Jewish at Boston College

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BC is a very welcoming place - not super diverse admittedly (neither are most towns in metro Boston, by the way). The community and camaraderie are excellent. Jesuit education is great for lifelong learners and they care about fostering students to become good people who will graduate and live a life that is compassionate to others and helps others. Lots of school spirit for sports. Non-Catholic alum.

Will add here that political or social activism is not part of the school culture at BC. Never a single protest or rally in the time I was there. The student body is predominantly (and selected to be) outgoing, well rounded, open minded kids who do well in school but also have other interests.

Yes - I [b]believe there were crucifixes in classes. They are not huge, they are not revered...they are just there. I didn't feel impacted by them any more than I would feel affected by a mezuzah at every entrance. To me these are no different than having churches, mosques, synagogues in my community.

Via education and my career, I have been part of several college communities. The Jesuit ones at BC and Georgetown were the most explicitly open and welcoming - facing head on the acceptance of all (and with no religious rhetoric - the Jesuits are all about education and learning and caring for each other and the world). At other secular institutions, there was far less care for community and acceptance - only reactionary (and sometimes lack of) responses to "incidents". Little guidance on having students leave with a moral compass.

OP - if your DC loves BC - please let them consider it.

The most salient point made of any of the PPs is how you (and your child) feel about dating outside of your faith and how religious they will want to be. If attending regular services is important, Brighton and Brookline will provide a selection of synagogues and congregations that should be easy to attend using the shuttle, T, or even walking. Newton Campus also has multiple within walking distance. Your child will not be surrounded by many Jewish students but I'm sure they will find them via Hillel.

On that point - reach out to BC Hillel and find some students to talk to. I guarantee you will find students willing to share and gush about their school. It's that sort of place.

We had divestment protests and encampments in my day. Protests are part of the social justice movement and wouldn’t be out of place on campus.

And the crucifix comment is odd. Not revered? Do you think Catholics kneel before every cross? I’m not sure if you’re an alum, but if you are, this is a big misreading of Catholic religion and culture.

I think anyone of any faith would be welcome at BC. I think BC is still pretty provincial - I wouldn’t send a trans kid there for example. But generally welcoming. But spending 4 years on a Catholic campus and not being open to learning about Catholic culture seems weird to me.

I noted this because others comments about a "crucifix being present" was so off base to how that plays out in day to day life in a classroom. It had zero impact.

okay, but that's just ignorance about Catholic life. an earlier comment sounded like you thought a crucifix in a classroom at some other Catholic college would be treated differently. that's not how it works. Imagine if I told you I saw a mezuzah on the door of a classroom in a jewish school, but it was not revered at all and they are just there (and thus .. better? more palatable? okay?)

Neither affects me - neither dictates day to day life on campus or in class.

[Anonymous]

Op, have you considered Wake Forest? Similar vibe to BC, at least my student thought so after touring, and his sibling is at Wake. Larger Jewish population, and student body as a whole not supportive of protests, and supportive of their Jewish classmates. It’s been decades since Wake had a religious affiliation, but the school’s motto is Pro Humanitate, and service for others is considered part of the school’s mission, similar to the Jesuit colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BC is a very welcoming place - not super diverse admittedly (neither are most towns in metro Boston, by the way). The community and camaraderie are excellent. Jesuit education is great for lifelong learners and they care about fostering students to become good people who will graduate and live a life that is compassionate to others and helps others. Lots of school spirit for sports. Non-Catholic alum.

Will add here that political or social activism is not part of the school culture at BC. Never a single protest or rally in the time I was there. The student body is predominantly (and selected to be) outgoing, well rounded, open minded kids who do well in school but also have other interests.

Yes - I [b]believe there were crucifixes in classes. They are not huge, they are not revered...they are just there. I didn't feel impacted by them any more than I would feel affected by a mezuzah at every entrance. To me these are no different than having churches, mosques, synagogues in my community.

Via education and my career, I have been part of several college communities. The Jesuit ones at BC and Georgetown were the most explicitly open and welcoming - facing head on the acceptance of all (and with no religious rhetoric - the Jesuits are all about education and learning and caring for each other and the world). At other secular institutions, there was far less care for community and acceptance - only reactionary (and sometimes lack of) responses to "incidents". Little guidance on having students leave with a moral compass.

OP - if your DC loves BC - please let them consider it.

The most salient point made of any of the PPs is how you (and your child) feel about dating outside of your faith and how religious they will want to be. If attending regular services is important, Brighton and Brookline will provide a selection of synagogues and congregations that should be easy to attend using the shuttle, T, or even walking. Newton Campus also has multiple within walking distance. Your child will not be surrounded by many Jewish students but I'm sure they will find them via Hillel.

On that point - reach out to BC Hillel and find some students to talk to. I guarantee you will find students willing to share and gush about their school. It's that sort of place.

We had divestment protests and encampments in my day. Protests are part of the social justice movement and wouldn’t be out of place on campus.

And the crucifix comment is odd. Not revered? Do you think Catholics kneel before every cross? I’m not sure if you’re an alum, but if you are, this is a big misreading of Catholic religion and culture.

I think anyone of any faith would be welcome at BC. I think BC is still pretty provincial - I wouldn’t send a trans kid there for example. But generally welcoming. But spending 4 years on a Catholic campus and not being open to learning about Catholic culture seems weird to me.

I noted this because others comments about a "crucifix being present" was so off base to how that plays out in day to day life in a classroom. It had zero impact.

Are you Jewish? Because it’s not whether people are bowing to a crucifix that’s the issue for some people (obviously not everyone).

Think about your least favorite politician or celebrity and imagine if a picture of that person was in every single classroom— and rather than argue with me about the analogy just try to learn something from it.

I work in a federal building and therefore I have this at work during any 4 yr administration when the president is someone I didn't vote for.

I am not Jewish - but I am also not Catholic. And I am not a practicing Christian either. The crucifixes don't bother me. Neither do other religious symbols that are not meant to foster anything divisive.

You are perfectly entitled not to be bothered by them and BC is perfectly entitled to have crucifixes all over campus. But the implication that anyone who feels otherwise is overly sensitive is just ignorant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BC is a very welcoming place - not super diverse admittedly (neither are most towns in metro Boston, by the way). The community and camaraderie are excellent. Jesuit education is great for lifelong learners and they care about fostering students to become good people who will graduate and live a life that is compassionate to others and helps others. Lots of school spirit for sports. Non-Catholic alum.

Will add here that political or social activism is not part of the school culture at BC. Never a single protest or rally in the time I was there. The student body is predominantly (and selected to be) outgoing, well rounded, open minded kids who do well in school but also have other interests.

Yes - I [b]believe there were crucifixes in classes. They are not huge, they are not revered...they are just there. I didn't feel impacted by them any more than I would feel affected by a mezuzah at every entrance. To me these are no different than having churches, mosques, synagogues in my community.

Via education and my career, I have been part of several college communities. The Jesuit ones at BC and Georgetown were the most explicitly open and welcoming - facing head on the acceptance of all (and with no religious rhetoric - the Jesuits are all about education and learning and caring for each other and the world). At other secular institutions, there was far less care for community and acceptance - only reactionary (and sometimes lack of) responses to "incidents". Little guidance on having students leave with a moral compass.

OP - if your DC loves BC - please let them consider it.

The most salient point made of any of the PPs is how you (and your child) feel about dating outside of your faith and how religious they will want to be. If attending regular services is important, Brighton and Brookline will provide a selection of synagogues and congregations that should be easy to attend using the shuttle, T, or even walking. Newton Campus also has multiple within walking distance. Your child will not be surrounded by many Jewish students but I'm sure they will find them via Hillel.

On that point - reach out to BC Hillel and find some students to talk to. I guarantee you will find students willing to share and gush about their school. It's that sort of place.

We had divestment protests and encampments in my day. Protests are part of the social justice movement and wouldn’t be out of place on campus.

And the crucifix comment is odd. Not revered? Do you think Catholics kneel before every cross? I’m not sure if you’re an alum, but if you are, this is a big misreading of Catholic religion and culture.

I think anyone of any faith would be welcome at BC. I think BC is still pretty provincial - I wouldn’t send a trans kid there for example. But generally welcoming. But spending 4 years on a Catholic campus and not being open to learning about Catholic culture seems weird to me.

I noted this because others comments about a "crucifix being present" was so off base to how that plays out in day to day life in a classroom. It had zero impact.

Are you Jewish? Because it’s not whether people are bowing to a crucifix that’s the issue for some people (obviously not everyone).

Think about your least favorite politician or celebrity and imagine if a picture of that person was in every single classroom— and rather than argue with me about the analogy just try to learn something from it.

It's a Catholic school. People already said it's not hostile and welcoming. Stop putting your religious hate into this. Should people put another thread about BYU, Bob Jones, or Yeshiva, which BC is nothing like in scope.

I’m not putting any religious hate in this at all — it’s just weird for someone who is not Jewish to weigh in on what the experience is like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BC is a very welcoming place - not super diverse admittedly (neither are most towns in metro Boston, by the way). The community and camaraderie are excellent. Jesuit education is great for lifelong learners and they care about fostering students to become good people who will graduate and live a life that is compassionate to others and helps others. Lots of school spirit for sports. Non-Catholic alum.

Will add here that political or social activism is not part of the school culture at BC. Never a single protest or rally in the time I was there. The student body is predominantly (and selected to be) outgoing, well rounded, open minded kids who do well in school but also have other interests.

Yes - I [b]believe there were crucifixes in classes. They are not huge, they are not revered...they are just there. I didn't feel impacted by them any more than I would feel affected by a mezuzah at every entrance. To me these are no different than having churches, mosques, synagogues in my community.

Via education and my career, I have been part of several college communities. The Jesuit ones at BC and Georgetown were the most explicitly open and welcoming - facing head on the acceptance of all (and with no religious rhetoric - the Jesuits are all about education and learning and caring for each other and the world). At other secular institutions, there was far less care for community and acceptance - only reactionary (and sometimes lack of) responses to "incidents". Little guidance on having students leave with a moral compass.

OP - if your DC loves BC - please let them consider it.

The most salient point made of any of the PPs is how you (and your child) feel about dating outside of your faith and how religious they will want to be. If attending regular services is important, Brighton and Brookline will provide a selection of synagogues and congregations that should be easy to attend using the shuttle, T, or even walking. Newton Campus also has multiple within walking distance. Your child will not be surrounded by many Jewish students but I'm sure they will find them via Hillel.

On that point - reach out to BC Hillel and find some students to talk to. I guarantee you will find students willing to share and gush about their school. It's that sort of place.

We had divestment protests and encampments in my day. Protests are part of the social justice movement and wouldn’t be out of place on campus.

And the crucifix comment is odd. Not revered? Do you think Catholics kneel before every cross? I’m not sure if you’re an alum, but if you are, this is a big misreading of Catholic religion and culture.

I think anyone of any faith would be welcome at BC. I think BC is still pretty provincial - I wouldn’t send a trans kid there for example. But generally welcoming. But spending 4 years on a Catholic campus and not being open to learning about Catholic culture seems weird to me.

I noted this because others comments about a "crucifix being present" was so off base to how that plays out in day to day life in a classroom. It had zero impact.

Are you Jewish? Because it’s not whether people are bowing to a crucifix that’s the issue for some people (obviously not everyone).

Think about your least favorite politician or celebrity and imagine if a picture of that person was in every single classroom— and rather than argue with me about the analogy just try to learn something from it.

Sorry, but I will take issue with that analogy. Ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are quite a few Jewish professors at BC, & the area surrounding the campus is heavily Jewish. It’s just not the type of place where antisemitism would be condoned.

Many of the Catholic students there come from ancestry (Irish, Italian, Polish, Hispanic etc) which was harassed. It would be considered very very uncool to turn on Jews there.

This analysis is just nuts.

I understand what they mean. They are point out Catholics that come from immigrant backgrounds whose family members were discriminated against (very much so in their time). The PP is suggesting that their communities/families carry that history with them would not want to be divisive - especially as Catholics choosing a Jesuit order, they are more likely to be inclusive of others.

IME some Catholics are very supportive of Jews (and immigrants) and some are not but you really can’t generalize this way any more than you can say Poles have a long history of anti-semitism.

[Anonymous]

So no one can actually answer OP’s Q?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are quite a few Jewish professors at BC, & the area surrounding the campus is heavily Jewish. It’s just not the type of place where antisemitism would be condoned.

Many of the Catholic students there come from ancestry (Irish, Italian, Polish, Hispanic etc) which was harassed. It would be considered very very uncool to turn on Jews there.

This analysis is just nuts.

I understand what they mean. They are point out Catholics that come from immigrant backgrounds whose family members were discriminated against (very much so in their time). The PP is suggesting that their communities/families carry that history with them would not want to be divisive - especially as Catholics choosing a Jesuit order, they are more likely to be inclusive of others.

Uh, hardly! These students’ great grandparents immigrated. Kids of Irish/italian descent do not feel discriminated against. They are not particularly sensitive to discrimination because their great grandparents may have experienced it 🙄

Many Catholic kids come from Democrat families and Catholic schools so in that sense they’re more willing to understand others’ perspectives, hardships and struggles. But, many a Catholic boy have made anti-Semitic comments to each other in “joking” - I hope things have improved and this isn’t the case today. But they can live insular lives in their Catholic towns and at their Catholic schools. That’s reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So no one can actually answer OP’s Q?

It was answered several times. Someone who has read the answer multiple times is One-guying, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So no one can actually answer OP’s Q?

It was answered several times. Someone who has read the answer multiple times is One-guying, however.

No, no one has said what it’s like to be Jewish at BC since Oct 2023.

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BC is a very welcoming place - not super diverse admittedly (neither are most towns in metro Boston, by the way). The community and camaraderie are excellent. Jesuit education is great for lifelong learners and they care about fostering students to become good people who will graduate and live a life that is compassionate to others and helps others. Lots of school spirit for sports. Non-Catholic alum.

Will add here that political or social activism is not part of the school culture at BC. Never a single protest or rally in the time I was there. The student body is predominantly (and selected to be) outgoing, well rounded, open minded kids who do well in school but also have other interests.

Yes - I [b]believe there were crucifixes in classes. They are not huge, they are not revered...they are just there. I didn't feel impacted by them any more than I would feel affected by a mezuzah at every entrance. To me these are no different than having churches, mosques, synagogues in my community.

Via education and my career, I have been part of several college communities. The Jesuit ones at BC and Georgetown were the most explicitly open and welcoming - facing head on the acceptance of all (and with no religious rhetoric - the Jesuits are all about education and learning and caring for each other and the world). At other secular institutions, there was far less care for community and acceptance - only reactionary (and sometimes lack of) responses to "incidents". Little guidance on having students leave with a moral compass.

OP - if your DC loves BC - please let them consider it.

The most salient point made of any of the PPs is how you (and your child) feel about dating outside of your faith and how religious they will want to be. If attending regular services is important, Brighton and Brookline will provide a selection of synagogues and congregations that should be easy to attend using the shuttle, T, or even walking. Newton Campus also has multiple within walking distance. Your child will not be surrounded by many Jewish students but I'm sure they will find them via Hillel.

On that point - reach out to BC Hillel and find some students to talk to. I guarantee you will find students willing to share and gush about their school. It's that sort of place.

We had divestment protests and encampments in my day. Protests are part of the social justice movement and wouldn’t be out of place on campus.

And the crucifix comment is odd. Not revered? Do you think Catholics kneel before every cross? I’m not sure if you’re an alum, but if you are, this is a big misreading of Catholic religion and culture.

I think anyone of any faith would be welcome at BC. I think BC is still pretty provincial - I wouldn’t send a trans kid there for example. But generally welcoming. But spending 4 years on a Catholic campus and not being open to learning about Catholic culture seems weird to me.

I noted this because others comments about a "crucifix being present" was so off base to how that plays out in day to day life in a classroom. It had zero impact.

Are you Jewish? Because it’s not whether people are bowing to a crucifix that’s the issue for some people (obviously not everyone).

Think about your least favorite politician or celebrity and imagine if a picture of that person was in every single classroom— and rather than argue with me about the analogy just try to learn something from it.

I work in a federal building and therefore I have this at work during any 4 yr administration when the president is someone I didn't vote for.

I am not Jewish - but I am also not Catholic. And I am not a practicing Christian either. The crucifixes don't bother me. Neither do other religious symbols that are not meant to foster anything divisive.

You are perfectly entitled not to be bothered by them and BC is perfectly entitled to have crucifixes all over campus. But the implication that anyone who feels otherwise is overly sensitive is just ignorant.

Or that it never fails to surprise me how intolerant and divisive people can be and that they don't open themselves up fully to others. You learn a lot when you listen and you don't make assumptions about people who and customs that are different from you/yours. I choose to expose myself to differences - I get that many don't.

And, I never said anyone is overly sensitive. You are saying that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are quite a few Jewish professors at BC, & the area surrounding the campus is heavily Jewish. It’s just not the type of place where antisemitism would be condoned.

Many of the Catholic students there come from ancestry (Irish, Italian, Polish, Hispanic etc) which was harassed. It would be considered very very uncool to turn on Jews there.

This analysis is just nuts.

I understand what they mean. They are point out Catholics that come from immigrant backgrounds whose family members were discriminated against (very much so in their time). The PP is suggesting that their communities/families carry that history with them would not want to be divisive - especially as Catholics choosing a Jesuit order, they are more likely to be inclusive of others.

Uh, hardly! These students’ great grandparents immigrated. Kids of Irish/italian descent do not feel discriminated against. They are not particularly sensitive to discrimination because their great grandparents may have experienced it 🙄

Many Catholic kids come from Democrat families and Catholic schools so in that sense they’re more willing to understand others’ perspectives, hardships and struggles. But, many a Catholic boy have made anti-Semitic comments to each other in “joking” - I hope things have improved and this isn’t the case today. But they can live insular lives in their Catholic towns and at their Catholic schools. That’s reality.

Who’s the bigot again? Look in the mirror

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So no one can actually answer OP’s Q?

It was answered several times. Someone who has read the answer multiple times is One-guying, however.

No, no one has said what it’s like to be Jewish at BC since Oct 2023.

Anyone?

Seriously - the best answer to this question is to reach out to Hillel at BC for some students to speak to. There is admittedly a small Jewish population there to and while some may be from the DMV, I'd venture there are many who are not and are not on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

NP. Seems like there were protests at plenty of colleges with larger jewish student populations than BC, which did not have them. (Example, Northwestern, 15-20%, had an encampment.)

The sensitivity about crosses is in the eye of the beholder.

Politically, the campus is largely apathetic, with a few small, very outspoken groups on the far left.

OP, it depends on what your student is looking for. I would suggest a visit for getting a better sense of the vibe. Do the info session with the student panel. Contacting the Hillel sounds like a good idea.

Also, the surrounding neighborhoods in Brighton and Brookline, locations where students who live off campus reside, include significant Jewish communities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Seems like there were protests at plenty of colleges with larger jewish student populations than BC, which did not have them. (Example, Northwestern, 15-20%, had an encampment.)

The sensitivity about crosses is in the eye of the beholder.

Politically, the campus is largely apathetic, with a few small, very outspoken groups on the far left.

OP, it depends on what your student is looking for. I would suggest a visit for getting a better sense of the vibe. Do the info session with the student panel. Contacting the Hillel sounds like a good idea.

Also, the surrounding neighborhoods in Brighton and Brookline, locations where students who live off campus reside, include significant Jewish communities.

BC did have vandalism of its Hillel and BC students ripped down posters of the hostages.