Choosing a Jewish Friendly Campus
Community, Organizations, Anti-Semitism, and Other Considerations
Looking for a college or university campus where Jewish students are welcomed and valued? When searching for a Jewish friendly campus, here are some criteria to keep in mind.
Jewish Population
What percentage of students on campus are Jewish? Will you be one of many, one of a handful, or one of just a few? When looking at these kinds of stats, weigh them against your own needs. For some Jewish students, it's important to be at a school with a large community. Others just want to be at a school where they won't be the token Jew and where other students know more about Judaism than just the dreidel song.
Jewish Community and Jewish Campus Organizations
Even if there's a fairly small Jewish population on campus, an active Jewish community can make a difference. Find out how involved the Jewish students on campus are in Jewish campus organizations. Do these organizations have an abundance of activities or just a few? Of course, you'll want to find a school with Jewish organizations, and preferably a diversity of organizations-- Hillel, Chabad, political groups, Jewish fraternities and sororities, and so forth.
In addition, find out about the Jewish community in the area surrounding campus. Keep in mind that universities with large Jewish student populations sometimes are located in geographical areas with few Jews. (In the U.S., Indiana University and the University of Kansas are two good examples of this.) Regardless of the number of Jews around, look for schools where the Jewish organizations have connections with synagogues and Jewish groups outside of campus. Of course, you'll want to avoid towns where there's a prevalence of anti-Semitism.
Jewish Studies Programs
Look for schools that offer a Jewish studies program, or at least some coursework about topics related to Jewish religion and culture. Even if you never take any of these classes, their presence indicates that Jewish students and scholars are taken seriously and valued on campus.
Anti-Semitism on Campus
Have there been anti-Semitic incidents of campus? Are these frequent or rare? How has the school responded to anti-Semitic incidents in the past, and what policies do they have in place in case these incidents occur?
Jewish Faculty Members
Are there Jewish professors on campus, or Jews in administrative roles? It can be really nice to have a professor around who has a similar background to your own.
Jewish Holidays
Unless you're in Israel, it's fairly difficult to find a school that closes down on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first night of Passover, or other Jewish holidays-- so if you can find one, that's a very good sign that this is a Jewish friendly school. Some colleges with large Jewish populations close down on either Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur off, but not both. Look for a schools that have a policy of letting Jewish students take holidays off with no penalty.
Diversity Issues
Look for a school that makes a genuine effort to promote a multicultural environment where the concerns of minorities of all kinds--religious, racial, or sexual-- are taken seriously. It's very likely that this kind of environment will serve Jewish students well. Look closely at how other religious minorities are treated on campus.
For example, are there foot baths installed in bathrooms for Muslim students so they can wash their feet before they pray, or similar kinds of accommodations? In addition, pay attention to how the administration addresses issues such as Christmas trees on campus and other sensitive issues. A Christmas tree alone doesn't mean it's not a Jewish friendly campus (especially if there's a menorah too), but you want to make sure there's not a pattern of disregarding the religious minorities.
Best of luck in your search for an ideal college or university!
