Over 450 students, alumni, donors, and friends gathered in Lawrence, Kansas, for the grand opening of the new Cutler Family Chabad House – the state’s first Jewish student center built from the ground up.
Completed in under a year and under budget, the 10,000-square-foot building marks a new chapter for Jewish life at the University of Kansas.
“If anyone ever tells you they don’t believe in miracles, bring them here,” said Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel, who leads KU Chabad with his wife Nechama. “Just one year ago, this was a pile of dirt. Today, it’s a living, breathing Jewish home.”
Rebbetzin Nechama Tiechtel spoke about the essence of KU Chabad. “We’re more than a synagogue, more than a student club, and yes – more than a place with really good food,” she said with a smile. “For twenty years, this house has meant one thing for thousands of Jewish students — family. It’s soup delivered when you’re sick, a Shabbat dinner where you’re truly seen, and a space where every student knows they belong.”
The celebration began with a nostalgic tribute to KU Chabad’s early days, led by the Tiechtels’ eldest daughter Mina, who was just six weeks old when her parents arrived in Lawrence. “People talk about our big family of eleven kids,” she said, “but really, it’s a lot bigger — it includes all of you.”
From there, the program, produced by Dovid Weinbaum, moved through an emotional lineup of speakers representing nearly two decades of Chabad’s impact.
Alumnus Jacob Walters reflected on meeting Rabbi Tiechtel fifteen years ago and how it changed the course of his life. “I came from a completely secular background and had no idea what Judaism really meant. Through Chabad, I reconnected to my heritage in a way that still shapes me today,” he shared.
He closed his speech by thanking those who made the new center possible — including Bob Cutler, the lead donor of this project, and a long list of partners and donors. “This building isn’t just about what’s changed,” Walters said. “It’s about what remains the same — warmth, learning, and community.”
Dr. Douglas Girod, Chancellor of the University of Kansas, praised Chabad’s presence on campus and its role in fostering inclusion and leadership among students.
Susan Gutovitz, the mother of four KU alumni, spoke movingly about how Chabad shaped her children’s college experience. “Sending your first kid to college can be scary,” she said. “But when we met Rabbi Zalman at the student union, we immediately knew our son was in good hands. Chabad became our kids’ home away from home — minus the laundry room.”
Her words introduced Charles Lachman, who described Chabad as “a foundation built on giving more to people, not taking from them,” before inviting Bob Cutler — the building’s namesake — to the stage.
Cutler, who delivered one of the afternoon’s most stirring addresses, called the center “a place where students will not only learn Jewish values but live them.”
“This isn’t just a building,” he said. “It’s a living expression of what it means to ‘do Jewish’ — to turn faith into action, compassion, and community.”
Student leaders Adina Thompson and Brenna Gross added a heartfelt student perspective. Brenna spoke of finding belonging at Chabad after a lonely start to college life: “I tried every club on campus, but I didn’t feel at home until I walked through Chabad’s doors. That’s when I started finding myself again.”
Adina continued, “Chabad didn’t just give me leadership roles — it lit a fire inside me. This new building will do that for generations of Jewhawks to come.”
Rabbi Avi Weinstein, COO of Chabad on Campus International, praised the Tiechtels for their vision and energy: “Rabbi Zalman was never the type to buy a secondhand bus,” he quipped, referencing a story of the Rebbe’s confidence in aiming higher. “He and Nechama knew their students deserved the very best — and today, we see that dream realized.”
The ribbon-cutting featured Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, KU administrators, community leaders, and the event emcee Brian Hanni, who led the crowd in the iconic “Rock Chalk” chant before declaring the building officially open.
The ceremony closed with the affixing of a mezuzah, handcrafted in Israel, by Rafi and Yael Treitel and Zish and Rivky Margulies of Recover-Care, who are tremendous partners in this beautiful new building. Bob Cutler inscribed the final letter of the two foot Mezuzah scroll, symbolizing the culmination of years of effort and faith. Rabbi Tiechtel then invited the crowd inside for the first time, as music and confetti filled the air.
In his final remarks, he turned to the crowd and said, “This building stands because of you — students, alumni, donors, parents, friends. You are KU Chabad. You are the reason the Jewish future in Kansas shines so bright.”
This new Chabad Center for Jewish Life stands as a unique structure in the way that it blending art, symbolism, and purpose. Outside, a large menorah rises in front of the building, which lights up in 15 different colors illuminating the dark nights. Across the front of the building there is a 50-foot mural painted by world-renowned artist Solomon Souza, known for his 250 painted shutters in Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda marketplace. The mural depicts Kansas icons such as Sunflowers and wheat, along with prominent Jewish symbols of Teffilin, Shabbos Candles, the Beis Hamikdash and more.
Two 10-foot illuminated tablets stand nearby, adding a powerful visual reminder of faith and tradition. In the back, the Serenity Garden provides a peaceful retreat featuring a flowing waterfall, a fire pit, and landscaped seating areas that invite reflection and connection.
Inside, every space was designed with meaning and functionality. The main student lounge includes a modern fireplace, a snack bar, and open seating for conversation and study. The soundproof Library provides a quiet space filled with Torah study and learning. The beautiful Shul Sanctuary a glass wall that offers visibility and comfort for those hesitant to step inside; its ark is engraved with the Hebrew words אהבתי אתכם אמר ה׳—“I have loved you, says G-d”—reflecting Chabad’s spirit of warmth, love, and joy in Judaism. The sanctuary ceiling slopes upward in a gentle wave design, creating a feeling of uplift and openness.
The dining hall has a home-like feel, and the adjoining commercial kitchen combines professional capability with residential comfort. On the second floor, the Neshama Lounge serves as a wellness and mental health space with indoor swings, a water feature, and positive messages on the walls. The building also includes 24 hospitality beds—known as the “Challaday Inn”—to welcome guests and students, completing a facility that is both inspiring and fully equipped to serve the KU Jewish community.
“Every time I step into this building I pinch myself to know that it’s real,” shared Josh Rubin, a KU student from Minneapolis. “It’s an incredible space where I truly feel like I am home and that I belong.”
KU Chabad is currently doing a matching campaign to help finish the capital campaign at www.HomeForKUChabad.com
Beautiful event! So happy to see Chabad growing!!!
Rabbi Teichtel is such an amazing shliach! Great place to go if you’re a bochur looking for merkaz shlichus!
100%
every shliach should learn from rabbi Tiechtel who built this beautiful state of the art building in exactly one year!! no need to kratz around for years and years, expand now! build the rebbe’s moisdes to bring moshiach!!!!
ku chabad is rocking it!!!
Incredible