Texans for Israel טקסנים למען ישראל

TFI at The University of Texas at Austin serves as a forum for those who share a common interest in a secure Israel and for those who believe in a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. Recognized as the best political/activist organization at one of America’s largest universities, TFI has become a means to exchange ideas, experiences, and information about Israel, Middle Eastern politics and culture, and Zionist thought.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

The victims and the real heroes, before they're forgotten

From The Jerusalem Post

Nine people were killed when terror struck in southern Tel Aviv on Monday as a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd at the entrance to Falafel Rosh Ha'ir.

The attack struck the falafel stand for the second time in four months.

Victor Erez, 60, a resident of Givatayim, died while expecting his sixth grandchild. As a soldier in the Six Day War, Erez lost his leg while serving within the Golani Brigade.

He was laid to rest at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday in the Yarkon Funeral Home.

Holon resident David Shaulov, 29, was expecting his third son when he was killed. His wife Varda, who was in her ninth month of pregnancy, arrived on Monday at Lis Hospital in Tel Aviv after the couple felt that she was due.

Just as she entered the obstetric department she received a message that her husband had been killed while going out for lunch.

He was laid to rest at 11:00 a.m. in a funeral home in Holon.

He had 2 daughters in addition to a large family. His friend Zach said he saw him make aliyah to Israel and that he never complained about the hardship.

Lod resident Binyamin Hafuta, 47, was the security guard on duty at the time of the attack. He requested to check the terrorist's bag and as his metal detector sounded off, the explosives in the bag detonated.

He prevented an even larger tragedy from occurring by absorbing the explosion with his body.

Hafuta began working as a security guard at the Falafel Rosh Ha'ir three months ago, just after the previous terror attack at the falafel stand. Those close to him said he thought the chances of a terror attack occurring
at the same place twice were impossible.

His sister-in-law, Suzi, said that after hearing that Hafuta protected others from the blast with his body, she understood that "even in his death he cared for everyone."

She added that he was eagerly anticipating the post-Passover ritual of Mimuna.

A friend of his described Biyamin as trustworthy, happy and full of life, and added that he will be sorely missed.

He was laid to rest in the new funeral home in Lod at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Army Radio reported.

Ashdod resident Phillip Belachson, 45, had taken a day off from work and was on an excursion with his two children to purchase gifts for Passover when the blast occurred. As he felt the explosion, Phillip took his children into his arms and protected his children with his body.

His daughter Lital said, "He was the best person in the world."

"As he fell on the floor he told my brothers not to worry, I am in pain but don't worry," she continued.

"I had the best father in the world - he was pure, and had never done anything bad to anyone," she said. "Even in his death he protected his children by absorbing the shrapnel."

Phillip Belachson was laid to rest at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday in a funeral home in Ashdod.

A resident of the Oranit community, 43 year-old Lily Yunis arrived in Tel Aviv from her home in order to purchase goods for the store that she and two of her daughters were opening.

As she drove into Tel Aviv with her husband and children, her son Tzach said he was hungry and the family decided to stop and find a place to eat. Lily stepped out of the family car with her son just as the bomb exploded.

Her husband Menachem looked for her for hours, but only found out she was dead much later in Abu Kabir.

A friend of Lily's said, "Words cannot describe the kind of mother she was - she was a jewel."

"She never asked for anything and put everybody before her," she continued.

Lily Yunis was laid to rest at the Yarkon funeral home on Tuesday.

Bat Yam resident Ariel Darchi, 31, was laid to rest on Tuesday.

Buda Pirushka, 50, and Rosalia Basnia, 48, were foreign workers from Romania. The details of their funerals were not released.

The ninth victim was Marcelle Cohen, 75, from France, who was visiting relatives in Israel.


The suicide bomber's mother calls her son a hero.

Here's what she considers heroic.

In other news, Palestinian terrorists from Fatah (Abbas's group) threaten to attack Jews abroad.

Monday, April 10, 2006

TFI in the news

The Daily Texan has an article about the "Activist of the Year" awards given to TFI Members at AIPAC's Policy Conference in March.

Texans for Israel student organization receives national activism award, praise for efforts
by Lauren Kent

The UT student group Texans for Israel was honored as 2006 Student Activists of the Year at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C., in early March.

The group joined more than 1,000 students from all over the nation to participate in the three-day event, held March 5 through March 7. The delegates heard addresses from policy makers from the United States and Israel, including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Vice President Dick Cheney, about issues concerning the U. S. relationship with the Middle East. Texans for Israel lobbied legislators to diffuse Iran's nuclear program and the importance of the United States continuing to oppose Hamas, the Palestinian militant group turned political party.

Executive board member Ari Eisenberg, a civil engineering senior, said the group was surprised and honored to receive the award.

"Although we were not competing, it is still an honor to be up against the top student groups in the nation who are as good, if not better, than we are," Eisenberg said. "But we put our hearts and souls in what we do, and it is good to be a model for other campuses."

Eisenberg said the group's activities in the past year included organizing a block party to recruit supporters, working to reopen the Israel study abroad program and putting on five-minute presentations for student groups to promote knowledge about and support of Israeli culture issues.

"Our goal is to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, starting with students," Eisenberg said.

Jonathan Kessler, the leadership development director of the committee, was involved in the board's decision to give the award to the group. Many student groups involved in Israeli issues are cadres for the committee, meaning they serve to spread the committee's initiatives and ideas across campuses. At the end of the year, the committee's leadership team takes a look at the cadres' activities and decides which groups will be awarded.

"The group demonstrated a tremendous amount of creativity, sophistication and passion," Kessler said.




Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Campus Leadership Dinner: Spring 2006

Campus Leadership Dinner (CLD) is organized to bring campus influentials into a formal setting in which Texans for Israel (TFI), the pro-Israel student organization on campus, facilitates Israel-friendly discussion over food and a keynote speaker. CLD is a strong show of solidarity and understanding between Israel and over 130 of the University’s most influential student leaders.

The 4th annual CLD was held at the new Texas Hillel Center, on April 3, 2006. Guests arrived and were assigned seats so that at least one TFI activist was at their table. Members of student government and presidents of cultural, Greek and political organizations filled the room. On the eve of the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game, hardly a seat was empty throughout the evening – a testament to TFI’s strong relationships with student leaders. University Democrats received an award for their outstanding dedication to TFI after this year’s display of their commitment and support for Israel.

Among the speakers were Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas Representative, Elliott Naishtat, Austin City Council Member Brooster McKraken, and both outgoing and incoming Texas Student Government Presidents Omar Ochoa and Danielle Rugoff. Each speaker discussed what Israel means to him/her, and why a strong US-Israel relationship is vital for the well-being of both countries. Texas Comptroller, Carole Keeton Strayhorn included in her remarks the importance of investment in Israel; she noted that since she entered office, Texas has increased its investment in Israel bonds by 83%. She then proudly gave keynote speaker David Olesker a Texas flag that flew over the state capitol just a few hours earlier. Omar Ochoa spoke about his new obsession for Israel since his return from AIPAC’s Policy Conference in March 2006. He spoke highly about TFI as an organization and encouraged all in attendance to get to know members of the award-winning organization.

Keynote speaker David Olesker gave what many later called “the best speech I’ve ever heard.” The audience was captivated by Olesker’s presentation about the Middle East and why the media so heavily covers Israel, yet ignores atrocities in Syria and Sudan. Many student leaders stayed late in order to speak with Olesker about his views. Others stayed to talk with each other about the speech. The conversation will surely continue in the days and weeks ahead.

CLD was a resounding success, and TFI hopes that it will be able to repeat this event for years to come.









Sunday, April 02, 2006

Hillel remains in good hands

Wayne Firestone, former director of the Israel on Campus Coaltion, has been named international president of Hillel.

An attorney by training, Firestone, 42, has held leadership positions in Jewish communal affairs since his undergraduate years at the University of Miami where he was a Hillel activist. Firestone was named executive vice president for the United States in September 2005, a position that enabled him to direct the organization's U.S. operations. He simultaneously served as the staff director of Hillel's Strategic Planning Committee which has developed a five-year plan for the organization. Firestone joined Hillel in a professional capacity in September 2002 when he was appointed executive director of the Israel on Campus Coalition, a partnership of Hillel and the Schusterman Family Foundation that brings together 35 pro-Israel groups working on college campuses.

Firestone has had a lifelong commitment to the safety and security of the State of Israel. In 2001-2002, he served as director of the Israel Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League. From 1998-2001 he helped to strengthen Israel's high-tech industry as founder and chief executive officer of Silicon Wadinet, Ltd., a firm that helped foster the capitalization and growth of technology companies. He worked in academia from 1995-1998 as an administrator and adjunct lecturer at Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology.

A graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, Firestone was lead case management associate in complex multinational litigation and negotiations with the prestigious firm Patton, Boggs, LLP, in Washington, D.C. 1990-1994. In that capacity he developed international trade strategies for clients on import-export projects under the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement.


The relationship between Hillel and the pro-Israel campus movement is only going to get stronger.

Congratulations, Wayne, and thank you for all that you do!