<p>I find it odd that people are being put on the defensive because they may be seeking a place where there exists a community in which they/their child will be comfortable. Diversity and multiculturalism and all of that is wonderful, but just like any other “group”, few people want to be the pioneer or feel isolated.</p>
<p>I cannot tell you how much easier it is for me to deal with things like Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, and Passover because there is a fairly large self-identified Jewish population at my school (though there is a low number of observant Jews).</p>
<p>Additionally, because of our size there have been amazing educational opportunities, both affiliated with Brown through the Judaic Studies department and not, that I’ve been able to take advantage of at Brown. These opportunities are really important to me and may not have been found other places.</p>
<p>I didn’t consciously look for Jewish populations when I applied for college, but I did stop in at the Hillel most of the time just to see what existed. FWIW, I hardly ever go to Hillel now despite being involved in Jewish life in many other ways on campus.</p>