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While the word “shalom” was easy for Andrea Everage to define, “Yom Kippur” stumped her.
Everage, 29, a senior psychology major at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, was among those who played the “Jewish Name Game” during the Israeli Jewish Culture Break at the university Sunday.
The event, hosted by Global Christian Fellowship and Indiana Purdue Student Government Association, aimed to teach participants about Israeli culture including music, food, language and faith.
At stake in the Jewish Name Game were spa treatment prizes made with ingredients from the Dead Sea in Israel. Contestants were challenged to match a list of words with a list of definitions.
Everage correctly guessed that “shalom” means “peace,” “hello” and “goodbye,” but she didn’t match “Yom Kippur” with the “holiest day of the year.”
“I bet I got these two mixed up, then,” Everage said to her friend, Merideth Riley, 26, of Fort Wayne.
Everage said there was more behind her decision to attend Sunday’s event than just satisfying a class assignment and possibly gaining information for a paper she’s writing.
“I’m actually interested in the Israeli culture,” Everage said.
Nick Johnson, 40, the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship area director, said the Culture Break parties take place on the last Sunday of the month.
Previous cultures celebrated include Poland, China, Russia and Kenya, Johnson said.
In addition to serving as educational opportunities, Johnson said the events underscore the rich rewards of diversity.
“We believe that cultural diversity is important,” Johnson said.
Most of the parties include similar elements as those offered at Sunday’s event, including a meal.
Food featured Sunday included hummus, raw fish, bagels, and grape juice as a substitute for wine, Johnson said. In keeping with Jewish practice, all the food served was kosher, which means it was approved for consumption by rabbis.
Abigail Owusu-Abankwaa, 20, and IPFW business major, also attended Sunday’s party.
After having served as a nanny for Jewish children, Owusu-Abankwaa said she wished she had arrived in time to play the name game.
“I know a lot about the Israeli culture.”
bmanley@jg.net
