Seeing the cultural light

Sometimes, an individual chooses to see what he or she wants to see at the sad expense of taking into consideration the larger, more holistic picture of what is.  Rajat Roy’s column “Spreading the culture around,” (Oct. 1, 2009) faulted cultural groups for not “reaching out” to the larger community. What Roy pointedly fails to notice, however, is not only that the groups he chides make sincere efforts to collaborate and engage with one another and include the whole community in doing so, but also that it is partly the responsibility of each student to negotiate and seek out the many cultural opportunities that take place each day across campus.
As a devoted member of Hillel, one of the groups targeted for its cultural insularity, I take specific offense at Roy’s claims, particularly regarding our interaction with the Muslim Students Association. Not only does Hillel collaborate with the MSA regularly, most recently at the MSA’s Fast-a-thon, but there is a specific Interfaith/Intercultural coordinator on the executive board of Hillel whose role is to foster genuine collaboration between Hillel and a vast array of cultural groups across campus. From joint bible studies to MSA/Hillel ladies’ dinners to thoughtful discussion about the meaning of the swastika with the Hindu Students Organization, there is ample programming that reaches across cultural lines, perhaps not in a flashy way, but certainly in a meaningful and honest fashion. Therefore, for Roy to say that Hillel “might benefit from a mixer with the Muslim Students Association” is to cheapen and ignore the many genuine and thoughtful programs that have and will continue to take place.  

In terms of exclusively Hillel, or Jewish-based, programming, no event is restricted to just Jewish students.  And while it is certainly the responsibility of the group to spread event information as far and wide as possible, it is also partly the student’s responsibility to wade through the sea of events that happen on campus every day. Sign up for all the listservs. Check the Lerner calendar daily. Check the sidebar of Bwog. Most of the time, the events are there—it is simply a matter of seeing. Making the effort to step outside of one’s own experience and base of knowledge is an integral part of the collegiate experience. That said, while I think it important to stress accountability on the part of students, I also want to recognize that it indeed takes a certain amount of courage to attend an event where you may not know anyone or might know little about the culture of the group running the event.  

Another portion of Roy’s claim, that the purpose of culture groups “should really be about exposing one’s culture to everyone else” is also a sincere oversimplification of the nature and purpose of cultural groups at Columbia. While it is certainly true that groups must and should reach out to the whole community, a integral purpose of such groups is also to encourage exploration of one’s own identity. Roy’s insider/outsider framework unfairly amalgamates the members of a cultural group into a homogeneous population. A religious, cultural, or ethnic group is not simply a uniform entity, but an organization comprised of many unique individuals with different backgrounds and wildly different interests and views. Many members of Hillel, for example, are just as different from one another as they are with those outside the cultural group. For many students, therefore, groups such as Hillel allow students to explore what their Jewish identity means to them and create deepening ties with their culture, religion, and/or heritage.

Still, if as Roy argues, cultural engagement seems absent on campus or is not being conveyed enough, we must work to put any of those feelings to rest. As far as Hillel is particularly concerned, I think it crucial to stress that Hillel is designed to be a home for all students. That curious, looming building across from Schapiro is actually pretty cozy once you venture inside.  All are welcome! And on most days, there is much free food and plenty of quiet study space. Sometimes, it is simply a peaceful environment with some good food and earnest conversation that can foster the greatest amount of cultural curiosity and understanding. All it takes is a hearty appetite.   

Sarah Brafman is a Columbia College senior majoring in history. She is the president of the Columbia/Barnard Hillel.