Israeli Campus Paradox: Additional Jews, Less Shabbat

At Tel Aviv College, long term medical professional Jordana Hikri was dealing with a classic Israeli paradox.

Hikri spent her undergraduate many years at Dartmouth, in which the Jewish college student populace scarcely fills two faculty buses. Nonetheless Jewish life on campus was active, and her calendar was booked with Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, and Jewish occasions. In Tel Aviv, Friday evening is for clubbing.

“I used to be really involved with Chabad at Dartmouth, claims Hikri, who located herself lacking Rabbi Moshe Leib and Chani Grey of Chabad at Dartmouth. She skipped their Young children plus the mental ambiance all-around their Shabbat desk.

“Israel might be a obstacle spiritually. Everyone seems to be Jewish, and other people choose it as a right. The rituals they are used to every week are not practiced besides by those who are religious.”

But when her boyfriend introduced her to Chabad at Tel Aviv University, Friday night was Shabbat again.

Chabad on Campus representatives at TAU, Rabbi (Shay) Yeshayahu and Chava Gerlitzky, have been welcoming learners for their Shabbat desk each individual 7 days for 3 yrs now. Quite a few in their friends are American pupils learning at TAU hoping to recreate their Chabad-on-Campus encounters whilst in Israel.

“They keep in mind the warmth so fondly. They miss their Chabad family,” said Rabbi Gerlitzky. Of your eighty learners round the Shabbat tables at first of the semester, he approximated 50% attended due to their positive ordeals with Chabad at their dwelling universities.

Jeremy Dery, president of Chabad at TAU's abroad scholar pursuits, posts advertisements about Chabad's Shabbat dinners on three bulletin boards in the Carter Building, the house foundation for overseas college students, and at Einstein dorms, exactly where almost all abroad pupils Dwell.

“Virtually Everybody I dokvalifikacija know went to Chabad on campus during the States,” he claimed. “Right up until they know Chabad is listed here, They may be a bit depressed. They do not know what they're going to accomplish for the holidays.”

Most abroad learners do not need loved ones in Israel, and TAU doesn't offer holiday getaway programming. Ariel Ben Solomon, who attended universities in Wisconsin and Switzerland just before coming to Israel mentioned that Chabad at TAU “is the only selection for undertaking Shabbat in case you are staying during the dorm for that weekend.”

On the Gerlitzkys' Shabbat table, learners are subjected to a traditional Shabbat with an Israeli twist. Both equally Gerlitzkys talk English, and their small children are group pleasers. The menu is more Mediterranean than the stateside equal, with a lot more hummus and olives, more fish, plus more spices while in the meals. Apart from that, say pupils that have spent Shabbat with Chabad on campus from the U.S., the encounters share hallmarks of heat and fantastic conversation.

Orly Zaguri, a local Israeli, breaks from her architecture reports to spend Friday night time with Chabad. She finds that almost all American students need to know Israeli slang, and he or she obliges, training them “sababa” and “magniv,” equally variations on neat. Assembly a new crew of scholars each semester allows Zaguri see the charms of her challenging place anew.

Following Shabbat finishes, college student come absent with more than whole bellies and satisfied Reminiscences. Rabbi Gerlitzsky officiated at Ariel Ben Solomon's marriage ceremony six months in the past. Now, the Solomons are building their life with memories of Shabbat with Chabad.

“Rabbi Shay results in a lively ambiance. I realized ways to do Shabbat and the most important holidays from him, and he designed it appealing. Now we do Shabbat inside our residence.”