Tolerating the Tolerance Club
Tovah Silbermann
Issue date: 12/21/09 Section: Opinion
When I first arrived at Stern College for Women this fall, I was extremely excited to get involved on campus and become an active participant in the various extracurricular activities that Stern has to offer. Every time I went to a speech about why Stern is the right school for me, a young Modern Orthodox Jewish maideleh, I heard the same lines about how there is so much to take advantage of on campus and how in a regular college-due to Sabbath and holiday restraints-it would be extremely difficult for me to get as involved in the myriad of activities offered there as it would be in Stern.
I agreed with this valid point, and, before I knew it, I found myself standing in Koch Auditorium surrounded by dozens of tables promoting various different activities and clubs. I received a booklet detailing all of the different clubs on campus and was surprised to note that it was nearly the size of the Stern College course catalog.
As I walked around the room, I signed up for every club that interested me. I am currently signed up as a member of C.A.K.E (basically a group for people who like every aspect of food), the Stern College Dramatics Society, The History Club, the Quidditch Team, the Art History Club, the Active Minds Club, the Young Democrats AND the Young Republican Clubs, the Chabad Club, and many more. One specific club that caught my eye as I perused the club fair was the Yeshiva University Tolerance Club. This club sounded fascinating. According to their mission statement, the YUTC "has been established to recognize diversity and promote tolerance within the YU community. [It] aims to create an atmosphere free from discrimination and harassment based on age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender identity, level of literacy, marital status, place of origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other personal characteristics."
When I read their mission statement, the first thing that ran through my mind was how appropriate it is that a Jewish college should promote tolerance and attempt to abolish harassment and discrimination. If there is one nation, religion or social group that has continuously suffered over the millennia of history due to ignorance and intolerance, it is the Jews.
I agreed with this valid point, and, before I knew it, I found myself standing in Koch Auditorium surrounded by dozens of tables promoting various different activities and clubs. I received a booklet detailing all of the different clubs on campus and was surprised to note that it was nearly the size of the Stern College course catalog.
As I walked around the room, I signed up for every club that interested me. I am currently signed up as a member of C.A.K.E (basically a group for people who like every aspect of food), the Stern College Dramatics Society, The History Club, the Quidditch Team, the Art History Club, the Active Minds Club, the Young Democrats AND the Young Republican Clubs, the Chabad Club, and many more. One specific club that caught my eye as I perused the club fair was the Yeshiva University Tolerance Club. This club sounded fascinating. According to their mission statement, the YUTC "has been established to recognize diversity and promote tolerance within the YU community. [It] aims to create an atmosphere free from discrimination and harassment based on age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender identity, level of literacy, marital status, place of origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other personal characteristics."
When I read their mission statement, the first thing that ran through my mind was how appropriate it is that a Jewish college should promote tolerance and attempt to abolish harassment and discrimination. If there is one nation, religion or social group that has continuously suffered over the millennia of history due to ignorance and intolerance, it is the Jews.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Chana613
posted 12/26/09 @ 8:48 PM EST
Very good article. I hope people listen.
AG84
posted 12/29/09 @ 12:08 PM EST
Maybe the lack of tolerance for tolerance clubs comes from the feeling, right or wrong, that these clubs exist to attack others' less PC beliefs. It's my experience that the tolerance brigade often forgets to be tolerant when (discreetly) faced with opposing views. (Continued…)
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