Campus Shluchos Gather in DC for First-Ever JewishU Growth Summit

Hosted by Chabad on Campus International, twenty-five Shluchos from campuses across North America came together at Chabad at American University in Washington, DC, for the first-ever JewishU Growth Summit for Shluchos.

JewishU, Chabad on Campus International’s flagship Jewish learning program, gives students a structured, incentivized learning experience, turning casual interest into consistent learning. For many students, it is the bridge between showing up for a Friday night meal and engaging deeply with Yiddishkeit.

“Shluchim and Shluchos are dedicating themselves to deepening Torah learning for their students with tremendous results,” said Rabbi Yossy Gordon, CEO of Chabad on Campus International. “Through JewishU, students are strengthening their connection to Torah, Judaism, and Jewish values in a profound and lasting way. By investing in the teachers, the dedicated Shluchos, we are multiplying the impact of Torah education and ensuring that its benefits reach the lives of students in the most meaningful and transformative manner.”

The summit was built around a single question: how do we get more students learning more Torah on our campuses? 

Over the course of the gathering, the Shluchos moved through collaborative working sessions exploring how to turn the Rebbe’s focus on Mivtzah Torah into a pillar of their Chabad House and an irresistible experience for their students. They brainstormed on everything from content and methodologies to making time and marketing, walking away with practical takeaways for growing JewishU on their respective campuses.

“The purpose of this summit was to set real goals and direction for the year, and walk away with practical, targeted tools for implementation – objectives that are challenging to achieve in a group chat or Zoom call,” said Mrs. Esti Hecht, Director of Education and Shlucha at American University. “By attending the summit, Shluchos gained a new sense of clarity and confidence to level up the impact of Mivtzah Torah on their campus through JewishU.” 

In addition to the innovative workshops, the peer-to-peer component at the summit allowed Shluchos who have spent years building learning programs to share their playbooks with those just getting started. The room generated a shared bank of ideas no single campus could have produced alone.

“The goal is to give Shluchos the time and space to think collaboratively about Torah learning on their campus,” said Rabbi Avi Weinstein, COO of Chabad on Campus International. “Shluchos know their students best. When they are in a room together, they come up with unique and creative ideas only they could have thought of. They are now returning to their campuses with the tools and the confidence their vital Shlichus deserves.”