Three students were questioned about attending services during the post-Yom Kippur break-fast meal at Sherman cafeteria, grabbing the attention of the Student Union Government, Aramark, the University's food and service provider, and Brandeis administrators. Ebone Bishop '04, Josh Zetlin '03 and Jenny Szekely '03 said they were waiting in line to eat with friends when suddenly they were stopped for questioning by a female Aramark employee, described as being middle-aged, short and wearing a business suit.

"We were asked if we had gone to services," Zetlin said. "When we said no, we were asked if we had celebrated the holiday. These questions were not asked in a pleasant tone. I don't think it's her right to know if we're Jewish or not."

While Zetlin and Szekely were eventually let in the cafeteria to eat, Bishop was told to "go to Usdan."

"Is this truly how Brandeis wishes to be represented?" students wrote in a letter which Bishop gave to the Justice. "The words that come to mind tonight are exclusivity, hypocrisy and segregation, rather than diversity, social justice and coexistence -- the values that Brandeis claims to uphold."

Bishop, quickly taking an interest in resolving this incident, said that this sort of questioning hints to continued exclusivity at Brandeis.

"I have heard of things happening," Bishop said. "I can't say personally or as a fact, but I have definitely heard from people on campus that similar things have happened like this. For instance, similar incidents with different Jewish celebrations and different Jewish holidays -- others feeling excluded because they are not Jewish."

The Student Union Government and the Administration are moving quickly to investigate this matter, but Bishop says she feels that further discussion needs to commence on campus regarding exclusivity at Brandeis.

"It's quite time that Brandeis address the issue of whether it's secular or not, because its rhetoric does not fall in line with what is actually happening in practice," Bishop said. "And, this points exactly to maybe why (people) feel isolated."

Aaron Bennos, food service director at Sherman, does not believe that isolation was a factor in telling students to leave Sherman for break-the-fast. The whole idea of pointing people away had nothing to do with religion -- "just numbers," Bennos said.

"The whole break-the-fast was a sign-up, and we need to know, as a food service, how many people are going to coming," Bennos said. "The whole University could have singed up, as long as we knew to prepare enough food. It didn't matter to me if they were of the Jewish faith or any faith whatsoever."

Last year, approximately 500 students signed up for break-the-fast, but 1,500 students came. This year, approximately 400 students registered and 600 came.

"We did have some students come in and say we'd like to eat with our friends," Bennos said. "It got to the point where we started letting everybody in, and 600 people came through the front door. Fortunately, we still had enough food. The whole idea of perhaps turning people away was whether they had singed up or not."

But, Bennos denied knowing of a cafeteria worker questioning students about their observance of Yom Kippur.

"I'd have to find out exactly who was there and how the comments were made," Bennos said.

Even if cafeteria workers were trying to limit the number of people eating in Sherman, Szekely says there is no excuse.

"(The cafeteria worker) asked if I was observing the holiday, which I think implies asking if I am Jewish," Szekely said. "That should not matter."

But, the letter that the Justice received from Bishop also said that one of the students questioned was Jewish and had fasted, another was Jewish but did not fast, and the third was neither Jewish nor had fasted.

"The student who is neither of Jewish faith and had not fasted, along with a student of color, were again asked if they had observed the holiday in any fashion," the letter stated.

In a letter to editor of the Justice, the Student Union Government said, "this incident was a direct violation of the spirit and social compact of our campus. This sort of behavior cannot be tolerated in our community."

Alex Lo '03, Student Union vice president, says that a faculty member or anyone who has an invested interest in Brandeis is integral part of the community. "This incident is unacceptable," he said.

During Sunday's Student Union Government, Bishop announced that she would bring the issue to the Board of Trustees this weekend.

Jean Eddy, Vice President for Students and Enrollment, is heading the investigation to determine what policy motivated the Aramark employee to question students.

Rabbi Allan Lehmann is also helping with the investigation.

"It's great that non-Jewish students would want to join in with their friends at events like post-Yom Kippur break-fasts," Lehmann said. "Hillel and Chaplaincy are working carefully with other parts of Brandeis to help foster those kinds of intergroup experiences. To do that, it's critical that everyone is helped to feel welcome.