<p>Also, the bottom line is that this generation of college students is far more open-minded than ever before. Kids today really don’t care about things like this. They don’t care if people are this or that, they don’t care if people are from the South or from elsewhere, they just don’t care.</p>
<p>When we attended Bama Bound this past summer (seems like a lifetime ago), there was a Jewish professor who spoke on this same subject. He spoke about wondering if UA was the right fit for him, a child of Russian Jewish immigrants (parents or grandparents, I can’t recall). He was a great speaker and I’d imagine would welcome conversation on this subject. </p>
<p>If someone told me the name, I’d know it. I also remember he is a published author (poetry, I think) but is not in English dept.</p>
<p>It isn’t as if the New York City area is free of antisemitism.</p>
<p>You can Google New York and antisemitism and find plenty of examples.</p>
<p>[Vandals</a> Trash NYC Deli With Anti-Semitic Graffiti And Urine Pat Dollard](<a href=“http://patdollard.com/2012/09/vandals-trash-nyc-deli-with-anti-semitic-graffiti-and-urine/]Vandals”>http://patdollard.com/2012/09/vandals-trash-nyc-deli-with-anti-semitic-graffiti-and-urine/)</p>
<p>[NYC</a> Probes Anti-Semitic Attacks as Firebombing Hits NJ Rabbi’s Home | Hatewatch | Southern Poverty Law Center](<a href=“http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2012/01/11/nyc-police-probe-wave-of-anti-semitic-attacks-rabbis-house-firebombed-today/]NYC”>http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2012/01/11/nyc-police-probe-wave-of-anti-semitic-attacks-rabbis-house-firebombed-today/)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.jewishpress.com/news/anti-semitic-bakery-attacked-in-monticello-new-york/2012/09/05/[/url]”>Anti-Semitic Attack in Monticello, NY, Bakery | The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com | Malkah Fleisher | 18 Elul 5772 – September 5, 2012 | JewishPress.com;
<p>etc.</p>
<p>There’s no place in this country that is completely free of having a few misquided folks that believe/spout stereotypes. I’m from Calif and there are many people there who believe stereotypes about people of other races.</p>
<p>Yes, but for some reason there are many people that feel some regional moral superiority.</p>
<p>I just saw this.</p>
<p>[Holiday</a> message: Atheists dub Jesus a ‘myth’ on Times Square billboard | Fox News](<a href=“http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/12/holiday-message-atheists-dub-jesus-myth-on-times-square-billboard/]Holiday”>Holiday message: Atheists dub Jesus a 'myth' on Times Square billboard | Fox News)</p>
<p>A Christian from Alabama who saw this might be inclined to ask whether he would feel welcome at a university in NYC.</p>
<p>I agree with riporin that the Evangelical Christians I know are supportive and welcoming. </p>
<p>I don’t want to deviate too much from the OP’s question about Jewish life at Alabama. There are concerns that the OP and his mother have that are not related to discrimination. It’s more about feeling isolated or having too small a population to maintain Jewish services like a temple or Kosher grocery. People’s comfort levels are different. </p>
<p>I also agree that the opposite can be true. Perhaps some Christian students from the south would not be comfortable in NYC. If I were a parent of that child, I would seek a college where his/her religion is supported.</p>
<p>These are legitimate concerns and an important part of making sure a college is a “good fit” for a student. None of these concerns are wrong. It’s better to know ones self and what college environment one wants. Fortunately there are many excellent choices all over the country.</p>
<p>I’m a member of an ethnic group that’s not particularly well represented in the state of Alabama, but there are apparently quite a few students or employees that share my surname. Don’t forget that there are over 30,000 students at UA and the school has a national and international outreach.</p>
<p>Since Tuscaloosa has had a Jewish community since the late 1800s, Jewish holidays are observed and services are attended. </p>
<p>The Jewish student community certainly observes the various Holy Days and host weekly Shabbat dinners, etc. They also host secular activities for R&R…like bowling nights, etc…just for fun!</p>
<p>As far as Kosher foods…certainly there aren’t as many offerings as there are in NYC, but many grocery stores have Kosher sections as well as regular foods that have the K icons. Some of us who aren’t Jewish prefer kosher selections because we feel that the quality is better.</p>
<p>Speaking of food products; there are now Northeastern and New York regional items that are available in Publix. I use to ship certain items, like Dunkin Donut Coffee and now there is a Dunkin right on campus, along with the packaged coffee in Walmart and Publix. That is just one item, one example, there are others. </p>
<p>The times they are a-changin’</p>
<p>If they open a Wegmans in Tuscaloosa my wife will want to move there.</p>
<p>And Star Bloom (her name is on the Hillel building), who is originally from New Jersey, told me the Publix bakery actually makes a decent bagel.</p>
<p>^^^if only I could get Russ & Daughters to open a Tuscaloosa branch (sigh) (drool)
[Russ</a> and Daughters](<a href=“http://www.russanddaughters.com/]Russ”>http://www.russanddaughters.com/)</p>
<p>Wow…looks so good! :)</p>
<p>Has anyone tried “Momma Goldberg’s Deli”? Don’t know how good or authentic it is.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.mommagoldbergsdeli.com/tuscaloosa/[/url]”>http://www.mommagoldbergsdeli.com/tuscaloosa/</a></p>
<p>I understand where his mom is coming from. At one time S was considering a school in New York City. Even though I know deep down that Hollywood is not an accurate portrayal of life in NYC, I couldn’t help having visions of S being bullied for his southern accent and treated like a Beverly Hillbilly reject (or worse mugged and/or shot).</p>
<p>My rational mind knew he would be okay, but my “mom-mind” rejoiced when he decided to not apply.</p>
<p>I wished there was someway we could help your mom see that we are not what Hollywood, Jeff Foxworthy, and the Sensation-loving Press have made us out to be. I wished we could ease her mind, but just remember she loves you and wants to protect you.</p>
<p>On another note - I will have to visit Momma Goldberg’s Deli when we take S down for scholars weekend next month. The kosher deli near my office closed during the recession and I haven’t had a decent corned beef sandwich since.</p>
<p>I have to step in here to defend Jeff Foxworthy. He’s an intelligent guy and doesn’t have to rely on being foulmouthed like most of the talentless hack comedians out there today. I think the Blue Collar Comedy Troupe is hilarious.</p>
<p>I was on a plane recently and struck up a conversation with the guy sitting next to me. I told him I was from NY and he told me he was from Georgia. It was pretty obvious from his accent that he was from the south. When we parted ways, he said that when some people heard his accent they treated him like he was an idiot. He said that even though I was from NY, he appreciated that I treated him with respect. My first thought was how shallow and stupid would you have to be to judge someone based on their accent?</p>
<p>It was not my intent to disrespect Jeff. He is an extremely intelligent person. It is just many people project his portrayal of redneck to all southerners (aka we go to family reunions to find spouses.) Clean comedy requires a certain level of intelligence. Take Weird Al (Valedictorian and went to Cal Poly). I respect both men.</p>
<p>I travel with my job and have experiences similar to the GA man you mentioned above. I think it is a combination of the southern accent and being a female in the IT profession. I identify with Marisa Tormei’s character in My Cousin Vinny. </p>
<p>My college counselor’s main advice before I graduated was to lose the accent if I ever wanted to be taken seriously. I have minimized the twang, but still a southern girl at heart.</p>
<p>I know kids are accepting. I told her that being Jewish was not a problem. She wants me to go to Emory or Tulane, which I don’t have the grades for. Honestly, I am a conservative jew but not a constant temple goer. She just pictures the south from the past, then the present.</p>
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<p>It wasn’t Noshville in midtown Nashville was it?</p>
<p>Jamobo- again, the thread I posted is a long discussion of various schools that Jewish students of many different academic levels would be comfortable at. In many cases, families posting there have more than one child- and each child is different. It’s been a supportive and informative thread. Alabama is discussed and some parents have students there.
You and your mother need to come up with a list of schools that include reaches, matches and safeties. Tulane and Emory are great, but if they are reach schools, then you need more choices . Perhaps you can agree to apply to her choices and also hopefully she will agree to some of yours, including Alabama. It seems that you have taken initiative to identify schools that you would be happy at. From this discussion, it seems that Alabama could be one of them.
Your mother is welcome to post on the thread, and parents there will be helpful with making a list of schools to apply to that would be likely matches for you.</p>