Campus Leaders in Running as Jewish Community Heroes

Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel, co-director of the Chabad-Lubavitch Center for Jewish Student Life, shares a word with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign chancellor Richard Herman before a 2009 dinner celebrating the Chabad House’s five years on campus.

By Jessica Naiman for Chabad.edu

With 10 days to go until the close of voting in the second-annual Jewish Community Heroes contest, dozens of Chabad-Lubavitch leaders, including three campus Chabad House directors, are in the running for a grant to boost their non-profit projects.

Thus far, hundreds of thousands of votes have been cast in the online competition. Sponsored by Jewish Federations of North America, it aims to honor those 13 years of age and older who dedicate themselves to bettering local Jewish communities in the United States and Canada.

When the voting closes on Oct. 15, the top 20 nominees will be judged by a panel of 18 Jewish philanthropists, volunteers, leaders and entrepreneurs, including Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the West Bloomfield, Mich., co-founder of the Friendship Circle who was among last year’s finalists. Five finalists will then compete for the top prize.

As of Tuesday night, Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel, director of the Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life serving the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, had a total of 4,077 votes, placing him in 14th place. He was just ahead of Rabbi Dovid Goldstein, co-director of the CHAI Learning Center in West Houston and associate director of Chabad Outreach in Houston, Texas, who was in 18th place with 2,999 votes.

Affectionately known by locals as the “redheaded rabbi,” among his other duties Goldstein serves as Jewish prison chaplain, conducting weekly visits to more than 100 inmates.

“Rabbi Goldstein is never without a huge smile on his face and kind sweet words about everyone,” his anonymous nominator wrote in recommending the Texan for the honor. “He will stop what he is doing to speak to you or answer a question.”

Article continued at Chabad.org – Tiechtel, who was recently honored …

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