Chabad at Penn - Campus Update Jan 2016 by Levi Haskelevich

‫בס״ד‬

WINTER

■

2015-2016

CHABAD HOUSE AT PENN PERELMAN CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE

Campus Update Ambassador Dermer Guest of Honor at Chabad Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, was the guest of honor at a private reception at Chabad. One hundred student leaders, faculty and community members were invited to hear an address by Dermer, himself a Penn alum having graduated from Wharton in 1993. Ambassador Dermer opened his address fondly recalling his experiences as a student at Chabad at Penn, where he was a student co-founder of JHP, describing the Chabad staff as “indefatigable” in their efforts to engage Penn students in Judaism. Dermer spoke glowingly of the Chabad network around the world, calling it “truly remarkable - not just in terms of modern Jewish history, but in the history of social movements and the success they have had with their inclusivity and their openness.” Dermer discussed Israel’s current difficulties; a new wave of terrorism, and the ongoing battle against worldwide anti-Israel beliefs and media-bias, and the unique challenges of today. Citing an Echad Haam article, he noted that in a sense, the blood libels of old did something good for the Jewish people. During those portions of Jewish history, the entire world believed blood libels were true, but the Jews knew them to be false. “It is very difficult to believe in something,” he said, “when everyone around you, including your friends, believe otherwise. The blood libel taught us that the whole world can in fact be wrong, and has been wrong about the Jewish people and Israel for a long time. “We are all Israel’s ambassadors. We have to learn the truth, spread that truth, and counter the lies around us.” “I thought Dermer was eloquent in describing the cruel media biases against Israel,” said Josh Lauder, a freshman at Wharton, “and how Penn students can tangibly neutralize this by informing our community about the truths of the situation based on facts and logic.”

Dinner, Psychology & Judaism

Bestselling author, Rabbi Shais Taub, delivered a talk titled, “Deconstructing the Penn Face,” at Chabad Shabbat dinner. Over one hundred diverse Penn students attended over the weekend, highlighting the relevance of the topic. Taub’s expertise lies in Jewish spirituality and recovery from addiction. Though not specifically addressing substance dependency, he discussed ‘getting hooked’ on negative thinking and becoming ‘addicted’ to toxic emotions and relationships. He couched Judaism’s age old teachings in modern psychological references. The event was cosponsored by SPEC Connaissance, Active Minds Penn, Reach-A-Peer Helpline, PennKind, Bridge: Freshman Mental Wellness Group, CogWell, Penn Reflect and the Faith Fund. “The Reach-A-Peer Helpline was really excited to be involved in the event,” said Sarah Frommer, a trainer at RAP Line. “I thought the speaker was captivating and had a lot of good insight for people of many different backgrounds.” Jacob Bloch, a freshman at Wharton on the Chabad Freshmen Committee, who introduced the speaker for the evening, said that “Taub was able to strike the perfect balance of seriousness and funniness, all in a relevant talk.”

Chabad at Penn Hosts Sinai Scholars Symposium Chabad at Penn was pleased to host the annual Sinai Scholars Academic Symposium. At the event, top students and academics of diverse fields from across the country convened to explore the great depths of Torah and its application to modern life. Students hailing from the University of California Berkeley, the University of Nevada, Texas A&M, Arizona State University, Penn and beyond presented papers on an array of topics including The Jewish Identity Crisis, Demographic Challenges Facing Israel, Overcoming (non-clinical) Depression, Blind Hypocrisy Through Religious Intolerance. The papers were critiqued and discussed by a panel of academics, including Penn’s own Professor Michael Carasik of Biblical Hebrew. The Symposium brings together graduates of the Sinai Scholars Society, a discussion based course looking at Jewish texts and their modern application, which runs on more than one hundred campuses in North America. “Sinai Scholars gives students the chance to engage with

the text in an analytical way, an opportunity they might not have had previously,” explains Rabbi Levi Haskelevich, who teaches the Sinai Scholars course at Penn each semester. “Events such as these show students that Judaism can stand up in an academic setting,” said Professor Lawrence Schiffman, professor of Hebrew and Judaic studies at New York University and a world renowned biblical scholar. “University professors teach in a dispassionate way, and religion is taught in an active and participatory way. This symposium serves as sort of a bridge.” The winning paper was presented by Sam Venis of Queens University in Canada on the topic, “The Psyche of the Idolater and Modern Man.” It illustrated the differences and similarities between the study of philosophy and Torah. “Both philosophy and religion focus on the same ideas, but approach them in two different ways,” explained Venis. “I was able to see how Judaism impacts personal meaning and my day-to-day life. It was great to learn about and recognize that I’m part of this great tradition.” The Symposium has been held previously at Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University, Dartmouth College and New York University.

Students Celebrate Rabbi's Birthday On a chilly January Friday, students at Penn joined in celebrating Rabbi Levi’s 40th birthday by helping him reach his goal of putting tefillin on with 40 students that day. A Jewish birthday is a personal “Rosh Hashana – New Year,” and helping students do mitzvahs seemed a fitting way for Rabbi Levi to spend his special day. Rabbi Levi moved from Houston Hall to fraternity houses to the Dental school, beige block and beyond,

with social media announcing his location and next stops. The campaign took off beyond Penn when an alumnus saw the frenzy on Facebook and took a selfie of himself wearing tefillin to join the campaign. Yet another alum in NYC flagged down a mitzvah tank and asked the Chabad Rabbi on board to help him put on tefillin in Rabbi Levi’s honor, also sending in a photo of the moment.

Impacting the Jewish Future Dear Friends, As we emerge from the whirlwind of activity that the Chanukah festival entails on campus, we take a moment to contemplate the great privilege we feel working here at Chabad at Penn. The joy on the faces of hundreds of students as we knock on their dorm room doors to deliver a menorah, the excitement of thousands of students as they stop for a hot latke on Locust Walk, the overwhelming feeling of Jewish pride and community as hundreds of students gather in front of Van Pelt to light the giant menorah, listening to the Penn Band play Chanukah songs and so much more, serves to remind us how lucky we are to be part of the Rebbe’s vision. The Rebbe taught all Jews that we are personally responsible to care for the

spiritual needs of those around us. To share with them the joy and beauty of our heritage and to give them the ability to access their divine sparks within, and allow them to shine. Thank you for partnering with us as we work to reach the more than 5,000 Jewish sparks on Penn’s campus and help them shine like the Chanukah flames. Please know that your support of Chabad at Penn is truly impacting the Jewish future. From all the staff at Chabad at Penn, we wish you and yours only health, happiness & success.

Rabbi Levi and Nechama Haskelevich Campus Rabbi, Directors of Programming

"What I Learned from Harry Reicher" The Power of Testimony to Fight Hatred and Bigotry In the summer of 2014, Penn Law Professor Harry Reicher met with Dr. Stephen Smith, executive director of the USC Shoah Foundation, when the professor became the inaugural Rutman Teaching Fellow.

Programming, sharing, as he termed it, “Harry’s Law,” on how Professor Reicher viewed the role the law played in enabling the Holocaust, the human impact of the law, and how the same law can be used to prevent a repetition.

As a leading human rights and holocaust expert, Reicher had been selected to spend a week learning how to access the Shoah Foundation’s tremendous archive of survivor testimony, work with the Foundation’s curators and professional team, and work on strategies to incorporate the testimonies into his teaching. He was to later deliver a public lecture on his research.

Deputy Dean Michael Knoll spoke on behalf of Penn Law School describing the beloved place Professor Reicher held in the school, saying, “His tremendous generosity of time and spirit is what set him apart for both faculty and students.”

Sadly, Professor Reicher passed away in October of 2014, and was unable to share his findings at the Shoah Foundation with others. As Dr. Smith wrote “in the brief week Prof. Reicher spent at the Foundation, he managed to touch and inspire all of our staff and friends. His quick wit, sense of humor, humble and welcoming spirit and generosity of soul allowed us to feel like we had known him for years. He was a remarkable scholar and magnetic spirit.” Dr. Smith chose to give a memorial lecture at Penn Chabad, where Professor Reicher's daughter, Nechama Haskelevich, serves as Co-Director of

Marla Benedek, a third year law student spoke on behalf of the Penn Law student body, and reflected on the tremendous knowledge and insight she gained from his class. Marla described the respect that Professor Reicher showed towards his students, and how in return his students only felt the utmost respect towards him. Students, faculty and community members were moved by the legacy of Professor Reicher, and left the event with a deeper insight into the nuances of law, human responsibility and the power of testimony. The evening was co-sponsored by Chabad at Penn, the USC Shoah Foundation and Penn Law School.

"You Be the Judge" Course a Hit at Penn Law While pages of the Talmud may not be included in Penn Law School text books, they were the focus at Chabad’s You Be the Judge course offered in the law school this past year. Dissecting cases brought to Jewish rabbinical courts of Talmudic times while applying the students’ knowledge of current American law proved the perfect forum for fascinating discussion and intellectual debate. “You be the Judge was a great way to reconnect with my Jewish identity while at Penn” said Adam Mendel, Penn Law ‘16. “Being a law student, I really enjoyed comparing Jewish and American law, noting their similarities and differences, and thinking about which rules work best under which circumstances.” “Law School teaches every student and aspiring lawyer how to think like a lawyer,” said Simon Katz, an LLM student from Panama. “They teach us how to read cases, analyze the law and apply it to a set of facts. Yet, after thousands of years of creating various legal systems, have we contemplated how G-d created this world and gave us His

own set of rules?” You Be the Judge is an incredible experience where both law and non-law students can familiarize themselves with the Jewish law and apply it to modern day cases. It is amazing to see the different or similar outcomes cases may have when analyzed through the lens of Jewish law. Retired Judge Maryann Sumi of Madison Wisconsin, a visiting mother of one of the students who attended one class, shared experiences from her years on the bench, and enjoyed the discussion immensely.

Glimpses of the Perelman Center for Jewish Life Chabad at Penn

Âť

We are grateful to our donors who have dedicated sections of the new center. Some dedications are still available. For more information please visit: bringithomeatpenn.com

Seniors Sendoff Brunch With Guest Faculty Member Dr. Michael Kahana

Chabad at Penn sent off the seniors in style at their annual farewell brunch. The parting message to the outgoing students was to better ask oneself, “Where am I needed?” “Where can I make a difference?” Rather than making the focus, “What do I want to do with my life?” “Where do I want to go?” Or “what do I find fulfilling?”

of his late grandmother taught him the importance of serving the greater community, and doing what is necessary even when one may not desire to.

The students were inspired to focus outwardly, and seek out a Jewish community with whom to continue studying and celebrating wherever they end up. Of course, there will be a Chabad House with open doors and open hearts when they get there!

Those voices guided him in his career choices, and enabled him to become a leader in the field of human nuero-physiology. “Life will undoubtedly bring new challenges with each passing phase of your lives,” he told the students, “But G-d gives us the tools to overcome them. A most effective tool is staying in touch with mentors, rabbis, parents and grandparents whose voices inspire us and help us succeed.”

Honored guest, Professor Michael Kahana, Director of the Computational Memory Lab at Penn, shared some of the “voices of his childhood” which helped shape the course of his life. Refrains

Many a toast was shared, along with nostalgic stories, inspiring reflections and words of appreciation to Chabad for their role in the students’ years at Penn.

"I came to Penn four years ago from a reform, semi-conservative, ‘High Holidays Only’ family. You guys have a huge, huge place in my heart because you helped me find my Jewish heritage and become a part of this community. Really having a home here that is something that is amazing and unique - not only for myself, but for friends, peers and all of Penn. You don’t hear the thank you enough, too many just show up to take a burger and leave, but it truly is something that does mean a lot." ~ D.F.

I would really like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your hard work. I personally benefitted not only from the Shabbat meals but also from that sense of family and the many deep and fulfilling conversations that we had. ~ A.G. "Growing up in my hometown, I was part of only a few Jewish families. I had therefore always associated my Jewish heritage with a sense of alienation. But when I came to Penn, it was such a rich, beautiful Jewish community with you all. I want to thank Rabbi Levi and Nechama for giving me this beautiful community and all these wonderful memories of what Judaism is and what it can be, which is really special to me."

"I wasn’t as connected to Judaism before I got to Penn, and it’s been a really beautiful journey of realizing that everything I’ve been seeking in my life; truth and meaning etc. is all within my own religion. The really cool thing is that the first step on that entire journey was on a birthright trip with Chabad. It’s hard to find the proper words to thank you for connecting me to Judaism and for changing my life. I am very grateful."

"I wasn’t raised Jewish, and coming to Penn was the first time I really interacted with Judaism in a big way. I learned about Judaism, its wisdom, philosophical teachings and about connecting with my heritage. I will always be grateful for everything you’ve done."

~ J.K.

~ S.D.

~ K.R.

Mayor Joins 30th St. Station Menorah Lighting On Monday, December 16th, 1929, a Yiddish Philadelphia newspaper reported on the crowd of 3,000 people who gathered at 30th Street Station shouting “baruch haba – welcome” to greet Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe. Exactly 85 years later – to the day – hundreds joined Mayor Nutter and Chabad of Penn at a public menorah lighting on the same spot. Back then, a delegation of rabbis and dignitaries, including Mr. Thather, Mayor W. Freeland Kendrick’s assistant secretary, came to greet the Rebbe and in the name of Philadelphia invited him to visit Independence Hall. From President Washington’s chair, he was then invited to bestow his blessing upon the American Republic. Rabbi Levi Haskelevich retold the story to the crowd at the Chanakuah celebration, describing how the Previous Rebbe’s arrival in Philadelphia took place only a short year

On Birthright “The coolest part for me was learning that Judaism is not just a religion, but a relationship with G-d. Although we cannot be forced to love G-d, we become closer to Him through religious acts. I never thought of religion this way before Birthright.” Rachel Kupelian c'15

and a half after he had been arrested and sentenced to death for practicing Judaism in the Soviet Union. He was subsequently miraculously released. Under the previous Rebbe’s leadership, followed by his son in law and successor, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the freedom to proudly and publicly practice Jewish faith has been celebrated in historic and unprecedented fashion, most notably at public menorah lightings. The message of Chanukah is one of the triumph of spirit over matter, of light over darkness and of freedom over oppression. The menorah thus stands as a symbol of religious freedom for all. This Chanukah celebration was part of the realization of the Rebbe’s dream which had begun to take shape on that very spot and date 85 years prior.

, 4032-34 Spruce Street

Rabbi Menachem & Chava Schmidt Executive Directors

Rabbi Ephraim & Flora Levin

Philadelphia, PA 19104 w www.LubavitchHouse.com G /Lubavitch House O 215.222.3130

Directors

Rabbi Levi & Nechama Haskelevich

Campus Rabbi, Directors of Programming