2008 Woodie Awards
Essay: Students Reflect on Israel at 60
Meira Faratci
Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: Israel
If you've ever spent a good half hour in Duane Reade trying to find the perfect birthday card for a friend, you know that finding the one that "tells it like you mean it" is a challenging task. The truth is that being a certain age means a different thing to every individual, so it is unfair to expect Hallmark to express one's personal feelings and wishes accurately.
Recently, finding myself in this frustrating situation, I resorted in desperation to searching through the "60s and Up" section with the hope of finding something humorous for my 17-year-old sister. This is what Hallmark has to say about turning sixty: "You've just turned 60...time to get Groovy!" "Looking fifty is great if you're sixty!" and "It's your special day...eat lots of cake."
In the coming month, the Yeshiva University (YU) community will be celebrating Israel's 60th birthday, and needless to say, Stern women and Hallmark have very different ideas of what it means to be 60. For many students, Israel's sixtieth birthday is a significant milestone both quantitatively and qualitatively.
"Israel at 60" programs have been launched at college campuses and communities throughout the world, corresponding to increased celebrations and celebratory programs worldwide, but one must wonder: Is 60 really so different from 59?
"Israel is still relatively young compared to the US [but] it's no longer a baby country," said Yael Wolynetz (SCW '08). She expects that as Israel grows in age, it will become an even more independent and responsible member of the international community.
Ilana Frankiel (SCW '10) added that Israel must continue developing and advancing as it has in recent years, but most importantly, that "Israel must continue to [serve as] a moral example for the world."
Conversely, Bina Westrich (SCW '10) is of the opinion that "Legally nothing has changed from 59 to 60... Israel is still young." She believes that Israel's independence, validity, and increased responsibilities are not dependent upon its age, but on its acceptance in the global arena. "Practically, nothing will change in the world's view of Israel," Westrich said, suggesting that Israel's more advanced age will not have any political significance.
Recently, finding myself in this frustrating situation, I resorted in desperation to searching through the "60s and Up" section with the hope of finding something humorous for my 17-year-old sister. This is what Hallmark has to say about turning sixty: "You've just turned 60...time to get Groovy!" "Looking fifty is great if you're sixty!" and "It's your special day...eat lots of cake."
In the coming month, the Yeshiva University (YU) community will be celebrating Israel's 60th birthday, and needless to say, Stern women and Hallmark have very different ideas of what it means to be 60. For many students, Israel's sixtieth birthday is a significant milestone both quantitatively and qualitatively.
"Israel at 60" programs have been launched at college campuses and communities throughout the world, corresponding to increased celebrations and celebratory programs worldwide, but one must wonder: Is 60 really so different from 59?
"Israel is still relatively young compared to the US [but] it's no longer a baby country," said Yael Wolynetz (SCW '08). She expects that as Israel grows in age, it will become an even more independent and responsible member of the international community.
Ilana Frankiel (SCW '10) added that Israel must continue developing and advancing as it has in recent years, but most importantly, that "Israel must continue to [serve as] a moral example for the world."
Conversely, Bina Westrich (SCW '10) is of the opinion that "Legally nothing has changed from 59 to 60... Israel is still young." She believes that Israel's independence, validity, and increased responsibilities are not dependent upon its age, but on its acceptance in the global arena. "Practically, nothing will change in the world's view of Israel," Westrich said, suggesting that Israel's more advanced age will not have any political significance.
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