The Lone Orthodox Jew at Notre Dame
The New York Times got lots of attention for their attention to profiling lonely Jews — most recently, the few Jews in Montana.
But what about being the [only] Orthodox Jew at the nation’s most famous Catholic university, Notre Dame? It is apparently a struggle against constant misunderstanding, as an article in a local college paper makes clear.
“Sharratt said he feels a general ignorance pervades campus about what Judaism stands for,” the reporter notes — before going onto use Sharratt to explain the basics, like how ““there are laws on how to clip your fingernails, tie your shoes, dress, what to think about, what you should have on your mind, self-inspection, prayer, business dealings — there are 613 biblical commandments.”
More importantly, though, the article allows Sharratt to explain once and for all why he can’t go to Notre Dame football games — though during the last few years, who, of any faith, would want to?
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30