Sasson
I see the “rape culture†as merely another symptom of a campus context which is not primarily informed by any religious (Orthodox/Torah) Hashkafa. College campuses tend to be more politically progressive in their academic orientation, which would ostensibly grant young women equality and respect. However, it does not always play out that way. “Partying†has always been and remains a central component of the social environment in both the “Greek†subculture or otherwise. In other words, why would one reasonably expect things to play out differently? (and we are not even talking about having to defend oneself from anti-Israel sentiment)
This brings us back to previous discussions (to which you allude) from an educational guidance perspective. It appears to me that one of the holy grails of competitive recruiting within many Modern Orthodox high schools in the U.S. is acceptance rates into the Ivy’s and other popular universities. Somehow, there is collective comfort in the “inoculation theory†based on Gap Year in Israel/JLIC/Kosher meal plan/large Orthodox student population/Hillel/Chabad that will maintain or even enhance a child’s card-carrying membership in the Modern Orthodox world after graduation.
Prior to Senior year, it would be great to get together in the same room of any Modern Orthodox HS a group[ comprised of current parents, Mechanchim and Principals, college guidance counselors, experienced JLIC Rabbis (with empirical and anecdotal data), and intellectually honest parents of that HS's alumni post-college to discuss the validity of such assumptions.
Elly D. Lasson, Ph.D.
Organizational Psychologist and Consultant
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
