While Jewish life on many college campuses today is thriving, there are challenges as well. Some campuses have experienced vitriolic condemnations of Israel, seen professors refuse to write letters of recommendation for students contemplating studying in the Jewish state, and even been the site of anti-Semitic vandalism and attacks.
Here are 13 questions every Jewish student should ask when visiting colleges to help them get a sense of what lies in store.
1. How big is the Jewish community on campus?
Note that even smaller Jewish communities can be dynamic and welcoming. “A bigger observant community doesn’t always equate with a ‘better’ experience for students,” observes Dr. Rebecca Cypess, an Associate Professor and the Associate Director at the Department of Music at Rutgers. “Smaller communities can prompt students to develop leadership skills that they might not otherwise find in themselves. Those skills, and the self-confidence that they inspire, can serve us for a lifetime.”
2. What Jewish organizations are there on campus?
Is there a Hillel on campus? How about a Chabad, Aish, Meor? Ask about Jewish clubs and organizations, then make time to visit. See what the buildings are like and meet the staff. Are there students hanging out in the Hillel or Chabad? Take a look at their weekly schedule or, better yet, attend an event. If you can, arrange to eat a meal or attend Shabbat services on campus to get a real sense of what it’s like.
“I would want to speak with the Hillel Director and arrange a meeting and a private tour with a current Jewish student,” explains Jake Kaufman, Director of the Hillel at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.
3. Are there Jewish fraternities and sororities?
If you think a frat might be for you, ask to visit some of the Jewish sororities and fraternities and speak with members too.
4. What kind of diversity is there in the Jewish community?
Rabbanit Ahava Schachter-Zarembski, the OUJLIC Senior Educator at the Hillel of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, suggests prospective students ask where Jewish students come from and the different ways they express their Jewishness. Do Orthodox Jews participate in the same activities as non-Orthodox Jews? Be sure to speak with current students and the administrators in Jewish organizations.
5. How can I become involved in Jewish campus life?
“We know that people who get involved in building community make their own personal university experience more enriched,” explains Rabbi Aaron Greenberg, Director of the Orthodox Union’s Seif Jewish learning Initiative on Campus – Canada. See if you’ll have the chance to get involved and how easy it is to adopt leadership positions.
Some Jewish organizations even offer formal internships. Ask if these exist on the campus you’re visiting too.
6. Are there residence halls which typically have larger numbers of Jewish students?
Check out where Jewish students live to get a sense of what it would be like to be a student.Take a look at rooms and common areas. Ask to speak with current students and spend time with them hanging out if your schedule allows.
7. Where can I get kosher food?
Is kosher food available in university dining halls – or do you have to go off campus? Is kosher food available at each meal? Every day? If you want to truly sample a college’s kosher options, ask to have a meal on campus. As an added bonus, you’ll get to meet current students and see what a typical meal is like.
8. Is there a local Jewish community nearby?
There are times when you might feel like getting off campus. Ask about synagogues, kosher restaurants or Jewish cultural life in the area.
9. Are there Jewish services on campus?
Are there Jewish religious services on campus? Find out where and when. Whether you’re not a big synagogue-goer or you never skip a day in shul, it’s important to know when and where services are for those times you want to tap into them and pray as part of the Jewish community.
10. What is Shabbat like on campus?
Consider asking to spend a Shabbat on campus. Nothing beats experiencing a Shabbat to give prospective students a sense of what it’s like to live on campus as a Jewish student. Contact the local Hillel, Chabad or the university itself to help arrange a Shabbat meal or even a complete Shabbat.
11. Has there been anti-Israel or anti-Semitic activity on campus?
Which groups were responsible and how active are they today?
12. How does the university administration respond to anti-Semitism?
Anti-Semitic incidents can happen on many campuses and it’s crucial that universities handle them with sensitivity and reassures Jewish students. It’s a good idea to ask about the university’s relationship with Jewish organizations overall: are they broadly supportive? If not, what are the areas of tension?
13. How many students went on Birthright from this campus last year?
Also consider asking if there be a set Birthright bus from this school? That requires that 40 students sign up together.
Finally, as you tour prospective colleges, keep in mind that not only are schools interviewing you to see if you are a good fit with their student body, you are interviewing them! That means you shouldn’t worry about expressing your Judaism – nor any other part of your personality. As Rabbi Aaron Greenberg notes:, “Jewish students should be proud of who they are and use these years, not just to study their academic courses, but also to grow as a person and as a more knowledgeable and active Jew.”
(7) RAM, January 8, 2019 12:23 AM
Ask these, too
One might ask:
1. Do any required courses promote negative views of Jews, Judaism, or Israel?
2. What is the level of open sexual immorality on campus in general and in student living groups.
3. Are there any genuine rabbis on or near campus?
(6) Fredric M London, December 21, 2018 3:37 AM
More attention to anti-Semitic organizations
If there is a chapter of students for just us in palestine on campus, there will be problems for a Jewish student. There are other blatantly anti-Semitic groups which have taken over the campus culture of far too many US universities. Check it out. College should be a time for learning and open questioning, not a time to be worried about defending yourself every day.
(5) K.H. Ryesky, December 20, 2018 6:29 PM
Hillel can cut either way
Just because a campus organization calls itself "Hillel" and purports to serve Jewish students does not necessarily mean that it contributes to safety, security, and non-harassment of the Jewish students on campus.
Many "Hillel Houses" unabashedly support anti-Israel and anti-semitic causes and organizations, and otherwise have hitched their wagons to the political forces that oppose Israel and support BDS.
40 years ago, the Breiraniks began to infiltrate the Hillel houses; they have now metastatized and are plugging false values to the impressionable Jewish students.
Eric Fingerhut, the Hillel organization's CEO, has been in bed with pro-BDS elements: https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/shhhh-hillels-fingerhut-is-speaking-at-j-street/
(4) Messody, December 20, 2018 5:17 PM
14th question
Why go to college when you can learn avocational skills instead ?
(3) Michael, December 20, 2018 4:57 PM
Jewish students should also ask if it is safe for Jews on that campus!!
(2) Anonymous, December 16, 2018 10:27 PM
To commenter #1
Exactly what makes you sympathize with members of SJP? Also, do you realize that the current level of campus divisiveness is being caused by the organizations you admire? You used the word tolerance. Where is the evidence of this shown to Jewish students?
Anonymous, December 16, 2018 11:35 PM
I would not be comfortable
with either if I was in college, now.
That was all I meant.
The politics of all of it, would be stressful and go against an environment I would want. It is all too aggressive and divisive.
In other words, no ambassadors for Israel, with Birthright etc. AND no Israel Apartheid Week.
A division of Church and State is sounding good to me, unless you have a totally Jewish school, Christian school, Muslim school.
UCLA recently had a National conference for SJP, the school felt that the right to free speech should prevail.
The petition referenced what happened in Pittsburgh.
It is all incredibly sad. That was all I was trying to say.
Dvirah, December 17, 2018 6:47 PM
Hide, You're Jewish
Would you give the same advice to Afro-American & Asian cultural groups, who are also very active on campuses? Should all students bury what makes them unique, or only the Jews?
anonymous, December 17, 2018 9:26 PM
Not Judaism.
There was a Jewish studies dept. actually where I studied. We had none of these issues. No one hid anything.
Israel, political Zionism, on campus, is what I would not want. And is has nothing to do with Judaism. I wouldn't want the ambassadors for Israel OR the Apartheid week. It breaks up the campus. It is intense.
Basically, this all political debate.
My opinion, and I am not alone, is Zionism has replaced Judaism, for too many. Not all Jews are Zionists, whether you are or not is completely acceptable, in the U.S. this does not need to be in public Universities. It is simply inappropriate.
Anonymous, December 18, 2018 12:37 PM
Re: Not Judaism
It sounds to me like you want a university that resembles something from an old movie. As long as the Jews "play nice" and don't speak up we will be fine. Do you also feel there should be no women's studies courses?
anonymous, December 18, 2018 9:19 PM
10 Tevet
That is today, a fast day. Did you know?
Dvirah, December 20, 2018 9:39 AM
Timidity
So from your words I gather that you are afraid of contraversy - hardly a Jewish atitude, if you are at all familiar with the Talmud. Yet you should look deeper: Israel is a basic component of Judaism, not just the modern Zionism, and those opposing her are also opposing the existance of all Jews, whether they realize it or not. It's one thing to debate political policy - it's another to refuse even the right to be.
anonymous, December 20, 2018 1:56 PM
Perhaps it is you
who should look deeper, in Torah.
Regardless, you are very wrong about one thing: The modern state of Israel is not the Land of Israel, not every Jew is a Zionist.
Zionism is the en masse immigration of Jews to Israel, prior to the return of Moshiach. This is not in alignment with G-d's word.
Legitimate criticism of Israel's policies of settlements and occupation of the West Bank is not anti-Semitism.
Had the modern state annexed West Bank and offered citizenship in '67, it might be one thing. They did not want the number of Arabs to outweigh the number of Jews and a 50 year military occupation has led to desperation and escalation.
Unfortunately, for many, Zionism is a replacement for Judaism, a relationship to the state of Israel, instead of HaShem.
In the U.S. there is a lot of confusion in the legislature, bills to combat anti-Semitism which are designed only to silence political debate when it comes to Israeli policies.
Yesterday, Senators Feinstein and Sanders wrote against inclusion of the Israel anti-boycott act in the appropriations bill.
A speech therapist lost her job evaluating disabled students. She has filed suit.
Airbnb has proposed to remove listings from West Bank.
All of this is politics, not Judaism. Not anti-Semitism.
There is a book, The Empty Wagon, by a Satmar Rabbi. He is an anti-Zionist. May I suggest you read it.
Back to the issue of college campuses, if you want to attend where Apartheid week is happening and be an ambassador for Israeli policy, go ahead.
But, defending the modern state is not part of my Judaism; my relationship to HaShem, my words and actions to Sanctify G-d's name, bringing light where ever I can through Mitzvot, in the Diaspora waiting on Moshiach as is the word of HaShem, is my Judaism.
Dvirah, December 22, 2018 7:33 PM
Nevertheless
Correct, as I said it is one thing to debate policy but another to oppose existence. Whatever its faults, the State of Israel is what is protecting all who live in it, whether they are Zionists or not. Would you have another holocaust, this time in the holy land? Because that is what the so-called "pro-Palestinian" groups are really advocating. If they were truly pro-Palestinian, they would help the Palestinians achieve true independence - something they could easily do if they wanted to. Instead, the focus is on destroying Israel and killing Jews - wherever. The Torah says: if one rises up to kill you, stick him first.
anonymous, December 23, 2018 4:48 AM
Yeish Din
They just called for an investigation for incitement against MK Smotrich that resulted in 25 instances of violence against Palestinians.
In 2015, he said, and it's a quote, "burning down a Palestinian home is not violence/ terrorism." This was after settlers burned down a home and killed a family.
He also said Ahed Tamimi should have received a bullet the the knee, for lifetime house arrest for slapping a soldier at her home, when her cousin was just shot in the face, nearly killing him, for no reason. He did nothing.
He has said he is for Greater Israel.
Is this not exactly the same as the "from the river to the sea"comment that resulted in the firing of a CNN commentator?
I won't even comment on PM Oren Hazan.
The day to day existence of the Palestinians is horrendous, and they are not all terrorists.
G-d forbid there should ever be another Holocaust.
But, you needn't worry, because the loss on the Palestinian side sooo far outweighs yours. And with no power, no voice, no hope on their side, they are the ones that will be pushed to the sea.
(1) Anonymous, December 16, 2018 7:08 PM
Re-Thinking the Birthright Trips
When I was in college we didn't have Birthright trips and we didn't have SJP groups, or Hillel, either.
I am thinking all of this should not be part of the education experience.
It polarizes and disrupts school communities. Too divisive. School communities should be tolerant and all inclusive unless you are creating a Yeshiva. Then have an Israel a day rally if you want.
I read on the IfNotNow site, those kids have courage, and I am proud of them, as a fellow Jew, for speaking up.
And I can see why the Palestinian American kids are upset, where at first I didn't.
I opened my mind and heart.
Yeah, I know, this is where you bring out the Self Hating label... save it. It doesn't hurt or upset anymore.
SteveT, December 20, 2018 3:01 PM
Courage?
If IfNotNow members are so courageous, please ask them why they refuse to acknowledge a different point of view than yours. Please ask them why they will not open a real history book and study the truth. Please ask them why they take the easy route of joining Israel's haters, rather than the difficult route of standing with their own people and defending the only Jewish state in the world, and the only democracy in the Middle East. In fact, perhaps you should do some of this yourself.
Nancy, December 21, 2018 9:35 AM
No, not self-hating, just intentionally ignorant. You don't think Jewish college students should learn the truth about Israel? You think it's better that they get their "education experience" from professors who teach outright lies, and from students who preach that Israel is the root of all evil?
You're right, school communities should be tolerant and inclusive - that includes being tolerant and inclusive of students who are pro-Israel, not just anti-Israel.
You may have opened your heart, but you seem to have closed off your mind. You've got things so backwards.
Anonymous, December 21, 2018 9:55 AM
Hasbara isn't education
When many of the Jewish students arrive at college they are extremely ignorant about the "nuance" of Israel.
Their educators have left a lot out.
They come with a pride in the state of Israel that has never been examined.
Then they hear words such as occupation, and apartheid, land grab, and are confused and upset and angry.
Their own Rabbis, Camp Counselors, they feel have let them down.
You know, Nancy, you and your comrades here are quick to judge, and there is quite a lot of ignorance among you. Perhaps educate yourselves before you spout off.
Start with our Torah.
Not everyone else can be "intentionally ignorant."
Ultra-Orthodox Satmar, IfNotNow, Jewish Voice for Peace, JStreet, Miko Peled, Breaking the Silence, are part of the Jewish Soul whether you like it or not.
We are only as strong as we are united, and may I suggest you open your own heart *and* your mind, because propaganda is not education.