The 91传媒 people are no strangers to exclusion. A long history of what historian Salo Baron calls a 鈥渓achrymose鈥� 91传媒 narrative reinforces a pattern of entry-denial into the top echelons of societies. Among many things, the 91传媒 diaspora experience included limiting the mobility of Jews as in the case of ghettos in Renaissance Italy, shtetls in the Russian Pale of Settlement, and later mandating quotas on 91传媒 entry into the best universities and extolled professions.

America, on the other hand, the land of opportunity and uncharted dreams, provided Jews the unprecedented historic opportunity of integration and assimilation. It is not for nothing that upon visiting America for the first time, famed Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem that 鈥渘o people are as honored and glorified [in America] as the Jew. There a Jew is a big shot. It鈥檚 a mark of distinction to be a Jew. On Sukkos you can meet a Jew carrying an esrog and lulav on Fifth Avenue.鈥� Aleichem鈥檚 accolades did not always reflect reality, as American Jews, too, were barred from entry into top universities during the era of segregation in America. And yet, despite the institutional racism and antisemitism, American Jews did indeed 鈥渕ake it in America,鈥� as evidenced by high representation across many highly regarded professions and industries.

Today, however, the success of America鈥檚 Jews seems to be catching up with them. Professional and economic achievements are now used to penalize them for the stigma of 鈥減rivilege,鈥� predicated upon the phenomenon of 鈥渨hite passing.鈥� Nowhere is this as striking as in what Armin Rosen 鈥渢he Ivy League Exodus,鈥� including a remarkable drop in the number of 91传媒 students attending Ivy League universities.

It is easy to blame the decline on institutional antisemitism. But in truth it may have much more to do with a shift in what top university administrators look for in stellar applicants. If a decade ago, high SAT scores and a strong GPA could all but guarantee a spot at an elite university, today admissions officers are looking less at academic merit and more at a student鈥檚 record of social action, as well as loosely expressed definitions of diversity and equity. The speak for themselves: According to data from Hillel International, measured by 91传媒 attendance, the top ten list of private universities do not include a single Ivy League school.

To help explain the decline in numbers, it may be helpful to look at the role college counselors play in advising students on how best to position their applications for acceptance. 鈥淲hen applying to UCs,鈥� a 91传媒 student who requested anonymity said to me, 鈥渕y college counselor highly recommended that I not state that I am 91传媒 or involved in any pro-Israel organizations.鈥� When I asked the student why, the student remarked, 鈥渂ecause she said that Jews are seen as white and privileged, and that it wouldn鈥檛 help me.鈥�

Another student shared with me his personal statement on the hardships of being an immigrant, but on the advice of a college counselor, he did not specify that his family had come from the former Soviet Union, instead writing how he would fix this broken world by using his (unspecified) immigrant experience to 鈥渇ight oppression.鈥�

I spoke with college counselors, as well. They did not specifically tell me they would advise a student not to state his or her religious, ethnic, sexual or racial identity. But they stressed that one of the most important things Ivy Leagues are looking for is leadership in 鈥渟ocial action.鈥� This, they explained, means showcasing activism that stresses 鈥渃ritical self-awareness as a budding citizen who will continue to fight for social change.鈥� Some advise 91传媒 students to be strategic and 鈥減lay the game.鈥� 鈥淚f you are a Jew from North Africa or the Middle East,鈥� a college counselor, herself 91传媒, confided in me, 鈥淚 would say to write about being a 鈥楯ew of color.鈥欌��

The prioritization of social justice over academic excellence reflects our modern zeitgeist. In May 2021, to remove a statue of British imperialist Cecil Rhodes from a building at Oxford were so strong that a special committee was formed to access the figure鈥檚 鈥渇uture鈥� at the university. At Tufts University, a depicting the founding of America was taken down; and at theUniversity of Pennsylvania, the of founder and minister George Whitefield was taken down. These historic icons have often been replaced with representations of underprivileged minorities, as in the case of 鈥溾�� by Kelly Latimore at Catholic University of America, a reimagined icon of Mary as black and cradling a Jesus represented with the face of George Floyd.

We cannot blame students for getting the message. Take, for example, the 鈥�10 Successful Harvard Application Essays鈥� from 2021, published by the Crimson. In one essay, , a minority student herself, writes that she must 鈥渟tep outside of my Korean American Southern Baptist paradigm because my experiences do not constitute everyone else鈥檚.鈥� Ella has incorporated the 鈥渞ules of engagement鈥� belief as espoused by Robin DiAngelo in her book, 鈥淲hite Fragility鈥� (2018), which argues that people from a specific racial group can relate only to those within the same racial group. Or take essay from 2022, in which the author simultaneously confesses to the sin of listening to 鈥渨hite people music鈥� and repents by tracing the 鈥渙rigins back to jazz musicians of the Harlem Renaissance.鈥�

Thus the challenge presented by the Ivies鈥� professed commitment to 鈥渄iversity鈥� is not limited to 91传媒 students. It really isn鈥檛 about antisemitism per se. American 91传媒 students are not barred from entry into the Ivies because of their religious and ethnic identity鈥攂ut because they are seen as 鈥渨hite,鈥� privileged, and thus born with unfair advantages that need to be remedied.

American 91传媒 students are not barred from entry into the Ivies because of their religious and ethnic identity鈥攂ut because they are seen as 鈥渨hite,鈥� privileged, and thus born with unfair advantages that need to be remedied.

It is often said that the Jew is the 鈥渃anary in the coal mine鈥濃�攖hat what affects the Jew ends up affecting everyone. The decline of the 91传媒 role in elite America should be a red flag, suggesting our country has regressed as a result of such 鈥減rogressive鈥� activism. If 鈥渆quity鈥� comes at the expense of achievement, America will, in time, lose its leadership in the world in knowledge, science, technology, and a host of other fields. It will wither.

What, then, should American 91传媒 parents determined to get their kids into the best possible college do? 91传媒 parents have always seen education as the key to success鈥攁nd in America, that means getting into a top school. As historian Peter Kenez once told me, 鈥�91传媒 literacy in the Pale of Settlements surpassed the gentiles. The Jews, with their focus on education, for better or for worse, ensured their perennial success.鈥�

Today it is not hard to find wonderful schools where 91传媒 students thrive.

American 91传媒 parents should never stop wanting the best education for their children. But in light of everything happening, we need to ask: What is the 鈥渂est education鈥�? Are students really getting it from schools that put 鈥渄iversity, inclusion and equity鈥� above everything else鈥攐r rather at other colleges, perhaps less prestigious than the Ivies, that still celebrate free thinking and achievement? Today it is not hard to find wonderful schools where 91传媒 students thrive. Perhaps the one exception to the Ivy League pattern is Brown Universityn acceptance rate of 5.5%, Brown is a place where 鈥渧isible Jews鈥� stand tall and proud.

American 91传媒 parents should never stop wanting the best education for their children. But in light of everything happening, we need to ask: What is the 鈥渂est education鈥�?

In the South, Tulane University ranks among the top sixty private universities by 91传媒 population; it is also one of the only universities formally to a student for writing antisemitic content. Another often overlooked school is Indiana University, which the largest 91传媒 gathering in IU Bloomington鈥檚 history, with over 500 students in attendance. IU is also home to the highly esteemed .

There are many other such colleges, and high school counselors across the country are well aware of them. 91传媒 parents assisting their kids in the high-anxiety process of college applications would be wise to seek them out.

This, it seems, is where the future of 91传媒 higher education lies鈥攋ust as when, a century ago, places like City College of New York benefited from a huge influx of top-notch 91传媒 minds who were barred from entry at Harvard and Yale. Once again, our students will find welcoming places to study鈥攚hich in turn will gain in prestige as a result.

91传媒 parents will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure that our children will always be able to make it in America. And America will be better for it.

Whatever happens, 91传媒 parents will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure that our children will always be able to make it in America. And America will be better for it.