At first glance, Anthony Shears '06, meat from the Carnegie Deli and Albert Einstein have little in common. But tonight, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., all three will be making an appearance in Collis Commonground to help celebrate "Red, White & Jew," a party marking the 350th anniversary of Jews' arrival to America.
The evening will feature three performances, each by Jewish artists from around campus. Rightly Guided Thieves and Shears will perform, while DJ Vixen will play music by contemporary Jewish artists, including Phish, Bob Dylan and Counting Crows.
In addition to music, there will be a table called "Who's Who in Jews," detailing different accomplishments that Jews, ranging from Albert Einstein to Adam Sandler, have made in America. Games will also be a central part of the event. One, called "Am I A Jew?" will use photos of celebrities or Dartmouth community members to dispel physical stereotypes of Jews by having participants guess whether or not the person in the photograph is Jewish. Another game will be "Jewpardy," a take-off on the popular game show "Jeopardy," but with questions and answers that relate to Jews in America.
There will also be a just-for-fun carnival-style game called "Toss the Kippah on the Manischewitz."
"It's more of a festival than a learning experience," said Libby Sherman '06, the event's creator and organizer.
The Carnegie Deli of New York City and Hanover's Panda House will cater the event, which will offer free food for all attendees.
"The two cuisines that Jews most enjoy," Sherman said, explaining the decision to serve delicatessen and Chinese food.
When entering Collis Commonground, everyone will receive an Ellis Island passport. Participants will receive a sticker on their passports for each game they complete.
Those with full passports may enter a raffle, from which a winner will be picked every half-hour. Raffle winners will receive DVDs, CDs and books -- all by Jewish artists.
Attendees are not expected to stay for all three hours, but everyone is encouraged to stop by, even if just for a little while, said Ethan Levine '03, the associate executive director of the Roth Center for Jewish Life.
Sherman said she hopes the event can bridge the gap between Jews who are active Hillel members and the rest of campus.
Most Hillel activities are done within the Roth Center, but Hillel members hope this event will be more inclusive.
"It's a different kind of program that we don't normally do," Sherman said.
