A few days ago, our Required Reading ran a story about Stonybrook University in New York. College officials have announced that the school’s schedule will now be fixed according to a secular calendar. In other words, no cancellations due to the High Holy Days for Jewish students. Certain Christian holidays, barring things like Christmas, will also be ignored. Officials did point out that no student would be penalized for missing classes during a religious observance. Jewocity included this bit:
“However, according to The Statesman, the new schedule upset many students as well. Indeed, one student told the paper that the changes were ‘very hurtful’ to Jewish and Christian students. He said that the changes forced religious students to choose between going to class and practicing their faiths.
School officials answered these charges by saying that students would ‘not be penalized’ for missing class during religious holidays if they were absent for religious reasons. He also said that they would be given ‘plenty of time’ to complete make-up work if they had to miss class for religious reasons.”
As a Jew who has for the last few years been a student at a Catholic college, I’ve become accustomed to a class schedule that has little to nothing to do with my own religious faith. Winter Break and Easter Break aside, my college doesn’t cancel classes for everyone so that I can daven. When professors and administrators say I won’t be penalized for… well, doing Judaism… I take them up on that offer. I take off whenever the holidays, large or small, come around. In fact, all this talk about Jews in non-Jewish learning environments got me thinking about my own circumstances, and how lucky I have been.
Honestly, were it not for the crucifixes over every chalkboard, I’d rarely be bothered to think about the College as definitively Catholic. Sure, there are plenty of events each week that cater to the spiritual needs of Catholics and other Christians. The observant eye can definitely see the influence of Catholicity present; the statue of the Virgin Mary helps a bit. Some students gather for prayer of the rosary, contemplate meditation, etc. But nothing about it is particularly forward or confrontational. I’m not expected to go to Mass, participate in Catholic life events, or anything else, and I get time off for the High Holy Days and other special observances. Just a few weeks ago, I hosted an inter-faith Passover Seder that was sponsored by the College’s ministry. In the past, I’ve led tours to the local Reform synagogue, eager students (many of them Catholic) in tow.
In short, I’m not a stranger in a strange land; I’m a Jew on a Catholic campus. Most importantly, I’m a fellow student, and in light of the Catholic emphasis on study, a shared love of learning will trump just about any difference. Besides, given the similarities between Jews and Catholics, is it all that surprising we manage to get along?
Someone once told me that if you see a Jewish seminary or house of worship in town, look closely: a Catholic Church won’t be far off. My synagogue is across the street from my campus, which has its own chapel, another Catholic Church next door, and the headquarters of a Catholic order of Sisters a stone’s throw away. The other two synagogues and the local Jewish Federation are only one street over from us (maybe five minutes at best).
Interreligious dialogue is easy, and always close at hand. Speakers from the College come to our temple to present on timely subjects, and some of our members have taught at the College for years. While I may be the only Jewish student on campus (not sure about that one, but I’m the only one seen in a kippah on a daily basis), I certainly don’t feel isolated. The closeness of Jewish hubs helps, but so does a general sense of mutual respect from my peers and coworkers.
I’m lucky. I will go from this College (to rabbinical school, fingers crossed) having lived, breathed, and thrived on daily religious coexistence for years. From it, I have learned more about the faith and dedication of others than I could have dreamed. Suffice it to say, I don’t share the anxiety apparently felt by some of the students mentioned above, who fear their faith will be forced to compete with their education. To them I say, if administrators say you can practice, do so with verve. Who knows, this may be the perfect opportunity to engage in greater, deeper interreligious dialogue. It certainly has been for me.
