for Jews, it’s for everyone,” Hillel President and nutrition senior Brooke Horn said.
Hillel members invited students to eat cake and play in a bounce house. They also passed out condoms, which had the slogan “Israel, it’s still safe to come” printed on them. Bracelets were passed out with the word “Shalom” (peace) written in Hebrew.
“Most people think of Israel and don’t know what they have given the U.S.,” Horn said.
The group passed out information on Israel, including the many technological inventions, like Internet devlopments, created in Israel that are in use in the United States.
“Israel has one of the best high-tech industries in the world,” said Yoav Ben Him, a mechanical engineering junior. Ben-Him was born in Israel and said that he would go back to the country and work if he got a job there.
The second annual birthday celebration marks one of Hillel’s many club activities. The club features monthly Shabat dinners and celebrations for Yom Kippur, Passover and Roshashana. Hillel also started having students travel to Israel with the group Birthright to have group members visit Israel. Five students participated last year.
Approximately thirty club members have made a trip to the county said Hillel’s Israel Advocate, business junior Ryan Evans.