With Campuses Closed, Who Needs Chabad?

August usually brings a renewed energy to College Station, TX. Located 100 miles from the closest big city or Jewish community, this town is known for one thing – Texas A&M University. Students from all over Texas are joined by those from across the country who come to Texas A&M to pursue their education in engineering, political science, medicine and agriculture. Of the 70,000 students who attend, only an estimated 300 are Jewish.

Despite the daunting numbers, Jewish Aggies are a strong and vibrant community who seek each other out and come together at Chabad. A typical year will see 90 students gathering for Shabbat dinners at the Rohr Jewish Student Center, dozens joining for Back to School BBQs, Torah classes, Kosher Cooking Club and all the many engaging opportunities that Chabad at Texas A&M offers.

Enter August 2020. Limited in-person classes will be taking place on campus. Much of the social and educational programming has been minimized or put on hold. In this subdued environment, where does Chabad come in?

“Surprisingly, this has actually been one of our most active summers,” says Rabbi Yossi Lazaroff, co-director of Chabad at Texas A&M University.

Indeed it has. With students feeling isolated and uncertain during these unprecedented times, Chabad has been uniquely positioned to address their needs.

In addition to maintaining many of their key programs, like online Torah classes, Sinai Scholars, and of course, connecting – by phone, facetime, and zoom – with hundreds of current students and alumni, Chabad at Texas A&M was one of the first locations to offer Shabbat To Go – distributing more than 300 packages to the many who stayed in College Station throughout the summer, and launched a psychologist led mental wellness initiative including a 5-part online seminar to guide students and community with practical tips to handle anxiety and tension during the current uncertainties.

All this in addition to multiple national education initiatives for teens that both Rabbi Yossi and Manya Lazaroff spearheaded throughout the summer.

At one of these virtual programs, Talia Lewis, a senior at A&M shared just how much her experience with the Lazaroffs impacted her Judaism.

“Manya sat and explained, answered my questions, and has just been an amazing support,” she says.

About the Shabbat To Go initiative, Justine Presby, another A&M student shared, “Since Covid hit and Chabad provided Shabbat to-go, I started lighting Shabbat candles weekly and never realized how precious this calm anchor could be in my life.”

“We feel incredibly lucky to be able to pivot so quickly. Our student board has continued to meet weekly throughout the summer, sharing ideas and making them happen. Because of our organizational structure, there’s no red tape – we see the need and we find a way to make it happen. And most importantly, we have so much appreciation to the many partners who continue to support our work during these challenging times,” Manya Lazaroff says.

Today and tomorrow, you are invited and encouraged to show your support and be part of these
Making sure we can welcome our Jewish Aggies this semester. Only with your help can we ensure that each of our students knows that their emotional, mental, material, spiritual, and physical health is completely covered as they return this semester.

Every dollar you donate is DOUBLED at Charidy.com/tamu

This August may be different than most, but with your partnership, this small Jewish community in the middle of Texas can continue to thrive.