 "Photo: Andrew Rogers")
The contemporary beats of Israel's top hip-hop band Hadag Nahash boomed throughout the South Mall Wednesday night.
The 10th annual Israel Block Party, put on by Texas Hillel, was a six-hour celebration of Israeli culture and the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence.
"We are trying to educate general public about Israel and the many aspects of the country," said Sam Ellison, Texans For Israel's public affairs chair.
White tents enclosed the South Mall, providing partygoers of all ages with information regarding different aspects of life in Israel, from popular sports and music to the environment and the army.
"It is a great way to get the community involved," said psychology and pre-med sophomore Hannah Sommer.
The party's most popular attraction was the band, which was contacted through an Israeli working at the Texas Hillel Topfer Center for Jewish Life.
Rabbi David Komerofsky, executive director of Texas Hillel, said they requested Hadag Nahash because the band is symbolic of the diversity in Israel. He said Hillel wanted to show that Israel is not all folk and Middle Eastern music but that it is a blending of different cultures.
"Their cause is peace, and they express that through their music," Komerofsky said.
Finance senior Lauren Baum said she was impressed the organization brought the band from Israel to expose UT students to music from the country.
Hadag Nahash, which translates to "the fish-snake," began their performance by addressing a group of protesters to the right of the stage.
"We hope peace will fall on Israel tomorrow," the band said.
The silent protesters attend the party every year.
"We are here because we see this event as a moment of mourning for 60 years of oppression of the Palestinian people," said Tanya Keilani, co-chair of the Palestinian Solidarity Committee.
Komerofsky said he was glad the protesters were there, for they signified the rights valued by both Americans and Israelis.
"Protesters are able to do what they do because of freedom of speech, which is a basic right both in the United States and in Israel. We don't ever want to quell that," Komerofsky said.
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