Chabad a Mainstay at Lehigh U

Lehighvalleylive

College is a time of exploration for most students. New people, new places and new opportunities await those who are open to explore. But the comfort of familiar surroundings and people can also be rewarding. With hundreds of groups on campus, comfort does not lie far for those looking.

For those looking to find solace, Lehigh’s Chabad offers this to all students looking to embrace their faith.

“Chabad works together with all the Jewish organizations at Lehigh to help create a broad and dynamic Jewish community,” said Rabbi Zalman Greenberg, co-director of Chabad. “The Chabad House will serve as a ‘home away from home’ for the Jewish community at Lehigh. It will be a place where Jews of all backgrounds and degrees of observance can enjoy the exploration of their heritage in a warm, welcoming, and non-judgmental environment.”

Chabad has recently acquired a new house off-campus in order to hold events, host weekly Shabbat dinners and provide a place for all members to come and unwind.

“The new home will enable us to accommodate all our programming as well as meet the needs of the ever growing Lehigh Jewish community,” said Greenberg.

Chabad’s current residency, 727 Evans St., has housed the group for a few years. The new house, located at 306 Wyandotte St., is only a five-minute walk from campus.

The mansion purchased by Chabad was once home to Lehigh’s Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity in the late 1930s and early 1940s, according to Greenberg.

The current location on Evans St. holds some impressive records that the new house will strive to beat. The welcome back barbeque hosted by Chabad was attended by over 100 students. The Rosh Hashanah dinner drew in numbers around 200 students, forcing the group to utilize numerous backyards in order to host the festive meal. The group averages around 50 or so students for their weekly Shabbat dinners, which are festive dinners held every Friday evening.

Chabad was established in 2008, with increasing numbers of students participating in the group. A current student board keeps things running smoothly and helps to plan programs that will be offered at the house, such as dinners and social events.

Remodeling is continuing on the Chabad house but upon completion, Chabad has some exciting plans for the new mansion. According to Greenberg, the home will include a kitchen, a chapel, a large social hall, student lounge and recreation room, as well as residency for the Rabbi, his family and a few guest rooms. The property even boasts a kosher kitchen, where meals are cooked for all Shabbat dinners.

“As an officially recognized Lehigh organization, our student-run executive board is constantly planning new and exciting programs based on the rising demand of the Jewish community,” said Greenberg. “No matter what it is a student is looking for, Chabad can either satisfy or accommodate his or her needs.”

Chabad’s student-run executive board is made up of President Alex Lass, Programming Chair Elie Vogel, Events Coordinator Randi Cutler and Israel Affairs Chair Jacklyn Temares.

Several events have already been scheduled and organized for the current spring semester. Many events are open to the entire Lehigh community, such as Shabbat services and dinners, one-on-one Torah study, Sunday “BLT” (bagels, lox and Tefillin), and social events.

Some social events in the works consist of challah baking, special events for seniors, Passover Seder dinners, and Chabad’s Birthright Israel trip. The Birthright Israel trip allows students to travel abroad to Israel to spend 10 days exploring the Jewish culture, meeting natives of Jerusalem, and learning about the history and sites of the country.

The Chabad program holds festive dinners and events for all Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Chanukah and Passover.

The Chabad house even offers scholarships to allow students to study abroad in Jerusalem. The Rohr Scholarship awards a student with $5,000 towards tuition, room and board in order for a student to study at the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies located in Jerusalem.

The George Rohr family, besides offering a scholarship to students in their name, have been generous supporters for Chabad and have helped to make the new house as well as the program possible, said Greenberg. Thanks also go to Rev. Dr. Lloyd Steffan and Rabbi Seth Goren for their support and continued friendship towards Chabad.

“In short, we are bursting at the seams,” said Greenberg.

Chabad will host a Shabbat 150 event Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the new Chabad house on Wyandotte St.

With only four seats left for the Shabbat 150 dinner, you should RSVP immediately and grab yourself a seat to an evening that promises to be a fun night.