Dartmouth Hillel, the College's only Jewish student organization and one that purports to represent Jewish students, has failed in its mission and currently alienates both current and potential students. It is important for the Dartmouth community to recognize this and not associate the actions of a small group of students with the wider Jewish population. I am writing to the general Dartmouth community because it is the only way that I know of to reach those Jewish students who came to college expecting to find an open, welcoming Jewish community and who rapidly disassociated themselves from Hillel and because these issues have implications for the entire Dartmouth community.
Dartmouth has a long history of overt anti-Semitism that ended only within the last half century. To combat this reputation, the College supports an extremely well-funded religious/cultural organization. Almost certainly the richest student religious or cultural organization on campus, it is one of the few to have its own building in addition to funds for a full-time programming director. Yet Dartmouth Hillel has not met national accreditation standards and Dartmouth still has the lowest percentage of Jewish students of any Ivy League by a factor of almost 50 percent. Aside from a lingering reputation of anti-Semitism, the problem lies in the failure of the staff and student leaders of Dartmouth Hillel to establish a religiously diverse and welcoming Jewish group.
I have spent four years working to change Hillel from the inside, but in my senior year, it is one of the least comfortable places on campus for me to express my religious beliefs. Dartmouth Hillel is not open and welcoming to more observant students and actively participates in activities which are against traditional Jewish law and which serve to alienate religious students. For example, Dartmouth Hillel's biggest event of the year is a ski weekend, which provides transportation to Killington and lift tickets on Saturday. For those unfamiliar with Jewish tradition, it is traditional not to work, drive or spend money on Saturday, the Jewish sabbath.
Even if few Dartmouth students choose to observe these traditions, it seems that the religious organization which advertises to represent them should. For example, it would be disrespectful to Catholic tradition if Aquinas House barbecued hamburgers on a Friday during Lent. Jewish students from more traditional backgrounds frequently say that they would feel more comfortable exploring options at Dartmouth if they had the support of a Jewish organization.
A general insensitivity and intolerance to religious difference, a lack of adult leadership and a focus which denies the most important parts of the Jewish tradition characterize Dartmouth Hillel. A great Jewish proverb states, "The world is based on three things: work, study and acts of loving kindness." But Dartmouth Hillel's main focus is social activities. There is no organized study or religious education. Neither does Hillel participate in any ongoing community service. And the group's political activism in relation to Israel has alienated previously involved Jews to the extent that they no longer wish any affiliation with the group.
This week Dartmouth Hillel is debating creating a mission statement to include the following phrase as part of its purpose: "Encouraging students in their support of the Jewish state of Israel." Regardless of whether the current voting members of Hillel support this statement, the more essential issue is what promoting a statement like this does to the Jewish community. From past debates it is clear that it attacks specific members of the Jewish community and alienates them from what is fundamentally a religious organization.
I want to be clear that my criticism of Hillel is not an advocacy of an alternative organization. Hillel's failure is what leaves students no option but to look to non-student run groups with specific political and religious agendas. At least one organization with a specific religious agenda is in the process of moving to Hanover. This has been facilitated, and the rift it will create among the community, is the direct result of Hillel's inability to reach out to diverse students. Judaism is a beautiful religion because it can offer so many different things to different people. Some Jews affirm their religion solely for its cultural associations, some find meaning in prayer and others appreciate the religion's methodology. All of these relationships with Judaism, as well as many more, should be respected.
How do we change this? Dartmouth Hillel is so concerned about remaining "united" that they have refused to offer a variety of religious services which could make more students more comfortable. I hope that students who were turned off by Hillel or left over time will express to the current board of Hillel and the Tucker foundation what made them uncomfortable.
I know that a group of students are happy with Hillel and the options it provides; I hope that my criticism will spur changes which make this a reality for many more students. And I hope that Dartmouth Hillel will stop representing itself as the spokes-organization for Dartmouth's Jews. Until the organization recognizes that its primary role is to provide a religious outlet for a diverse community, this is a privilege the organization cannot claim.
