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MSU Chabad’s Mega Shabbat Dinner
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Rabbi Shemtov, co-director of Chabad at MSU, addresses the crowd during Shabbat dinner Alex Mison and Alli Vanderaue help to open the evening.
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Senior Jared Pazner poses with his mom, Monica Moray, one of many parents who came up to MSU to participate in this Shabbat dinner with their Spartans. Friendship Circle Director Rabbi Levi Shemtov helps a Spartan in laying tefillin at the “Kotel wall.” Dr. Blake and Noami Casher of East Lansing enjoy the night of Jewish unity.
MSU Chabad’s Mega Shabbat Dinner
BRIAN GOLDSMITH SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
During Chabad’s first year on the Michigan State University campus in the spring of 2019, they held a Shabbat dinner at Spartan Stadium, the first event of its kind in Michigan State’s Jewish history. They did it again on April 8 at Spartan Stadium.
“We wanted to do something on campus that everyone walking by and everybody would see — something fun and cool for Jewish pride,” said Simi Shemtov, who, along with her husband, Rabbi Bentzion Shemtov, founded the Chabad and planned the 2019 Mega Shabbat. Back then, the Shemtovs had to tell the caterers and Spartan Stadium what a Shabbat dinner was.
This year the Shemtovs brought more firsts to Spartan Stadium. March 31 marked the first time tefillin had ever been wrapped on the field at Spartan Stadium. Rabbi Shemtov led Elan Krakoff in the Shema as Krakoff wrapped the black leather straps around his left arm. Another first: Chabad kashered the kitchen in Spartan Stadium’s Huntington Club.
More than 300 people came to this year’s Mega Shabbat, which featured many proIsrael related things, including a Kotel photo backdrop and henna painting, all part of the pre-dinner, which Chabad called the “Israel Matzah Ball Social.”
Participants had a ball at the event. “Honestly one of the best Shabboses I have ever had, and I have had over 3,500 Shabboses in my life,” Dr. Howard and Dr. Barbara Belkin of Birmingham wrote after the event. Due to the fighting in Ukraine, Chabad dedicated the dinner to the people of Ukraine.
