Notre Dame’s student newspaper, the Observer, printed on today's front page an article entitled: “Community Celebrates Yom Kippur.” This made headlines because for the first time in Notre Dame history, someone actually photographed a Jewish student siting on campus. It was a revolutionary and astonishing finding which no one could have predicted.

Further research indicates that Jewish individuals may in fact share some similarities with the larger Notre Dame student body, as they were photographed enjoying dinner together, something many Notre Dame students have in common. How could this discovery not have made the front page of every newspaper this morning?

But seriously, I was very surprised to learn that there are Jewish students at Notre Dame. Honestly, in my 4th year as a ND student, I’ve never met, known anyone that’s met, or even considered the possibility of meeting a real-live Jewish person on campus. Even the president of Notre Dame’s Jewish Club is a practicing Catholic (I couldn’t have written a better joke, but it’s true). Fortunately, she is “half-Jewish by heritage.” (Sidebar: How can someone be “half” Jewish if they choose to believe in Catholicism? Apparently, Judaism is the only religion that stays in your blood despite your actual beliefs.)

This article marks a significant turning point in the relationships between students of all religions at Notre Dame, as it may be the school’s first acknowledgment of the existence of Jews at Notre Dame; unfortunately, at this pace, Muslims and Protestants will have to wait 166 years to get their recognition.