Messages of peace were the inspiration for "Cards that Care," an event sponsored by the First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH).

The cards were made last night in the Clark Cultural Lounge in Findlay Commons, and it gave students an opportunity to reach out to children of terrorist attack victims.

Some cards will be sent as far away as Israel, where terror is an ongoing problem. Others were addressed to families in Maryland, New York and other locations in the United States.

"Cards that Care" was planned by Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. The group decided it was an important service opportunity for the student community.

"I just hope that maybe this is a very small way to show that people care about what's going on over there [in Israel]," said Matt Konigsberg, Jewish Campus Service Corps (JCSC) fellow.

Along with FYSH, JCSC is a branch organization involved in the larger national Jewish student organization of Hillel.

While Konigsberg specifically mentioned terror victims in Israel, he also mentioned the need for support in our own communities.

"Empathy is very important ... these are all connected -- they are all terror," Konigsberg said.

Amy Denholtz (sophomore-advertising), head of FYSH, explained one purpose of FYSH is to get students involved in Hillel and combine it with the Jewish tradition of volunteering and commitment to community.

"When people are in need of knowing other people care, this is one of the things that shows them other people are out there thinking about them," Denholtz said.

FYSH obtained the supplies used to make the cards. Konigsberg said the event was not limited to members of the Jewish community. Other students were encouraged to send cards as well.

The group hopes to send at least 50 cards to troubled families, but added they had enough materials to make about 200.

Students can drop off cards until tomorrow to the Hillel office, 212 Eisenhower Chapel.