Celebrations Highlight Quarter-Century of Jewish Change at Northwestern

Two festive dinner parties with students, alumni and Jewish leaders ushered in celebrations marking a quarter-century of operations at Northwestern University’s Tannenbaum Chabad House.

First up was a Feb. 13 evening soirée in the university’s prestigious James Allen Center – home of the Kellogg School of Management – where 140 individuals gathered to pay tribute to the alumni and community philanthropists whose joint contributions in honor of the historic anniversary came to $130,000.

Among those supporters was alumna Jessica Raymond, a 2007 Northwestern graduate and student at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, who holds a deep appreciation for the tireless work of the center’s director, Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Dov Hillel Klein.

“It was just a really great place to go Friday nights,” Raymond, who served on the Chabad student executive board during her junior year at college, fondly remembered. “Nothing was exclusive. Whoever wanted to come, no matter what their background, could show up for dinner. There was always good food, great drink. Everybody was welcome and that made it really special.”

Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, regional director of Lubavitch-Chabad of Illinois, delivered the gala’s opening remarks, followed by greetings from both Northwestern Dean of Students Burgwell Howard and Evanston, Ill., Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl.

Menu highlights of the event included a smorgasbord of kosher Asian-themed cuisine, a bread bar and desert table, full-service pasta station, and a gourmet cappuccino machine. A video presentation showcased a montage of stand-out moments from the past 25 years at the Chabad House, and Asterik, the school’s all-male a cappella group, performed, as did Chuck Field, a well-known comedian and ventriloquist from the Chicago area.

Klein continued to pull out all the stops at a second fete held on Feb. 23. About 200 students attended the event, where partygoers munched on flavorful sushi while being treated to a performance by Marc Salem, world-renowned mentalist and creator of the hit Broadway show “Mind Games.”

“Rabbi Klein pretty much gives everything of himself to Chabad,” said graduating senior and Chabad student executive board president Rachel Zinn, who received the Young Leadership Award at the dinner. “He spends every waking moment doing something for our community and, believe me, those waking moments far outnumber his sleeping moments. He’s the most welcoming and enthusiastic person. He makes the Chabad House what it is.”

“It was great to see so many community members and people who support the Chabad House come out and celebrate with Rabbi Klein,” added Northwestern senior Michael Zaslow. “He’s an incredibly warm and outgoing person. Whether it’s Shabbat dinners or just hanging out on a Friday night, Chabad has really provided me with a home away from home.”

Article continued at Chabad.org – A Bumpy Ride