Camel Cameo
If you were traipsing by Northrop Auditorium on the U of M campus on your way to class yesterday, perhaps you saw the camel brought in to celebrate Israel’s 60th. From The Daily website:
Gopher Israel and Hillel, the University’s Jewish student center, observed the 60th anniversary of Israel’s establishment with Israeli music, a kosher buffet, a piñata and a camel on the Northrop Auditorium patio.
According to the article, Gopher Israel received $6,000 in grants for the celebration, which was considered by some to be an “educational opportunity” for students not familiar with Israel and/or Judaism. I’m wondering what percentage of that grant money was animal care and transportation costs. A clever PR move to attract attention, but I don’t really see how a live mascot helps educate students about the Israeli nation.
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A camel? Really? Yeah, nice gimmick but an educational opportunity?
I guess if students really do show up for stuff just because there will be free pizza (I did when I was a student), then I can see how a camel would work. Pizza would be a lot cheaper, though. Hell, a camel shaped pile of pizza would still be cheaper than an actual camel.