<p>My next-door neighbors’ son is a junior at Brandeis. He grew up in a remote suburb of an East Coast city, with one Jewish parent and one non-Jewish parent, in a town where that combination is almost the norm. He never identified as Jewish. He spent most of high school thinking of himself as atheist.</p>
<p>At Brandeis, he has identified with Catholicism (his mom’s religion). He has explored Catholicism both in his classes and through the Catholic students’ center. He has developed a close relationship with the Catholic chaplain (who is a prominent figure on campus). I half-expect one day I’ll see a post on his Facebook wall that says, “Hey, Jake! I hope one day I can be as Catholic as you. Keep up the good work! --Benedict XVI.”</p>
<p>So there’s one story of a non-Jew who’s loving the non-Jewish life at Brandeis.</p>