Graphic courtesy of jchoice.org
By Sammy McClintock
Features Columnist
When stepping foot into the Jewish Student Union (JSU) club at South, you are instantly met with friendly faces, Israeli music, fun Jewish activities, and of course, food. With Jews making up over 30% of Newton’s population, it is no surprise that Newton South has such an active community where Jews can come together to socialize and connect to their culture.
Everyone is welcome to join the club, which meets every Tuesday during Lion Block. Senior Karine Grutman, the president of the club, emphasized, “JSU is for Jews, but it’s also for people who just like this community. You do not have to be Jewish to join JSU… It’s just a healthy, happy, welcoming community. We are here with open arms and always want more people to come.” At JSU, students of many different ages and backgrounds can come together and connect through Judaism.
The JSU at Newton South is run through the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY), a Jewish youth group program working to strengthen students’ relationships to their Jewish identity. One of its goals is to create JSUs in as many public schools as possible.
Abby Kutin, a junior at South and the social media coordinator of the club, talked about her experience with NCSY: “I was involved with NCSY, and I wanted Judaism to be a part of our school… Now there are clubs in Sharon, Needham, Newton, and Marlborough… The goal is that every school in Massachusetts will have a safe place for Jews,” said Kutin. Through this program, the JSU at Newton South is connected to many other JSUs all across America.
The JSU is more than just a big social gathering—it is also a place where students can learn more about Judaism and bring up potential issues facing the Jewish community. For example, Pearl Berzin, a Newton South junior and member of the JSU, said, “I think our Holocaust curriculum needs to be more thorough—maybe a little bit longer than 2 days.”
Despite the high Jewish population in Newton, there are still many acts of antisemitism. The JSU can provide a safe place for Jews where they feel like they are part of a community.
Kutin said, “I think that it’s important [to have a JSU at Newton South] because there’s been an uprise in antisemitism at our school. For example, last year there were swastikas inside the boys’ bathroom, and this isn’t unheard of; it happens pretty often.”
Overall, the Jewish Student Union is a great place for people to explore their Jewish culture or simply find a group of people they connect with. “I bet there are people out there who don’t really feel connected to their Jewish roots, and they can find a community here at Newton South,” concluded Tom Shimoni, a student leader at JSU.
