Connecting
Here’s how you shared the warmth of Jewish community with COVID safety
Chabad on Fulton Jewish Student Center
Serving Vassar Students
ה”ב
2020 Edition
Fall
Thank you for making these Jewish moments!
Your giving provides experiences that strengthen Vassar students’ Jewish identity
Here are six highlights of the semester, so far:
Weekly Shabbat-to-Go Packages
As much as it pains us and our students not to be able to sit around the Shabbat table, thanks to you we have been able to give them a taste and feel of community every week with Shabbat to go packages. Contact-less drop-offs every Friday afternoon gives over 45 students a full Shabbat experience with Challah, grape juice, two dips, salad, matzah ball soup, kugel and meat/veggie entrée topped off with an inspirational message based on the weekly Torah portion.
“Thank you! I wait the whole week for this package! It gives me the feeling of Shabbat I need to wind down my week” (The reaction of a student to shabbat-to-go packages)
Hashana
With your help, we were able to hold in person socially distance outdoor services for Rosh Hashana! These services were especially meaningful for students to be with their community for the holidays and not locked away in their small dorm rooms…
The students loved the slow cooked brisket, noodle kugel and apples & honey to-go-packages you gave them!
Rosh
Weekly Zoom Torah Class
We were fortunate to have Yom Kippur services in-person. Six feet apart didn’t stop us from connecting with each other. Because of you, students were able to celebrate this special day together!
Finding individually wrapped Bagels and Lox was not easy, but as you can see from this picture, there was a long line of students waiting to break their fast after a day of reflection and return.
After the solemn High Holidays, we get to rejoice in the Sukkah. Besides the holiday to go packages, you were able to host students in the campus sukkah for a NYC Deli event. Pastrami on Rye while exploring Jewish Trivia was a great way to bring the community together for a casual social evening.
Like Eli, in the picture, who doesn’t like giving the Lulav and Etrog a quick shake?!?
With remote learning, even our alumnae/i are able to rejoin the Jewish studies they loved while on campus. Jewish education is one of our biggest focuses and is the strongest way to keep students connected to their Jewishness!
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
By Miriam Rovin
Even before arriving on campus this semester, I knew this year was going to be different. Communal living and dining, in person classes, being able to engage with the greater Poughkeepsie community- many of the features that have made my Vassar experience so special were now in jeopardy.
As the year began, the absence of some of these features of campus life made their impact known. Equally important, however, was the surprising ways in which other aspects of campus life truly adapted to this “new normal”.
Chabad has absolutely stepped up to the plate for students this semester. Despite challenges regarding in person meetings, food distribution, High Holy Day services, Chabad has continued to adapt to serve the needs of students like myself.
For example, beginning my very first Friday
on campus, I have received a personalized Shabbat-To-Go package each week! Each package comes with a delicious home cooked meal, challah, grape juice, candles, a booklet with the Shabbat prayers and a weekly parsha bulletin.
Receiving these packages has brought me such a sense of joy and normalcy during these unprecedented times. Despite so much uncertainty on campus, each week I have been able to reconnect to my Judaism in a truly meaningful way thanks to the support of Chabad.
Chabad has continued to work with students and the Vassar administration on countless other projects this semester to ensure that students are continuing to receive the support they need to live an active Jewish life on campus. While this has looked different than in years past, I can truly say that the Jewish community on campus is thriving thanks in a large part to your giving and your tireless commitment to the students.
Despite so much uncertainty on campus...
I have been able to reconnect to my Judaism in a meaningful way thanks to YOU!
I can truly say that the Jewish community on campus is thriving thanks to your giving and your tireless commitment to the students
Chabadonfulton.org | rabbi@chabadonfulton.org | 845-214-6734 | 94 Fulton Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 Chabad on Fulton is the assumed name of Chabad on Campus Dutchess, Inc. a 501(c)3 registered with the state of New York. We are unaffiliated with Vassar College
‘23