On the seventh night of Chanukah the JLIC at Ben-Gurion University was ablaze with unique brilliance as Rabbi Idan and Prielle Rakovsky, transformed an ordinary evening into an extraordinary celebration of light and learning. The night began with the warm glow of Chanukah candles as 40 students gathered together for the traditional lighting ceremony, setting an inspiring atmosphere for the intellectual journey ahead.
With menorahs illuminating the space, the evening progressed into a series of enlightening TED Talk-style presentations that married academic expertise with Chanukah wisdom. Five speakers, including four students and Rabbi Idan, delivered concise yet profound talks that bridged their scholarly pursuits with the festival’s timeless themes.
Yuval Rabenshtain brought biology into conversation with the holiday, while Tamir Elyassian’s mechanical engineering presentation explored the fascinating connection between heat energy and the Chanukah lights. Aida Hasson, from the medical field, delved into the delicate balance between faith in miracles and practical medicine – a particularly relevant topic given Chanukah’s miraculous narrative.
Rabbi Idan surprised attendees with an economic analysis of the classic debate between Beit Hillel and Shammai regarding the proper method of lighting Chanukah candles. Liron Dihi’s chemistry-focused presentation drew powerful parallels between the microscopic wonders of science and the subtle miracles of Chanukah.
The multilingual nature of the presentations, with some delivered in Hebrew and others in English, reflected the diverse makeup of the audience, which included both Israeli and Anglo students. This linguistic flexibility ensured that every participant could fully engage with the innovative content.
The evening concluded with a joyful dairy dinner, including many traditional Chanukah favorites, where conversations sparked by the presentations continued to flow. Students from different backgrounds and disciplines found common ground in discussing how their academic pursuits could illuminate ancient Jewish wisdom in new and exciting ways.
This creative approach to celebrating Chanukah demonstrated how traditional observance and academic insight can combine to create meaningful experiences for university students. The success of this unique format showed that JLIC at BGU has discovered a powerful new way to engage students in both their academic pursuits and their Jewish heritage, truly lighting up the night with both physical and intellectual illumination.
Reach out to any of our Directors to learn more about and to support JLIC and our programming.
Related Posts
JLIC Israel Desert Shabbaton: A Weekend of Unity and Connection