BOSTON, MA — Purim, more than any other holiday, say Chabad-on-campus representatives, brings in crowds of students who otherwise keep a safe distance from anything that feels too Jewish. It’s the time of year to reach the unreachable, like Jewish students living in fraternity and sorority houses.
Chabad’s Purim Bashes Draw In the Shy and Wary
BOSTON, MA — Purim, more than any other holiday, say Chabad-on-campus representatives, brings in crowds of students who otherwise keep a safe distance from anything that feels too Jewish. It’s the time of year to reach the unreachable, like Jewish students living in fraternity and sorority houses.
Fifteen percent of Jewish college students belong to a Jewish fraternity, according to the National Jewish Population Survey. Opting to socialize and live with fellow Jews, wearing classic Jewish frat – AEPi, ZBT – regalia, these students don’t shy from their Jewish identity, but they’re not necessarily joiners of Jewish activities either.
Rabbi Peretz and Chanie Chein, who direct the Chabad center that serves Brandeis University students, noticed that though students by the hundreds joined Purim parties sponsored by Jewish groups on campus, frat brothers and sorority sisters were mostly MIA.
“We came up with the idea of hosting a Greek house party at Chabad, and not a Chabad sponsored event that fraternities and sororities are invited to,” said Rabbi Chein. Students involved in Greek life on campus “were very enthusiastic about the idea.”
