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Exhibit, lectures explore terrorism's global impact

By Heather Zimmerman

In artist Diane Covert's "The X-Ray Project," innocuous items such as nuts and bolts are revealed as weapons when seen on X-ray films, embedded in the glowing shapes of bones.

In the exhibit, Covert uses actual X-rays and CT scans of survivors of terrorist bombings. The touring art show, which will be on view at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library at San Jose State University, inspired a two-week program of lectures and discussions at SJSU, "Inside Global Terrorism: From Personal Impacts to World Responses." Both the exhibit and program take place Nov. 5-16 on the SJSU campus in downtown San Jose. Covert will discuss "The X-Ray Project" Nov. 5, 2-4 p.m.

"Inside Global Terrorism" is presented by Hillel of Silicon Valley in partnership with many other campus organizations and community leaders.

"We were really excited to bring 'The X-Ray Project' to the campus, but we did not want to have this amazing art project sitting in the library without taking advantage of the educational opportunities that come out of it," Sue Maltiel, executive director of Hillel of Silicon Valley, says.

Michelle Salinsky, president of the Jewish Student Union at SJSU, notes that one aim of the program is to help students feel safer and more informed. Another goal of "Inside Global Terrorism" is to raise awareness.

A committee of students, community members, Hillel staff and SJSU faculty collaborated in choosing the program's broad range of discussion topics. Some highlights include "Fighting the Ideology of Terrorism with Judea Pearl," a discussion on Nov. 7, 6 p.m., with the father of slain journalist Daniel Pearl; "How the Muslim Community has Been Impacted by Global Terrorism," a talk on Nov. 13, 6 p.m., with professor Khaleel Mohammed of San Diego State University; and "Inside Global Terrorism: SJSU Professors in Conversation," a panel discussion on Nov. 15, noon.

All events are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule, visit www.hillelsv.org or call 408.286.6669.