Lana Oconnell
Boston University is home to a large Jewish student population, with around 2,000 Jewish students, or 11.1% of the student body, identifying as Jewish. The university offers a range of resources and programming to support its Jewish students, including a vibrant Hillel program, kosher dining options, and a variety of courses on Jewish studies. However, in recent years, there have been reports of antisemitism on campus, with some Jewish students expressing that they do not feel safe at the university.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Jewish Students | 2,000 (11.1%) |
| Total Number of Students | 17,968 |
| Number of Jewish Undergraduates | 4,000 |
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What You'll Learn
- Boston University is home to 4,000 Jewish undergraduates
- BU Hillel Dining serves kosher food and traditional Jewish foods
- Jewish students at BU do not feel safe due to hateful incidents
- BU offers a course on the interaction between Jewish mystics and western schools of thought
- BU's Center for Antiracist Research excludes Jewish students from its mission statement
Boston University is home to 4,000 Jewish undergraduates
Hillel Dining is part of Boston University Dining Services, offering the highest quality food under strict supervision. The menu is a unique blend of traditional Jewish foods, innovative concepts, display cooking, and a full menu with options including a salad bar, hot and cold entrees, vegetarian choices and desserts. The award-winning kosher dining programme is open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, with meals served for all holidays, including kosher for Passover, and Friday night and Saturday Shabbat lunches.
Boston University offers a range of Jewish Studies courses. These include World Cultures of the Jews, which explores Jewish communities across the globe, their historical origins and cultural contexts, and strategies for preserving transnational solidarity. Another course, Judaism, offers a systematic and historical introduction to the doctrines, customs, literature, and movements of Judaism, as well as rabbinic life and thought, medieval mysticism and philosophy, and modern movements and developments.
Boston University also offers a Hebrew language and culture course, Israeli Popular Music, which provides an introduction to Israeli cultural history through music. Students expand their vocabulary and develop their Hebrew writing, reading, listening, and conversational skills. There is also an advanced Hebrew language course, Advanced Modern Hebrew: Voices in Israeli Society, which provides advanced language practice and an introduction to diverse groups in Israeli society, including Orthodox and secular, Mizrahi and Ashkenazi Jews, and Arab-Israelis.
Despite these offerings, some Jewish students at Boston University have expressed feelings of unsafety and exclusion. There have been reports of hateful uprisings and acts of vandalism targeting Jewish students and spaces on campus. In response, BU launched its Center for Antiracist Research in 2020, with a mission to build an antiracist society that ensures racial equity and social justice. However, some Jewish students feel that the centre's mission statement does not adequately include protection for Jewish students and have called for more inclusive policies and condemnation of antisemitic actions.
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BU Hillel Dining serves kosher food and traditional Jewish foods
Boston University is home to 4,000 Jewish undergraduates, with a vibrant BU Hillel programme and staff serving the entire campus. BU Hillel Dining is a part of Boston University Dining Services, offering the highest quality food under strict supervision. The dining hall features two open-air display kitchens, one for meat and the other for vegan dishes.
The menu is a unique blend of traditional Jewish foods, innovative concepts, display cooking, and a full menu comprising a salad bar, hot and cold entrees, vegetarian options, and desserts. The award-winning kosher dining programme is open for lunch and dinner during the week, as well as Shabbat meals on Friday night and Saturday. BU Hillel Dining also serves meals for all holidays, including kosher for Passover, and Friday night Shabbat and Saturday Shabbat lunch.
The dining hall is closed on Sundays. Students can enjoy meals at no extra cost by using a meal swipe from their student meal plan. BU Hillel also offers High Holiday services and services for major Jewish holidays.
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Jewish students at BU do not feel safe due to hateful incidents
Boston University is home to 4,000 Jewish undergraduates, which is around 2,000 students or 11.1% of the student population. While the university has taken steps to cater to its Jewish students, such as offering kosher dining options and hosting a Hillel program, some Jewish students at BU do not feel safe due to hateful incidents.
In an opinion piece for BU Today, Amanda Kopelman writes about her experience as a Jewish student at Boston University and expresses that she does not feel safe. She recounts an incident of vandalism targeting a window at Boston University Hillel, a safe space for the Jewish community on campus. The window was defaced with graffiti that read "Free Palestine," overlaying the Israeli flag. While the university took swift action, Kopelman describes feeling scared and no longer confident openly wearing her Magen David necklace. She highlights the frequent incidents targeting Jewish students on campuses across America and the need for BU to better support its Jewish community.
Kopelman's sentiments are echoed by other Jewish students at BU, who share their concerns about rising anti-Semitism on campus. One student writes about feeling caught between their pride in their Jewish identity and the distressing reality of witnessing incidents targeting Jewish students. They urge the university to include Jewish students and faculty in their diversity and inclusion initiatives, ensuring that they feel protected. Another student expresses gratitude for Kopelman's voice, emphasizing the need for university leaders to prioritize the safety and emotional well-being of Jewish students. They cite studies indicating that about 7 in 10 Jewish college students experience anti-Semitism on campus and call for more dialogue, respectful discussion, and understanding.
While some students acknowledge the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the experiences of other marginalized groups on campus, they emphasize the importance of addressing anti-Semitism. They highlight the impact of inflammatory political rhetoric and the need for safe spaces to discuss Israeli politics and address misconceptions. The Wiesel Center official at BU also recognizes the "growing concern and fear" among Jewish students and the university's efforts to address these concerns through a new course.
The university's response to hateful incidents and its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment for Jewish students are essential. While BU has taken some steps, such as establishing the Center for Antiracist Research, Jewish students continue to advocate for more comprehensive support and inclusion in the university's diversity and anti-discrimination efforts.
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BU offers a course on the interaction between Jewish mystics and western schools of thought
Boston University (BU) is home to 4,000 Jewish undergraduates, which is around 11.1% of its student population. BU Hillel, a Jewish community at the university, offers a variety of programming and resources to help freshmen adjust to college life, make new friends, and connect with peers. This includes BU Hillel Dining, which serves kosher food and traditional Jewish foods, and holds Shabbat dinners.
BU offers a wide range of courses on Jewish studies, including one on the interaction between Jewish mystics and major western schools of thought. This course, CAS JS 246: Jewish Mysticism, explores the rich world of Jewish Mysticism from its earliest roots to its contemporary expressions in the 21st century. It looks at the interplay between Jewish mystics and western schools of thought such as Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Aristotelianism, and Sufism. The course also introduces students to the Kabbalistic tradition and its various historical manifestations.
This course is part of BU's broader Jewish Studies curriculum, which offers students a comprehensive education on Jewish history, culture, literature, and philosophy. For example, CAS JS 100: World Cultures of the Jews introduces students to the study of Judaism in its many forms by exploring Jewish communities across the globe, their historical origins, and cultural contexts. CAS JS 110: Judaism offers a systematic and historical introduction to the doctrines, customs, literature, and movements of Judaism, including medieval mysticism and philosophy.
Other courses in BU's Jewish Studies program include CAS JS 250: Holy City: Jerusalem in Time, Space, and Imagination, which examines the transformation of Jerusalem into a holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and the development of modern Jerusalem under various political and ideological influences. CAS JS 244: Early Jewish Mystical Thought analyses the development of Jewish mysticism from the biblical era to the early medieval era, focusing on the forms of mysticism and the texts in which they are embedded.
These courses reflect BU's commitment to providing a well-rounded education on Jewish history, thought, and culture, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Jewish traditions and their interactions with the wider world.
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BU's Center for Antiracist Research excludes Jewish students from its mission statement
Boston University is home to 4,000 Jewish undergraduates, which is around 11.1% of its student population. The university has a Hillel programme, which offers dining services that serve traditional Jewish foods and kosher meals. The Hillel programme also offers multiple egalitarian and traditional Friday night Shabbat services.
Despite this apparent support for Jewish students, some Jewish students at BU have expressed that they do not feel safe at the university. In December 2023, an opinion piece was published in which the author, Amanda Kopelman, wrote about the fear she felt as a Jewish student at BU. This fear was sparked by an incident of vandalism on a window at Boston University Hillel, a safe space for Jewish students. The window was defaced with graffiti that read "Free Palestine", which was deemed hateful and antisemitic. Kopelman and other Jewish students at BU feel that the university's statements about not standing for discrimination do not include protection for Jewish students.
This perceived exclusion is also reflected in the mission statement of BU's Center for Antiracist Research, launched in 2020. The center, founded and run by prominent scholar and activist Ibram X. Kendi, aims to build an antiracist society that ensures racial equity and social justice. However, Jewish students have criticised this mission statement for leaving antisemitism out of the equation and not including protection for Jewish students. They have called upon BU Diversity & Inclusion to actively include Jewish students and faculty in their activism and protective policies.
The university's handling of hateful incidents and its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have come under scrutiny. While BU has taken action in response to hateful uprisings, such as the vandalism incident, some Jewish students feel that the university's responses are insufficient. Additionally, there have been controversies surrounding the Center for Antiracist Research, including layoffs that prompted debates about the university's genuine commitment to DEI.
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Frequently asked questions
A: There are 2,000 Jewish students at Boston University, which is 11.1% of the student population.
A: Yes, BU Hillel Dining is a part of Boston University Dining Services. The dining hall serves a unique blend of traditional Jewish foods, innovative concepts, display cooking, and a full menu including a salad bar, hot and cold entrees, vegetarian options, and desserts.
A: Lunch is served from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm, and dinner is served from 5 pm to 7 pm, Monday through Saturday.
A: The mission of BU Hillel is to inspire, educate, and empower BU students to lead meaningful and joyous Jewish lives.
A: There are 4,000 Jewish undergraduates at Boston University.
