Chabad Chevra, Miles Away From Ordinary

Hartford, CT — On any given weekday, Rabbi Yosef B. Kulek, director of Chabad Chevra at the University of Hartford, can be seen promoting trips to Israel, handing out Israeli chocolates and chatting with students as they pass through the Gengras Student Union on their way to class. It would be an understatement to say that Chabad Chevra is quite a presence on Hartford’s campus; its members are committed to its cause of religious study in a social atmosphere, and has proven to be both a social and spiritual organization.

Kulek’s weekly Thursday-night kosher dinner hour draws a crowd of regulars; the Chabad House also offers weekly Shabbat services on campus. Jewish study has also proven to be a big part of Chabad: Frequent “chat and chew” events allow students a place to study and discuss Torah. These educational events are open to everyone around the Hartford campus, but at the core of its mission is giving Jewish students at a chance to participate in uniquely Jewish events and learn more about their faith.

Still, Chabad’s activities are not solely religious or spiritual. A football game, for instance, is enough for the organization to come together for a social event. On Feb. 4, Kulek and a core cadre of students threw a Super Bowl party for all to enjoy. Its recent Purim carnival was likewise a huge success. The event, which was held on March 3, offered partygoers a jousting game, cotton candy and among other things, a moonbounce. Gili Goldfrad summed up student’s reactions when she excitedly recounted the carnival. “In the beginning we read the Megilla,” she said. “After that it was just a good time with a lot of food and drink.”

Chabad clearly makes an effort to combine Jewish religious studies with a fun social atmosphere. It’s Web site, www.ChabadChevra.com, pitches the organization as “a place that provides Jewish traditions in a fun and educational style.” But student Paul Berkowitz stressed that he and his classmates have not only learned about Judaism, but grown both socially and religiously as well: “Chabad is a social organization that aids Jews in finding a spiritual connection to G-d.”

Aside from being just a campus club in which to become involved, Chabad holds a deeper meaning for both the students actively involved in its programs and those who stop by every now and then. Chabad Chevra has become a Jewish home away from home for them, giving them a place for holidays and Shabbat and any day of the year. Said Goldfrad: “It certainly gives you a place to which you can always go.”