Chabad Fall 2007
Created by: Ian M. Kahane
יּצּתּקּ הּיּיּﬦ בּךּ שּׂמּﬠיּךּ הּ'כּהּךּ
Chabad Center for Jewish Life at TCNJ welcomed its new Rabbi to Campus. Rabbi Kivi Greenbaum and his family joined the TCNJ Family during this past summer, moving to 4 Linwood Ave, a house barely off campus. We joyously embraced their arrival. With the Australian Rabbi came his lovely wife, Zeesey. She is a phenomenal cook, and we get to enjoy her cooking every Friday night and Saturday morning, she is generous enough to regularly cook for thirty or more people! They also have two lovely children, Elchonon and Chaya that have become our Chabad Mascots.
The most important thing that these two bring to TCNJ is their warmth. Originally entering into their home may seem awkward or even strange, but these two wonderful people go the extra mile to make sure that everyone feels comfortable and as welcomed as they were in July. The Chabad house truly feels like everyone’s home away from home.
But Chabad would be nothing without the students and delicious food is not all that draws the crowds in, but it helps. To kick off the semester we had the first Friday night Shabbat dinner. At the time no upperclassmen had moved in yet so mostly all the students who attended were freshmen. When the food came no one could believe how delicious it tasted. It truly felt like it came from your own mother’s kitchen. A fish, Challah, and Salad course, followed by a matzo ball soup course, followed by some sort of meat course, followed by a parve dessert always makes everyone’s mouths water. All the freshmen would soon found out that this delicious meal was just the first of many unbelievable meals to come.……….
Then all the upperclassmen arrived and we kicked off the school year with a Chabad barbeque. The Greenbaums have a huge backyard with a new grill so Kivi started grilling Hotdogs and Hamburgers. While Kivi cooked the students ate, played football, played frisbee, and a water balloon fight even broke out. It was a great afternoon that every Jew on campus enjoyed………
Then the gang went apple picking. With Rosh Hashanah approaching and Yom Kippur right around the corner, we needed lots of apples. Chabad got a few people together and we went to a local farm to go apple picking. The trip was a nice afternoon where everyone bonded and got to know each other better. The upperclassmen welcomed the freshmen with open arms, now everyone has become amicable……….
After The High Holidays Sukkot is right around the corner and Chabad was not about to waste this joyous time. We built a Sukkah in their backyard and most students went to the Chabad house to shake the Lulav and Etrog in it during each day of the festivities. Of course, Zeesey’s wonderful cooking was always enjoyed. One night we had sushi in the Sukkah. Most of us didn’t even know that kosher sushi existed but we all ate it and loved it! The coolest part was is that we all made it ourselves. We all rolled the kelp and picked how much fish and vegetables we wanted in. It was a great time.………
Then around Sukkot a TCNJ first occurred. Eickhoff hall, the main dining facility on campus got KOSHER FOOD! There is now a plethora of kosher sandwiches and hot lunches. They are delicious, but of course none match the cooking of our Rebbetzin……..
To top off the busy Holiday season we celebrated Simchat Torah, a holiday where we celebrate receiving the Torah and being blessed with its awesomeness. We had a big Simchat Torah meal and then danced with the Torah. It was amusing to watch our Rabbi do summersaults and to watch everyone almost roll into each other. It was quite the eventful evening………
With the Holidays over we couldn’t just wait for Shabbat to roll around to see each other, once a week was not enough! So we made up some events. First we experienced cookies and Kabbalah, where we made different types of cookies and enjoyed the Rabbi’s insight into many Jewish ideals. The cookies all came out delicious, especially the cookies made with 5 times the recommended dosage of vanilla, and the talk about Judaism was inspiring……….
Then some of us went on the ultimate Jewish experience short of going to Israel. We went to Crown Heights Brooklyn, the Chabad center of the USA. There we went and prayed in a famous Chabad Temple, Seven Seventy, where some of us met the Chasidic rapper Matisyahu. Then we were delighted by a Shabbat dinner at Zeesey’s parent’s home. The following day we woke up with the usual Shabbat Shacharit and then went on to a huge luncheon. At the lunch many of us joined in usual English and Hebrew songs. After lunch we all went to listen to speakers, where many learned about Jewish philosophy, while others enjoyed the jokes of some comedians. Shabbat then concluded with Havdalah and a PARTY. The Chassidic rock group 8Th day came on as everyone ate Falafel and tasty treats. Then we danced and enjoyed the night………
On Sunday morning we went to a very holy Chabad sight: The Ohel of the last Rebbe. This Ohel is the burial place of the last Chabad Rebbe. It is truly a place where any Jew feels an immediate connection to Hashem. Any Jew gets such a cathartic feeling from being there. After the Ohel we appreciated one last meal together and said our goodbye’s. After quick stop in NYC we returned safely to TCNJ, with plenty of stories to tell our friends. Next year we know that double the amount of student will come to the Shabbaton……….
After the Shabbaton our Rabbi sought to entertain us some more, so we went bowling. Strikes, Spares, and Gutter balls filled the air. A few of us had some talent, a few of us did not, but everyone had a good time. A little while later, the women of Chabad got together and enjoyed a breakfast where two ladies came in to give each of them makeovers. All the ladies were made to look beautiful and then ate a typical Jewish brunch: Fruit, cream cheese, BAGLES AND LOX! All the girls had a grand old time.……..
Then we had Israeli night. Too many young Jews feel alienated from Israel, so Kivi decided to organize a night devoted to Israel, where we could learn, talk and eat Falafel. We all ate until our stomachs were busting and reconnected to out holy land. We connected so well that even a few students decided to go to Israel over the winter break and/or the summer break. The night was a huge success.…….
The semester closes on December the 18th, lucky for us Hanukkah started December 5th, so we got to enjoy a Chabad Hanukkah. Everyone came to the Chabad house and lit candles all eight nights, reciting the blessing perfectly. On the first night we lit the candles at the capitol building with New Jersey Governor Corzine. Hanukkah is not Hanukkah without Latkes, so on the second night we had a Latke and Dreidel party. It was a hoot. Then on the sixth night of Hanukkah everyone’s parents came for a huge parent party. Guests came from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. We had the Rabbi of Mercer County come, The Major of Ewing and the last President of the University, Harold Eickhoff. At the party we enjoyed delicious Chinese food and Latkes again. You can never have too many Latkes! Hanukkah was as bright as ever……..
Many Holidays were experienced and many memories were relished. We say goodbye to Chabad Fall 2007 Semester and are preparing events for Spring 2008! Come to Chabad and see all the fun YOU could be having!
Created for www.chabadtcnj.org
Created by: Ian M. Kahane
יּצּתּקּ הּיּיּﬦ בּךּ שּׂמּﬠיּךּ הּ'כּהּךּ
