Johns Hopkins Gazette: November 13, 1995


Student Vigil 
Honors Rabin

     At Homewood, 23 hours after Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak
Rabin was assassinated, the Jewish Student Association held an
early evening candlelight vigil to honor the slain leader.

     More than 200 students, faculty, administrators and
neighbors--Jew and non-Jew alike--gathered at the steps of
Homewood House. The 15-minute memorial service included the
mourner's kaddish, a prayer for Israel, a poem for peace, the
singing of "Hatikva"--a song of hope and peace for Israel--and
brief remarks by JSA president Sarah Watson, a senior in the
Department of Chemical Engineering, who expressed her hope that
the Middle East peace process would not end.

     The JSA has no official position on the peace process, but
Watson believes most people favor peace, if they differ on
specifics. 

     "I think the peace process will keep moving forward even
though Rabin was the spearhead," she said. "There's just too much
momentum."

     Although hastily arranged by the JSA, the turnout pleased
and surprised Watson, who expected perhaps 50 to 100
participants. "This reminded everyone that there is a community
here that cares and that we can lean on," she said. 

     The JSA plans to discuss what programs or activities it
might undertake in the aftermath of the assassination.

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