<p>levirm: Great post. Based on my upbringing (force-fed Conservative Judaism), I might have argued with much of it. However, having brought up my kids in a Reform Temple and sending them to a URJ Camp (including NFTY trip to Israel after 10th grade), I see this all so clearly as an adult. I’m so glad that my kids feel it (and “get it”) way earlier in life than I did. For us (= for my kids), having a Jewish community at college is essential. They have grown up in a very diverse community, with few Jews, but they value the Jewish community based on their summer camp experiences. No reason not to have that Jewish community available to you at college. How much they prioritize it at college will be up to them… we shall see. I’m optimistic :)</p>
<p>levirm - I looked up the book you recommended on amazon - I found one called Unsettled - An Anthropology of the Jews - by Melvin Konner I’m assuming that is what you meant?</p>
<p>@levirm: I loved your post. It answers clearly so many of the questions that my kids have posed to me (which I’ve not managed to answer adequately).</p>
<p>Having grown up a Conservative Jew and raised my family in that tradition, it certainly helps to have the words to explain why we do what we do. I had an interesting conversation with one of my kids recently re: success in the Jewish population vis-a-vis other newer immigrant groups, and the topic of complacency came up. It is a hard sell to tell your child not to get too comfortable here; our kids see themselves as Jewish Americans and not American Jews. Much different from the earlier mentalities. You start to think you’re just like everyone else and then, whoomp, someone like Helen Thomas reveals the underlying sentiment that still lurks.
I will definitely take your book recommendation. Thanks again for the education.</p>
<p>I am not sure assimilation is such a great threat. I would want to see data on how the children of the increasing number of intermarriages are brought up. And one major result of assimilation in the US has been that overt anti-semitism has become far less acceptable politically than before.</p>
<p>A greater concern may be the political results of the increasing influence of Muslim extremists over governments worldwide.</p>
<p>Even Donald Trump’s daughter married someone Jewish!! 
She converted to Judiasm for the privledge.
Yeah, this thread has been amazing. I’m sure rockvillemom had no idea it would be at almost 1000 messages! I guess you hit on a subject many people have in common…and as always, we strive to do the best and seek the best answers for our children. And in the process, we learn something too!</p>
<p>yabeyabe2: you hit the nail on the head. The muslim extremists are a HUGE threat all over Europe and all over the world. It is frightening to hear that Iranian dictator spew filth from his mouth and to hear that some super powers are even in talks with him…THAT is the biggest threat to all democratic western countries…and we need to educate our children to be prepared for what may happen on college campuses too. Demonstrations, whatever…these kids need to be protected and maybe that’s why we seek out Hillel’s too…it does seem like a safer haven when these kids leave home…very frightening what’s happening in the world today and it seems to be escalating, not calming down.</p>
<p>Some of you ‘know’ me from other 3.0-3.3 threads. We live in California and my S is interested in East Coast schools. He loves NYC and is interested in hearing what people have to say about Pace. He’d love NYU, but doesn’t have the grades. Was infatuated with Eugene Lang, but I said No since it comes across as unacceptably disorganized and doesn’t appear to provide sufficient direction – not good for a freshman a million miles away from home for the first time. S is still clinging to his New York fantasy and we parents are wondering if Pace is second rate or if it has some things to recommend it. He is interested in some business courses as well as international relations, history, anthropology, and other more Liberal Arts-y stuff. No sense of a major yet. Pace seems to be all business all the time. (As far as Jewish activities are concerned, I have no doubt that in the city he’d have access to every shade and hue of Judaism known to humankind, so a good Hillel is not even a question for me.) But the university itself – I don’t know so much. Thoughts?</p>
<p>I think you are right about Lang. I do not know much about Pace. There is also the Lincoln Center campus of Fordham. And I would not write off NYU, given your son’s upward trajectory and geographic diversity.</p>
<p>Note that Pace in White Plains has more of a campus and easy train access to NYC, as do Manhattanville; Drew; Fordham (not sure how many Jews are there); Fairfield (ditto); Fairleigh Dickinson (check the suitcase school rep); and SUNY Purchase.</p>
<p>My late office mate taught at Fordham before he came to our school; he said it was 1/3 Jewish.</p>
<p>Fordham has a much better reputation than Pace. I would seriously consider it even though it is Catholic, given its location and size of its Jewish student body.</p>
<p>“I looked up the book you recommended on amazon - I found one called Unsettled - An Anthropology of the Jews - by Melvin Konner I’m assuming that is what you meant?”</p>
<p>Yes! I apologize that I got the title wrong in an earlier post.</p>
<p>From what we were told at Fordham, it is 70% Catholic, 30% other and of the other only .01% Jewish. A friend of mine told me she knew of two kids (one Jewish, one not) that transferred out because they felt too much anti-semitism and bigotry there. Other people have told me that they are very tolerant. Although my daughter is very involved in NFTY she was hellbent on going there, regardless. Luckily they came up with very little scholarship money and Pace won out. I think Pace is a good alternative if you want to be in NYC. They claim to have great internships and the kids from her high school that are there now do like it a lot. She was admitted to their honors college and they were very generous with scholarships, so hopefully it will work out for her. I do believe there is somewhat of a Jewish population there as they are closed for all the Jewish Holidays. (Fordham of course, is not).</p>
<p>My s toured Fordham a few years ago. He was totally turned off when the student body was referred to as “Champions for Christ.”</p>
<p>Wow, things must have changed since Paul was there.</p>
<p>DD had Fordham on her list because she wanted to be in NYC. Fortunately, she was accepted at Barnard which was the perfect environment for her, but I don’t think it’s the ticket for the OP’s son – LOL. Barnard/Columbia truly is about 1/3 Jewish.</p>
<p>I agree about not shutting out NYU. They have a track that some kids are admitted to who are somewhat underqualified for the main schools, and they spend two (?) years and then switch into one of the other colleges there. I think it’s called Liberal Studies, but not sure, and I don’t know why they accept some into there and why others are just rejected outright from NYU.</p>
<p>I wondered about Fordham but crossed it off our NYC list assuming that even with a 3.8 gpa 2nd semester junior year, the fact of a cum 3.1 (to date) would put S out of the running. Same with NYU. I had no idea about the second track. Which leaves Pace and its erratic reputation. Regarding Fordham, S currently attends a rigorous Catholic College Prep School where he has more Jewish friends than he had at the local public k-6 elementary in our town. Yes, there are crucifixes on every available bit of wall, but they are very welcoming and there’s no discernible anti-semitism -believe me, we have serious radar for that sort of thing! It has been a wonderful educational and social environment for S, so I don’t think he’d be put off by a Catholic university. But, if we won the lottery in terms of $$$ and admissions, I think he’d choose NYU. Not happening. So back to researching Pace. And maybe Drew. Boy, these schools are expensive! Thanks alf56 for a little more info on Pace. Is it worth a trip across the country to check it out, do you think?</p>
<p>Calvin, I don’t know much about it, but you might want to look at Wagner College in Staten Island. Also, depending on how close he wants to be to NY, and what he’d like to major in, he might want to look into Montclair State in NJ, Ramapo College in NJ, Rutgers University in NJ, Marist College in NY (1.5 hour train ride into NYC, but they seem to offer day trips to NY on weekends). Other options to look into would be some of the downstate SUNY campuses, Hofstra, and Adelphi. H and A are in Long Island NY (not NYC). Additionally, if your son is willing to look into Marist, you might want to explore other colleges with trains going into NYC (not sure but Quinnipiac in CT might fall into this group. I would think that some parents in CT would be able to help more with that type of advice). Schools in CT, in fact, may offer weekend trips to NYC and Boston. I would inquire with admissions. Still, NYC and Boston are not exactly around the corner from schools like Marist or Quinnipiac.</p>
<p>For info about Jews at Fordham, see [Jewish</a> Faith](<a href=“http://www.fordham.edu/mission/mission_and_ministry/campus_ministry/campus_ministry_at_f/religious_traditions/jewish_faith_72037.asp]Jewish”>http://www.fordham.edu/mission/mission_and_ministry/campus_ministry/campus_ministry_at_f/religious_traditions/jewish_faith_72037.asp)</p>
<p>I guess this has been mentioned before, but SUNY Purchase is very near NYC (45 minutes) and very reasonable with interesting kids. Arts majors are difficult to get into, but the liberal arts majors aren’t.</p>
<p>Eugene Lang is a possibility, as is Hunter, which is not a bad school. Even has dorms now.</p>
<p>There are other schools in the city system that are pretty good, too. I would choose them over Pace.</p>
<p>Here is the scoop on NYU as far as I know. The “second tier” program is a semi-remedial program (not really – only as it pertains to very high stats kids) like Oxford for Emory.</p>
<p>It’s been my experience that only full pay kids are admitted.</p>
<p>Seems a bit like Cornell guaranteed junior transfer. Again, only full pay kids admitted in my experience.</p>
<p>Still, worth a shot.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, the guy I know who was admitted still had higher stats than the ones being discussed here.</p>
<p>levirm- thanks for expressing so well, the way so many of us feel about Judaism! I just put the book on hold at the library and am looking forward to reading it.</p>