In a time of rampant divisiveness, the Jewish community has certainly rallied together in recent months to show our camaraderie and strength. As a college counselor, I’m heartened by the level of cohesion and attachment to many colleges’ Jewish infrastructure our SAR High School alumni have displayed since the shocking campus unrest of last year. Just before the summer, Dr. Laura Shaw Frank, National Director of American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Center for Education Advocacy, approached me about two speaking roles having to do with rising campus antisemitism: 1) To address Jewish parents whose children do not attend Jewish high schools; and 2) To speak to college counselors of independent high schools and public schools whose populations include many Jewish students. I eagerly welcomed the invitations and was excited to learn that I would be a co-panelist alongside my longtime colleague and friend Ms. Dana Messinger, Dean of College Guidance at The Ramaz Upper School. The opportunity to partner with my esteemed college admission ally, under the leadership of the American Jewish Committee, was an exciting offer to accept.
Dana and I knew that we had important work to do and messages to disseminate. We would first meet in person with the local Jewish parents and then over a Zoom webinar with school counselors from around the country, two weeks apart, during the heart of our busiest time of year. Nestled in between these dates was the three-day conference in Los Angeles of the National Association for College Admission Counseling where we spent hours advocating for our students. We prepared for the panels, moderated by the AJC’s Director of K-12 Education Strategy in New York, Mr. Ira Glasser.
On Tuesday evening, September 17, we had our first speaking engagement at Park Avenue Synagogue, addressing parents of Jewish students attending a range of non-yeshiva day schools. Dana and I recognized that the detailed information our respective departments at Ramaz and SAR convey to our students about Jewish life on college campuses is a form of important access that many Jewish students nationwide do not possess. In an hour of addressing various talking points and then fielding questions, we were able to provide details about topics like Jewish organizations on campus; geographic patterns vis-a-vis campus antisemitism; faculty voices speaking against Israel; interacting with admission representatives; presenting oneself on college applications; and much more. Being able to speak in front of a full ballroom of concerned parents was invigorating, as we were able to allay numerous parental concerns.
Parents whose children do not attend yeshiva high schools expressed concern that the unrest of last year, highlighted by the spring semester encampments, would return to campuses. We were able to let them know that most universities have returned to their rulebooks, many of which hadn’t been touched in several decades (with regards to campus protests), revising policies to ensure student safety and appropriate forms of free speech. Moreover, parents were worried about their children presenting themselves as Jewish, fearing potential biases against our religion by admission representatives. We assured them that being Jewish is not a political statement, and college admission offices celebrate diversity in many forms. In fact, quite a few institutions, including highly selective ones, have leaned into admitting a larger number of Jewish students in recent years. We pointed out that some of the campuses most prominently featured in the media have been targeted by anti-Israel groups purely because the critical mass of Jewish students is so impressive. On these campuses, members of the Jewish community have impressively banded together, with many examples of students who were previously unaffiliated choosing to associate with Hillel, Chabad and other Jewish organizations. Dana shared the example of a Ramaz alumna, in her first days on campus, having her mezuzah stolen from her door. Scores of students, in solidarity with the freshman, placed mezuzahs on their doors, demonstrating strength, unity and Jewish pride in prominently displaying their Judaism.
On Tuesday afternoon, October 1, Dana and I, together with Ira, addressed 65 college counselors from high schools around the nation, many of whom represented New York City independent schools whom we have come to know well over the years. An additional 68 registered for the webinar and will be sent the recording. While the Jewish day school network is robust, there are far more Jewish students, of all Jewish denominations, attending independent schools and public schools. In speaking to their school counselors from across 24 states (most of whom have been supportive of their Jewish students), it was evident that any resources the counseling leaders of Ramaz and SAR could provide were wholeheartedly embraced. We covered comparable topics while recognizing that our target audience was not necessarily Jewish, and our talking points would need to be amended accordingly.
Dana and I described the various organizations that are safe spaces for Jews, like Meor and Aish, in addition to the better known Hillel and Chabad. We conveyed the types of questions that could be asked of admission officers. We spoke about the types of campuses where being Jewish, historically, has not been simple and where, on the heels of the 2023-2024 school year, being Jewish is even more precarious. And we offered advice on encouraging Jewish students from their high schools to attach themselves to on-campus Jewish resources immediately upon the start of the fall semester.
Dana and I—and other yeshiva high school college counselors—spend our working hours educating and counseling our Modern Orthodox Jewish students about the post-secondary educational experience. It has been my professional mission since moving from a college admission career to the high school counseling side of the desk in 2007. Our messaging is incredibly meaningful and, since the horrific October 7 terrorist attacks, our work has never been more essential. Having the chance to communicate with two new constituent groups was truly affirming. At the same time, being able to collaborate with my highly regarded Jewish day school peer confirmed that professional cooperation, friendship and sensitivity are integral ingredients for the long-term solvency of Jewish organizations. Thankfully, in the college counseling arena, the partnership among Jewish day school staff members across the country is incredibly strong, fortifying the bonds of our students when they coalesce on a college campus.
Wishing everyone a Shana Tova, and may 5785 bring the Jewish people continued compassion, resilience and triumphs.
Mr. Michael Courtney is the Director of College Counseling at SAR High School. He also leads the school’s Senior Exploration project, and co-chairs the SAR and yeshiva high school Guiding Good Choices program.
About Machon Siach: Machon Siach was established in 2015 with a legacy gift from Marcel Lindenbaum z”l, honoring the memory of his wife, Belda Kaufman Lindenbaum z”l.
