The Jewish Student Union has reached a deal with The Idan Raichel Project, the Israeli music group known for its fusion of various musical traditions, and will bring the group to school this February to give a concert.

The concert is being billed as a multicultural event and is the result of the cooperation of 23 cultural groups on campus. The concert will be preceded by a showcase of a number of the cultural dance groups on campus, including the Indian group Ashoka and the Lunar New Year Festival.

“Every cultural group will have a chance to participate and to promote its culture,” said JSU President Alex Freedman. “We really want to push a multicultural agenda.”

The support of other cultural groups has allowed JSU to secure substantial financial support from the Student Union, based on the argument that the event will appeal to more than just the Jewish community.

The Student Union has already approved $16,205 for performance fees, and a request of $6,858 for stage and lighting fees is pending.

Financial support has also been secured from the Israel Action Grant provided by International Hillel. JSU is also using the concert to introduce a curriculum about Israeli pluralism to the Jewish community.

Workshops on Israeli society will be held before and after the concert. These workshops were developed in coordination with Ayecha, an organization based in Saint Louis dedicated to educating others on Jewish diversity.

The concert is set to be open to the entire Washington University community, and JSU is currently working with the Athletic Complex staff to allow the entire St. Louis Jewish community access. It will be held on Thursday, Feb. 1 in the Athletic Complex.

Media Credit: fenomena.us