Over the past several weeks, Brandeis has come under fire for the Kahdija Lynch/ Daniel Mael fiasco, as you reported in the online article, “Amid Threats, Jewish Blogger Returns,” Jan. 21. Brandeis is depicted as being a campus that is full of hatred, anger, rage, and even sporadic anti-Semitism. Stories about security on campus and battles over freedom of speech have been shared widely.
I am here to say that the Lynch/Mael saga largely involves only two students. The issues under debate in that story do not affect the vast majority of students on campus, and in no way interfere with the quality of Jewish life here. I am here to tell you that Brandeis cares about its Jewish community.
Brandeis is the epitome of a thriving Jewish community. As former president of the Brandeis Orthodox Organization (BOO) and current president of Chabad at Brandeis, I can attest firsthand to the uniqueness of our growing and flourishing community. We have daily minyanim, two batei midrash, kosher food in every dining establishment campus (which is surprisingly edible). What other institution can say that its president takes time out of his weekend to welcome students into his home to “guard” and “remember” the Sabbath?
There are five rabbis on staff at Brandeis, and Hillel has a multitude of programming.
We live in a time of hyper-sensationalism. Don’t judge an entire community by one-sided, over dramatic, self-serving, reports you read in the papers. Why not, instead, come and spend a Shabbos with us?
Brandeis University Waltham, Mass.
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