By Zohar Ben Simon, Staff Writer
Inclusivity is fundamental at any school. A lack of safe and secure spaces can create a cold and isolated environment, which could deter people from attending a university. This separation, and sometimes lack of inclusivity, is especially prevalent at Yeshiva University. Although we are all united through our Judaism, our diverse range of traditions, cultures, and hashkafot make it easy to cling to people we are similar to, rather than venturing out and meeting people who are different from us.
Before I arrived at YU, I didn’t realize the wide spectrum of religious identities that exist within Judaism. Coming from a small, public school, I didn’t have the exposure to any diversity within the Jewish world and had a narrow view of what it meant to be Jewish in general. I was raised with a handful of other Jewish teens, all of whom didn’t stick around for more than a few years and I felt I couldn’t connect to them.
From elementary school to high school, I was the only Jewish orthodox student and I believed that my situation was one in a million. I missed proms, homecomings, football games and weeks of school because of my religious values. I started to associate Judaism with feelings of loss and resentment.
At the time, I felt that I had no one to speak to about my situation and began losing hope for a “normal” school experience, while keeping my religion close. Only when I began to meet the other students around me at YU did I realize I had people to relate to and that I was not alone in how I felt, or in the situation I grew up in.
Confiding in others also allowed me to see the various types of circumstances that others went through in their journeys with Judaism. I learned things about myself through people that I didn’t completely relate to, but still saw similarities between us. Our differences, along with our similarities, opened my eyes and allowed me to recognize and appreciate my own Jewish identity.
The Mechina Pathways Program at YU offered on the Beren campus is a great example of tearing down these barriers and making others feel comfortable enough to integrate themselves into what could be a new world for some. This program on the Beren campus – or the Jewish Striar School of Jewish Studies program on the Wilf campus – works towards making those who come to YU from non traditional “YU backgrounds” feel secure and included. The accessibility of this program allows Jewish students to grow without feeling set apart from others.
Growing up without any formal Jewish education was a big factor in choosing whether I should go to YU or not and almost deterred me from attending, especially because from the outside, it seemed that everyone already had their cliques, as well as a more expansive understanding of Judaism. I only discovered Mechina about a week before classes started and joining the program has truly shaped my experience. I was given an outlet to ask questions that I may have felt embarrassed asking in front of girls that I knew were more knowledgeable in the subject than I was and I had the opportunity to connect with girls who shared similar backgrounds as me.
The Mechina program has helped me not only come to terms with my circumstances, but embrace them. Without this experience, I might have stayed uncomfortable with my Judaism and missed the chance to branch out and connect with other students. This sense of inclusivity helped me be aware of others and let me relate to others and their own unique challenges. I was given the opportunity to build friendships and find a community where I felt I truly belonged and could thrive. Inclusivity is essential to YU, it brings the campus together and provides a welcoming space for students to make new connections. There are shared interests, strings of connection, and potential friendships between each and every student at YU, we just need to provide the opportunity to find them.
Photo Caption: Students on the Mechina Shabbaton this year
Photo Credit: Zohar Ben Simon