<p>Is it difficult for non-Jewish students to fit in at Brandeis? I am very interested in Brandeis’ language programs, but I am also an observant Catholic, so I was wondering if there was any sense of alienation felt by observant non-Jewish students.</p>
<p>Not at all.
Brandeis is currently about 50% Jewish and heading down every year.
Any day now, Jewish students will actually be in the minority at Brandeis.</p>
<p>I am writing this a Jewish mother of a Jewish child at Brandeis. My child was attracted to Brandeis because of the Jewish religious community that could be found there. So I do respect your desire to make sure that you would be able to find the type of religious community that you seek there. I believe that you would be able to find not only a supportive Catholic community, but an overall community of religious tolerance there.</p>
<p>Brandeis is barely 50% Jewish based on the latest numbers I’d heard. It is a non-sectarian school founded by the American Jewish community. When the campus was first being constructed the idea of having only a Jewish chapel on campus was soundly rejected – three chapels were built - Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish – and built deliberately in such a way that none is ever in the shadow of the others. I think that is a very real symbol of the attitude of tolerance there.</p>
<p>The fact that Brandeis is 50% Jewish (approx.) does mean that there are certain things that will be different than other schools where Jewish students are not as well represented. Brandeis closes not only for the high holidays but several other Jewish holidays through out the year. Its spring break coincides with Passover. Kosher food is readily available – both in a separate kosher line in one of the two main dining halls, and also in packaged food in other locations. You will see more men wearing yalmulkes than you have probably seen elsewhere in one place (unless you’ve attended a synagogue) though they still represent a small minority of the overall student population. </p>
<p>The Jewish population is extremely diverse – from those who are observant (and are attracted to Brandeis because they can find a religious community there), to those who are less observant, to those who are “culturally” but not religiously Jewish, to those for whom their Jewish identity means little more than a family historic fact. </p>
<p>So the fact that there is a strong Jewish presence is something that you would probably notice, but remember, approx. 50% Jewish (which is a far from homogeneous 50%) also means approx 50% not Jewish. </p>
<p>There is a Catholic chaplain on campus. (as well as a Protestant, Muslim, and Jewish chaplains – how many schools of a similar size have such a variety of chaplains to meet the religious needs of their students?) Mass is held weekly on campus. [Department</a> of Student Life | Brandeis University](<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/Chaplaincy/christianity.html]Department”>http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/Chaplaincy/christianity.html) It is my understanding (largely from reading the campus papers over the years my student has been there) that interfaith relations are good. Here are some links to articles you may find of interest (you may have to register to view them) – [Campus</a> chaplains invite religiously diverse students to engage in interfaith dialogue - News<a href=“about%20interfaith%20effort%20on%20campus”>/url</a>, [url=<a href=“http://media.www.thejusticeonline.com/media/storage/paper573/news/2009/03/10/Features/Progressive.Priesthood-3666345.shtml]Progressive”>http://media.www.thejusticeonline.com/media/storage/paper573/news/2009/03/10/Features/Progressive.Priesthood-3666345.shtml]Progressive</a> priesthood - Features<a href=“about%20Father%20Cuenin”>/url</a>.</p>
<p>I would encourage you to contact Father Cuenin. He would probably be in the best position to answer many of your questions. There is also a Catholic Students Organization. [url=<a href=“http://my.brandeis.edu/clubs/cso]Catholic”>http://my.brandeis.edu/clubs/cso]Catholic</a> Student Organization](<a href=“http://media.www.thejusticeonline.com/media/storage/paper573/news/2007/08/28/News/Campus.Chaplains.Invite.Religiously.Diverse.Students.To.Engage.In.Interfaith.Dia-2939910.shtml]Campus”>http://media.www.thejusticeonline.com/media/storage/paper573/news/2007/08/28/News/Campus.Chaplains.Invite.Religiously.Diverse.Students.To.Engage.In.Interfaith.Dia-2939910.shtml) There is a link on that page to their own web site where you will also find email links to students on the board of that organization – I would encourage you to contact them as well.</p>
<p>My daughter and I plan to visit Brandeis soon. We aren’t Jewish, but are impressed with the academic credentials and with the location. My daughter really wants to attend school in the Boston area. We plan to visit Brandeis, Tufts and BU. The schools are all fairly different, so she can get a good idea visiting all three schools.</p>
<p>To the OP - brandeismom’s mention of Father Cuenin reminded of me of this recent article in the Brandeis Hoot about Father Cuenin traveling to Paris to marry a Brandeis employee. He sounds like a treasured and revered member of the Brandeis community.[The</a> Brandeis Hoot Something Brandeis, something bleu](<a href=“http://thehoot.net/articles/6368]The”>http://thehoot.net/articles/6368)</p>
<p>Best of luck to your D.</p>
<p>Brandeis is and always has been a secular school, although founded in the tradition of Harvard, Princeton etc by a religious-affiliated group. Currently its Jewish population is actually closer to 40% if you fairly count grad students who are integrated into the campus. And around 25% of the student body is minority and international students. So, it is quite diverse and continues to strive for increasing diversity. Brandeis’ secular culture is not “white bread.” It strives to be accomodating of all cultures and has been very successful at that given its short history. At this stage, its total Jewish population and the nature of its student body is very similar to schools you might not single out as “Jewish” because of their founding–e.g. Barnard ( 43% Jewish), NYU (51% ) and Penn (30%). See: [Fall</a> 2007 - Universities with the Largest Jewish Population in North America](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/feb/14feb08_topschools.htm]Fall”>http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/feb/14feb08_topschools.htm)
These examples suggest that Brandeis is not unique in having a significant Jewish population. However, it is unique in providing a truly small and intellectually stimulating liberal arts college environment within a major research university.</p>
<p>fyi – NYU is 21% Jewish, not 51%. <a href=“http://reformjudaismmag.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=1380&destination=ShowItem[/url]”>http://reformjudaismmag.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=1380&destination=ShowItem</a></p>
<p>Brandeismom, I was referring to each school’s total student pop–combined undergrad and grad. NYU’s total Jewish population is 12,000, which is 51% of its approx 23,000 student body. See: [Fall</a> 2007 - Universities with the Largest Jewish Population in North America](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/feb/14feb08_topschools.htm]Fall”>http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/feb/14feb08_topschools.htm)</p>
<p>look more closely at the nyu page – [New</a> York University](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17582]New”>http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17582)
it says there are a total of 1900 graduate students. and then it lists 6000 Jewish graduate students. obviously there is an error there somewhere.</p>
<p>and the total enrollment numbers at the hillel site just don’t jive with the numbers at nyu’s own site – [New</a> York University > About NYU > University Facts](<a href=“http://www.nyu.edu/about/facts.html]New”>http://www.nyu.edu/about/facts.html) its total student body is much larger than 23,000</p>
<p>in general, there are often problems with these types of stats. and the hillel site, unfortunately, often has errors.</p>
<p>i’ll just add – i don’t think there is any issue that nyu has a very large (both in terms of absolute numbers and in terms of percentage of student body), very vibrant Jewish community – and in absolute numbers it has far more Jewish students than at Brandeis – i’m just pointing out that the 51% figure doesn’t seem to be supported.</p>
<p>I see your point about the mathematical discrepancy–and we agree that NYU is one of several schools that have significant Jewish student populations. Ultimately, my point about Brandeis’ overall diversity and inclusiveness is unaffected. Thanks for your attention to detail.</p>
<p>I just wanted to throw in my opinion as a current freshman at Brandeis.</p>
<p>I do not think you would have any issues as a Catholic at Brandeis. I have several Catholic friends who are very observant and attend Mass. Although the Jewish presence on campus is huge and noticeable, other religious communities seem strong as well. I don’t know if you’re interested, but there is an interfaith dialogue group called BUILD of which some of my Christian (and Jewish) friends are members. Its members discuss religious diversity on campus and it is, itself, a very diverse group.</p>
<p>Fitting in should not be a problem. Brandeis is a place where non-Jews and Orthodox Jews can eat together in the same dining hall, which I think is wonderful. I’m an observant Reform Jew and I have friends who are Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, atheist, Catholic, Protestant, deist, nonobservant, and none of the above - and they all hang out together. It’s worth noting that statistically half of your friends will be Jewish, so you need to be comfortable with that. The non-Jews I’ve met here love learning about the Jewish culture and beliefs (and vice versa - there is a ton of discussion here) and seem to have become very comfortable at a “Jew School” very quickly. For example, the other night a few of my Jewish friends and I invited some of our non-Jewish friends to the Sukkah (a hut that Jews eat/sleep in during the week-long holiday Sukkot) and played games and talked until the early hours of the morning; at one point, exactly half the people in there were not Jewish, so we played a Jews v. Non-Jews game of Catch Phrase which everyone thought was hilarious - no one was offended or thought it was a strange/inappropriate idea. I hope that helps illustrate the level of comfort that anybody of any religion feels at Brandeis amidst the large Jewish population.</p>
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<p>This sounds great! </p>
<p>The one thing that might give a non-Jewish person pause, would be the dating scene, especially if you were looking for a serious, long term relationship. </p>
<p>I would love to hear how that works for the non-Jewish students at Brandeis. Any concerns?</p>
<p>As a non-Jewish student at Brandeis, I’d say it takes very little adjusting. Like others have noted, it is a secular school. There’s no opportunity to feel “left out” mainly because students rarely discuss their faith in general discussion (that can get to be awkward). Students are accepting of all faiths and to be honest, I don’t even know if some of my friends are Jewish.</p>