Israel is one of few countries on earth with two independence days: sure, you could celebrate the Jewish state's independence on May 14th (or on the 5th of Iyar, if you prefer), in recognition of David Ben Gurion's declaration of the state of Israel after the termination of the British mandate. But if one independence day just isn't enough, you could also celebrate on November 29th, the anniversary of the UN's 1947 approval of the Partition Plan--effectively, the international community's official recognition of a Jewish state in Palestine.

And celebrate they did at JTS, where a lunchtime reenactment of the pivotal vote helped distract cafeteria patrons from their usual stale tofu and last-minute Talmud translations. Instead, the seminarians put on their best accents as the vote was called from a podium in the center of the cafeteria: "Australia votes in favor of partition. Crikey!," one shouted. "Costa Rica votes si!" "Luxembourg votes yes for particion."

Boos went up when His Majesty's government offered a demure abstention, but the cafeteria erupted in cheers moments later when the Soviets registered a historic vote of support. Excitement built as South American and former British commonwealth nations carried the Zionists to a 33-13 victory--with Cuba being, as the moderator noted, "the only nation the Arabs were able to convince by force of argument."

Of course the partition vote is one of the most controversial and commented upon events in modern history. No matter--that, (as well as the fact that this was, afer all, a reenactment) didn't take away from the post-vote singing of Hatikva, in recognition of "the hope that was realized 60 years ago." Agonizing over socio-historical complexities is what the other 364 days of the years are for: in that vein, it was announced that this weekend marks the beginning of Conservative Judaism's year-long effort to explore and discuss the implications of Jewish statehood in, recognition of the country's 60th anniversary. Cake now, grueling self-examination later!

Speaking of which, Bwog suspects there wasn't an Israeli flag cake at the real U.N. vote, but we'll let it slide.

-ARR

Crazy shit correspondent Armin Rosen happened by a rather unusual protest on Broadway this afternoon.

The Tanach teaches that the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed because of the "groundless hatred" Jews harbored towards their fellow Jews. Fuck it, say the Neturai Karta. The anti-Zionist ultra-orthodox sect whose views on Israel and the Holocaust are in almost lock-step with those of a certain Iranian president don't shy away from antagonizing their coreligionists. And while the mere possibility of Jews coming out "in support of the President of Iran," as Rabbi Mordechai Weberman's group of protestors did today, is enough to plunge our small yet combustible faith community into ugly scenes of internecine rage, the NK's belief that Zionism is religiously prohibited make them a dependable presence at any major Israel-related event.

Which is why their protest in front of the 116th St. station was a little puzzling—after all, it isn't Ehud Olmert who spoke at Roone this afternoon. A besieged Rabbi Weberman explained all: "I spoke to him this morning," Weberman said of Ahmadinejad. "These Zionists," he added, "this Zionist robber state...they collaborated with the Nazis." Which might not have been a cardinal offense in the rabbi's mind: I overheard some of his followers referring to the Holocaust as a "myth perpetuated by Europe."

A few who knew that LionPAC had reserved the Sundial for the same time that Lucha and Filasteen were planning a human wall across Low Plaza anticipated a showdown - but would have been disappointed, as the event went down without incident. About 50 people (very roughly speaking), including many of the New York Magazine pantheon, members of BSO, SPeAK, MSA, ISO, Chicano Caucus, and other components of Columbia's brimming alphabet soup of activism spanned the plaza in an event meant to draw a connection between the Israeli security fence and the Mexican border wall, which organizers view as racist and oppressive. James Brown, Arabic pop music, and short-lived chants of "Free Palestine!" filled the awkward hush between speeches by professor Noha Radwan, students, and a representative of ANSWER, and some of those who stopped by couldn't help but dance to the largely upbeat music.

It wasn't supposed to be a red-rover style line. Originally, Filasteen had planned an actual wall, festooned with information and student art. According to an e-mail obtained by Bwog, they ended up $400 short of the the $700 that would cost, and appealed to MEALAC professors for donations to fill the gap. No dice. UPDATE: Sources say that Filasteen actually did get the money together, but they're saving it for another event.

Meanwhile, LionPAC manned the sundial, handing out cards that said "Israel =/= Apartheid". President Ari Gardner commented: "We're here not to protest, but to present facts... The motivation is not so much an anti-apartheid event, but an anti-wall event... They don't believe that states should delineate borders."

- KER & LBD, Photos by Sara Vogel

Out with the new, in with the old, as Bwog correspondent Armin Rosen reports on the good old-fashioned crazy Israel-Palestine debate.

Between farcical stage-rushings, dictatorial speaking engagements, gay porn-star conservatives, bizarrely poor choices for class day speakers and Ann Coulter it's been a truly historic year for unintentional black comedy at 116th and Broadway. Columbians, as if collectively unsatisfied with usual comedic fodder, have been turned serious debates on things like immigration and nuclear madmen into something out of a Coen brothers' film. And luckily for the blogging set, it is a trend that is continuing unabated.

Tonight's tableau: a PhD candidate hurling an f-bomb at one of the world's foremost experts on Zionism at Lionpac's "Is Zionism Racism?" talk on the fourth floor of Kraft. On its own, it might seem lame —Saifdean Ammous's use of the best fuckin' word in the English language was incidental, passing, gratuitous and not particularly venomous as far as uses of the word go. That it happened amidst a very tense back-and-forth with pro-Zionist Tel Aviv University professor Anita Shapira might make it understandable, perhaps even excusable.

Bwog recieved notice recently that a sharp eyed poster pincher has uncovered the identity of the scoundrel who plastered the Muslim Student Association's office yesterday afternoon with inflammatory press releases announcing the appearance by ex-PLO terrorist-turned-Christian Walid Shoebat that evening. Here's how it happened: the original of the flyer was found in Schapiro by an anonymous student who then turned it in to the MSA office. The flyer had a whited-out email header from "leekaplan@att.net" to Village Copier. Message Subject: "500 copies 8.5x11 Walib Shoebat." Message dated: 10/11/06.

Seems pretty clear that the culprit is Lee Kaplan, a Zionist author and head of the anti-Palestinian group DAFKA, who is currently working on a book about "America's colleges in the War on Terror." Chris Kulawik calls him a "friend of Walid's," and he was sighted at the Shoebat event. One Bwog source reports an experience running into Kaplan at the Republicans' Columbia Day BBQ on Monday: "He stopped me at the BBQ and asked me what my name was, whether my family was from India or Pakistan, and then said: 'You could really learn something from this,' pointing to the Shoebat flyer."

Bad form, chaps. If you're going to do something shady, at least have the sense to not leave the evidence lying around.

- LBD