A screening last night of "Sallah," an Israeli comedy, kicked off a week-long Israeli awareness program sponsored by Harvard Students for Israel (HSI).

"Sallah," the story of an immigrant Jewish family who migrated to Israel during the 1950s, was shown as the first event in the HSI sponsored celebration, "Israel at 49: Israeli Awareness Week."

The goal of the program is to educate undergraduates about Israeli culture and society, according to the organizers.

"Sallah was not only a comedy, but educational," said Miriam B. Goldstein '99, co-chair of HSI.

"A lot of the time when we look at Israel today and we see a modern country that has sprung up in 50 years and we forget about the hard times people came through," she said.

The week will also include a traditional Israeli dinner, a discussion on the coexistence of religious and secular life and a CD raffle.

An expert on Israeli summer programs will also make a presentation on summer opportunities in Israel for interested undergraduates.

"We've observed that a significant number of students possess only a vague knowledge of Israel's dimensions, especially its social and cultural components," said David P. Honig '99, another HSI co-chair.

"Unfortunately, there exists a conception of Israel that is constructed only from bits and pieces of newspaper stories that usually concern solely the politics of Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict," he added.

Although this week was not chosen to commemorate a specific Israeli event or holiday, it does have some religious significance.

"This is the first week of Adar, which is a festive month in the Jewish calendar," said Goldstein.

The eight year-old HSI has approximately 60 members. It acts as an umbrella organization for many pro-Israeli groups on campus, according to Honig.

Past HSI-sponsored events have included a discussion of the Jewish situation in Hebron, led by Eli Horovitz, dean of a Yeshiva in Hebron, and a discussion with Professor of the History of Science Everett I. Mendelsohn, titled "The Also Peace Process."

The HSI also sponsors the only Hebrew table at Harvard.

HSI underwent a large administrative restructuring in the past year, according to Goldstein.

"HSI formed a board and now addresses a wider audience. We do not aim at one view of Israel," said Goldstein.

"Israel at 49" continues only through the end of this week, but Goldstein emphasizes that HSI will continue in its efforts to raise Israeli awareness at Harvard.

"We are hoping to start a professional dancing group in the Boston area, and form an Israeli movie society," Goldstein said.