Name: Renee Lasher
Major: Art History
Future Plans: Special Ed, Elementary Ed
1)My experience at Binghamton University’s Chabad House has affected me in so many ways. I consider myself a conservative Jew, and I truly appreciate the welcoming atmosphere for all types of Jewish people at the Chabad House. I have made so many friends at the Chabad house that I know I will actually stay in touch with after college. My Jewish identity has changed vastly throughout my years at Binghamton University. I remember my first time at Shabbat dinner when Rivki came up to me and made me feel so…well…Jewish. And I liked it! I felt part of something important and something special. That feeling has continued throughout the last 4 years and I have become more and more involved in the programs here because of it.
2)I feel like every Shabbat has something new to offer. Whether it’s a new person sitting with me, a new food on the table, or a guest speaker, there is always something exciting happening. The people that surround me every Friday night keep me coming back week after week. The Shabbat nights are definitely the most memorable part of my experience at Chabad House.
3)Last year we acquired someone who I feel will be a huge asset to the greater Jewish experience of Binghamton University. Hadasa Slonim is a caring, loving person who creates a new element to Chabad. She gives a sense of youth to all the programs that Chabad provides with her flare for fashion and adorable demeanor. The Jewish population at Binghamton University is very lucky to have her and she has definitely given me an even more powerful will to be proud to be a Jewish person. It is because of people like her that Chabad House will thrive and that those who come after me will enjoy their experience just as much as I have.
4)The Chabad House is somewhere that a student can do almost anything. We can study, pray, workout, and don’t ever forget…EAT! The programs that Binghamton’s Chabad house offers are the perfect mix of many different traditions and customs. I don’t feel that there should be any changes to the Chabad House. In fact, I hope that the future students that go here have the same experience I had.
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