<p>RVM–That kind of stuff does offend me. But, of course, the writer doesn’t intend to offend and is probably trying to be kind. Was it written only on the Jewish kid’s board or on others as well? Was it anonymous or did the writer sign his/her name? How I would react depends on the answers to those questions.</p>
<p>I’d tell him to write, just under it:</p>
<p>Jesus Alou? He was a really great outfielder. My Dad loved him too.</p>
<p>(just kidding, it all depends on how public the spot was, whether it was also written on other kids whiteboards etc etc. If proselytizing I might take it pretty seriously.)</p>
<p>mhc–LOL–You’d start another scandal in baseball!</p>
<p>I suppose you’re right. Definitely not up to Matty or Felippe, but I was just trying for someone a bit more contemporary.</p>
<p>I’m sorry I don’t have more details. My understanding is that it was written anonymously just on the Jewish student’s whiteboard. But I have also experienced this myself - walking downtown - tables set up with people handing out religious literature - say “no thanks” and keep on walking - and this is what they call after you. I didn’t respond - I guess I’m just not sure how to react in such a situation - ignore? - snappy comeback?</p>
<p>^^ humor…</p>
<p>More good news. S got into Michigan this afternoon. Now he will have to wait to see if he gets into the Ross Business School pre-admit. Once we hear from his two remaining schools we will be starting the discussions of best fit and best bang for the buck. We also need to send in some deposit for dorms at Indiana and Wisconsin since we got burnt with D1 and lost the good dorms because we waited too long. May lose $100 in the process, but it is worth it.</p>
<p>D also in at SUNY New Paltz…her favorite of the SUNYs.</p>
<p>Congrats to Rakenjake, Emily B, MHC and MoltoBene the wonderful acceptances. Go celebrate! It’s so great that most of our kids will have at least on accpetance before winter break.</p>
<p>RVM: The “Jesus loves you” thing would make me pretty uncomfortable. I know that some Christians say things like that out of habit, but writing it on a Jewish student’s board seems pretty pointed to me.</p>
<p>Congrats MoltoBene…it’s been a tense couple of days on the U-M decision thread.</p>
<p>Congrats also to Rakenjake, Emily B, MHC and anyone else w/ acceptances I may have missed. Such an exciting time.</p>
<p>Got S1’s acceptance to UIUC today…really proud of my son.</p>
<p>The comment on the whiteboard would upset me only because it looks to have been pointed at a jewish student. In general when I get comments like that out in public, I just brush it off because it’s not personal. In this case it seems like it may be, although I really don’t know what the appropriate response would be. My DH who is sitting next to me as I write says he would be really upset as well. Hi initially said he would write below that “and Moses invests” (to inject some humor) but I think that’s a terrible idea…just perpetuates a jewish stereotype.</p>
<p>When I was growing up in Illinois UIUC was seen as a magical place to which almost everyone aspired. Congratulations.</p>
<p>I think if I were that Jewish student today, I’d not erase anything, reply on the whiteboard “Unappreciated!” or “Offensive!” or “Unnecessary!” (however he feels). Find his voice. And then copy out a quote from the university’s diversity policy in big letters.</p>
<p>I finally have time to post as I wait for S1’s delayed flight to get off the ground. I have lost track of all of the great news but I cheer for each of you each time it comes. Congrats and Mazel Tov to all of your DS’s and DD’s!!! How nice for so many of you to have things decided before the new year. EA and rolling admission seems like the way to go. ED seems great but FA concerns still keep it off limits for us.</p>
<p>On the topic of the white board. Its hard to say how I would react if it were my kid, but as a distant observer I think I would tell my kid to pick his battles. If it were a one time incident I would suggest he erase it as he would any other white board message, and just embrace the love and not be bothered by it. I am reminded of my dad in a hospital bed of a Christian hospital looking up at a crusifix and turning my mom’s dismay around by saying, “its okay he was a Jew”. My dad was raised on a pacific island and went to a Christian school as that was the best education available. He learned to embrace the loving spirit of Christianity without allowing it to steal his faith and identity. We all know there are people out there who see it as their mission to convert the world to Christianity whether or not we actually encounter them. Whenever possible I try to see the pleasantness in the message and then go on with my life. Its just easier to see the good in things and just let the rest roll off. Paying3tuitions, I like your solution too but I think I would reserve that for a persistent problem. Sometimes a lack of response will terminate a discussion more quickly than a defensive one.</p>
<p>By the way I started this message a few hours ago, S’s plane finally took off and landed and he is home. Yay! Shabbat Shalom ya’ll :)</p>
<p>Yay, Spectrum…I agree with what you wrote! Paying3tuitions has the right idea, but to wait and see if it happens again.</p>
<p>I would love to have a discussion at some point about how to prepare our children for what happens on a college campus from the anti-semetic sentiments & how the Hillels across the country can be more pro-active in terms of the political ramifications…besides planning activities for Jewish kids, do the Hillels have plans and programs in place should anything really offensive happen?? It’s been awhile since I was a college student…what is the mood like these days from a Jewish standpoint?</p>
<p>Does the anti-semetisim stem from ignorance, political agendas or something else? How do arab kids & jewish kids get along on campuses? black & jews…any groups…</p>
<p>Menorah stolen, vandalized at University of Florida</p>
<p>December 6, 2010</p>
<p>(JTA) – A menorah stolen from the University of Florida’s Hillel House was vandalized.</p>
<p>The large outdoor menorah was removed Dec. 2 from the front building of the Jewish center on the Gainesville campus and thrown down. Some of the lamps were damaged, according to reports.</p>
<p>A rededication ceremony was planned for Monday night, according to The Associated Press.</p>
<p>The vandalism came after an incident the previous evening in which about 10 people shouted an anti-Semitic epithet and kicked over a fence on the property, The Ocala newspaper’s website reported.</p>
<p>A swastika was painted on a Jewish fraternity house on the campus last year. </p>
<p>My feeling is that some of these incidents may have more to do with alcohol and being a crime of opportunity than deliberate anti-semitism - but who knows? I also think the Israeli situation further complicates things - as students who may not be anti-Semitic per se may be pro-Palestine and the lines start to blur.</p>
<p>You are right chocchip - it is something to at least mention to our kids before they go off to college - particularly if you live in a fairly Jewish friendly area now where they have not been exposed to these sentiments. I have the impression that college kids are more politically aware than hs kids and so the Israeli situation may be much more vocal.</p>
<p>Florida incident just proves that this can happen anywhere; </p>
<p>isn’t UF @ Gainsville like 30% Jewish?</p>
<p>I too am interested to find out how Hillels handle this type of incident…as well as the “jesus loves you” kind of event…(which I think is EXTREMELY common by the way anywhere South of the DC area)</p>
<p>The whiteboard issue is something different all together; I, personally, don’t see that as necessarily “anti-semitic”, but rather devout Christian…there is definitely a distinction in my opinion…anyone else agree?</p>
<p>Both would make many of our kids uncomfortable but may elicit different reactions etc depending on the personality and background of the student in question…</p>
<p>Personally, while my kids would be very shook up by the Florida incident, they would probably ignore the whiteboard one…and chalk it up to religious intensity…</p>
<p>Interestingly, we, as a family, have faced this type of “religious intensity” from even within the Jewish community…</p>
<p>Rodney - what do you mean by within the Jewish community?</p>
<p>I want to make sure I am understanding this. Someone wrote, “Jesus Loves You” and that is mean? For many Christian religions (not mine), Jesus and God are one and the same so saying that Jesus loves you is generally meant to be saying that God loves you. Why not just erase Jesus and write in God? There can’t be too much love, can there?</p>
<p>When my daughter was a freshman in HS some of her close friends were truly worried about her soul because she had not been saved or baptized. They told her she would go to hell, not out of meanness but out of concern for her soul. My daughter had several heartfelt conversations about our religion and a great deal of empathy was exchanged on both sides over the course of the year and they finally decided that no one’s beliefs were going to be changed but that they could still be friends.</p>
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<p>First, Mazel Tov to all of the college acceptances. Such wonderful news. At this point my head is swimming, I can’t remember who is going where, but am so happy for all of you. </p>
<p>Second, regarding the whiteboard incident. It sounds like the Jewish kid was targeted. What I would do at this point if I was the student or the students parent, is take a picture of the whiteboard and document the date and time it was noticed. I would probably contact Hillel with the information. I think that there should be a record of this in case this starts to escalate. We don’t know the motives of the person who wrote this and shouldn’t assume anything. Yes, it can be someone sharing the love as the holidays approach, or it could be the start of a systematic anti-semetic attach on this girl. </p>
<p>Third - KathieP - I respect your opinion, but as a Christian you really have no idea what Jews have gone through. Even though your Christian faith puts you at a minority within Christianity to post here that some believe G-d and Jesus are the same and a Jew should take it as that and just roll with it, shows that you don’t have the true understanding of what we go through. I would never claim to put myself in your shoes and tell you how to react, I think the same should hold true.</p>
<p>I think what Rodney referred to from within the community was a few pages back there were some Jewish students who called Israel a fascist country. I never responded to that, because it made me see red. I am always shocked by the number of self-hating Jews out there. Sometimes, I think they say these things for the shock value and to try to fit in. Do they realize how much harm they do to the Jewish community? For those kids who think that Israel is a fascist country, maybe they need to do a little history reading on Nazi Germany. Those kids are the ones who need a trip to Israel. For any Jew who has not been to Israel, I recommend it as one of the must do things in your lifetime. There is nothing as amazing as walking down the street knowing you are the majority, feeling that this a place that you really belong. That there is a safe place in this world for you. My mom is a holocaust survivor and that is one thing that she has always said. That is one of the reasons that Israel is so important to Jews around the world. </p>
<p>OK, off my soap box. Sorry I didn’t mean to rant and rave, but some of this stuff just struck a nerve. </p>
<p>P.S. Just came back from services, where both my girls read Torah today! Maybe having been at services, feeling so good about being Jewish and then reading some of this stuff, just contributed to my rant. Sorry again.</p>
<p>kathiep - I think saying “Jesus loves you” to a Jewish person is at best disrespectful. </p>
<p>mdmom - no need to apologize. I think it is very useful for us as Jewish parents to have a dialogue on this topic, recognizing that what some people will shrug off others will find highly offensive.</p>