Did they ever say that things close during break?

By Rabbi Mendel Gordon

At Chabad, the Rebbe always taught us to continuously grow, strive and do. Albeit the conclusion of another semester, Chabad’s doors stay open for the students still in the area for the summer. We are here for the Jewish students wherever they are and we continue to stay in touch. Summer is the time to connect in more personal encounters, connecting closer with students.

A new Zoom course has started exploring Jewish civil law and ethics and how it compares to U.S. law today. Students enjoy the discussions and thoughtprovoking class material.

Alumni enjoying a get-together

As things are reopening and we are able to meet safely, we have restarted our weekly Jewish senior visitation program, “Loaves of Love.” Our friends in American House have been waiting over a year for us to be able to come back to visit them and we are so glad we now can. It’s beautiful to see the students interact with the seniors, bridging generations and connecting the links in the chain.

We have also started an alumni group for those graduate students who stay in Southwest Florida, so they can have a Jewish community to be a part of, getting together proudly as Jews.

Kayla Boxenbaum making challah with Shternie

Sara Logan (left) with Lacy Borkson (right) visiting Dolly (middle) at American House

In July, as new freshmen will be coming for summer classes, we are looking forward to greeting them with a full set of new programs.

We will also have our annual summer raffle in July, with an opportunity to win $10,000 or a trip to Israel. Ensure Jewish life at FGCU by getting tickets at Chabadfgcu.com/raffle, securing the Jewish tomorrow.

Chabad at FGCU caters to all Jewish students in Southwest Florida, providing a home away from home.

Join us to learn, celebrate or just meet Jewish students your age. For more information or to get involved, contact Rabbi Mendel Gordon at 347-452-0489 or chabadfgcu@gmail.com. Visit our website at Chabadfgcu.com.