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In October, Grad Hillel brought some of the Israeli culture and spirit into the MIT campus by organizing an Israeli Bar Night as part of the International Monday nights at the Muddy Charles pub. Although Israeli in name, the evening brought together more than 200 Israelis, Americans and the general MIT graduate student community. Due to the overwhelming turnout, and size limitations on the pub, at one point, there was a line of 50 individuals patiently waiting outside for space to clear inside so that they could enter! The Muddy Charles was decorated for the one night with Israeli flags, played Israeli music, and offered everyone around Israeli food (falafel, hummus, etc), Israeli snacks and even Israeli beer. There was much laughter and fun as folk played the many Israeli board or card games distributed around the bar tables. Many a business card and a phone number were exchanged. One amusing highlight of the evening was the "Israeli Recognition Challenge."
People submitted answers to the important question of "How can you recognize the Israeli from among three random people?" Those who came up with the best answers won free tickets to a live concert of Israeli singer Efrat Gosh. Some of the more stereotypical responses: "The one who is screaming the loudest;" "The one wearing the sandals in winter;" and "The one who shoves his way past the other two." The two most creative: "The one wearing sunglasses on the top of his head" and "Walk in the Old City, see who is talked to in Hebrew by the Arab Quarter salesman."
The event was a collaboration of all the Israel related groups on campus: Grad-Hillel, MISTI-Israel, MIT Israeli Students Association, and the Sloan Israeli club, with additional help from the Israeli Consulate and Gesher City (Israeli cluster), and supported by an MIT-LEF grant. The evening was a proof that "There is no bar on earth quite so vibrant as a bar filled with Israelis" (David Brooks, April 17, 2009, New York Times).
- Michal Rabani
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