According to the Anti-Defamation League’s Campus Report Card, Jewish students make up about 18% of Emory University’s undergraduate student body. Add to that another 700 Jewish graduate students and an unreported number of Jewish professors, and Emory’s Jewish population is likely 2,000.
The ADL rated Emory a “C” based on active Jewish life, stance on divesting from Israel, Zionism, and antisemitism, and more.
One Jewish Emory student recommends rising freshman start building a support network as soon as they arrive on campus. Jewish clubs and organizations include EIPAC, Eagles for Israel, Chabad at Emory, Hillels of Georgia, Meor, Bayit House, chaplaincy, fraternities, and sororities.
Lyndsey Lipton, 22, is finishing her fourth year at Emory. She’s one of the 1,250 Jewish students at the university.
During her first week at Emory, Lipton visited Chabad and Hillel to figure out what felt most comfortable. She said joining Eagles for Israel made her introduction to the Emory Jewish community easier.
Lipton is majoring in neuroscience with a Jewish Studies minor. After taking several Hebrew classes at Emory and a gap year in Israel, she’s fluent in Hebrew. She has become a regular at Chabad at Emory, where she enjoys Shabbat, kosher meals, holidays, and events.
Lipton is one of the presidents of Eagles for Israel, which she describes as an apolitical club that focuses on Israeli culture, Israeli food. Prior to Oct. 7, Eagles for Israel was focused on giving people on campus a positive touchpoint to Israel.
“Overall, I think, there is a negative connotation around Israel. Our biggest event this semester is Israel Fest. We get 400 to 500 people out in the middle of campus enjoying the little things about Israel, whether it’s Israeli candy, food, music, games … we give people a non-political view of what it is like to live in Israel. I think that’s something that most campuses need,” Lipton said.
Eagles for Israel has held several Jewish unity events since the Israel-Hamas war began. They held a few events in honor of the hostages, which was outside of the typical scope, but leadership felt it’s what students needed. Eagles for Israel also co-sponsors events with other clubs, like Israeli-Latin Night or Mega Havdalah.
“You don’t have to make only Jewish friends, but finding your people is really important. Being in a Jewish sorority on Oct. 7 – those were the first people to make sure to check on me,” she said, adding that fostering relationships helped her to create a support system outside of clubs.
Emory has 28 fraternities and sororities. Six of those are Jewish: the sororities are Alpha Epsilon Phi, Delta Phi Epsilon, and Sigma Delta Tau, and the fraternities are Sigma Alpha Mu, Alpha Epsilon Pi, and Zeta Beta Tau.
“Jewish students are scattered within the sororities,” she said. “That’s a positive thing that we have at Emory. Being Jewish doesn’t mean you have to be in the Jewish sorority or fraternity.”
The advice by Lipton translates to other college campuses. In an ADL webinar on May 1, experts recommended that incoming freshman connect with Jewish groups before they arrive on campus. Get on a mailing list, attend a spring or summer event, or stop by during an orientation day.
“Take advantage of all the opportunities both locally and nationally,” said Francine Ephraim, a mother of college students.
