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CHABAD HOUSE JEWISH STUDENT CENTER AT YALE UNIVERSITY
FROM THE RABBI’S DESK B”H
Dear Friend, Thank you for taking the time to learn about Chabad at Yale University. Founded in 2003, Chabad at Yale has flourished and grown from its humble beginnings in the Taft apartment building to the “home away from home” for Jewish life that it is today. On an average week, over 150 students attend events at Chabad at Yale. These students are from diverse Jewish backgrounds, and all are welcome regardless of knowledge or level of affiliation. Our largest weekly event is Shabbat dinner, which attracts close to 100 students on many Friday nights. Weekly classes on topics ranging from Jewish theology and Kabbalah to the thought-provoking writings of Maimonides are a huge draw for the student seeking intellectual stimulation. Many students also consider Chabad their “home for the holidays” on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Chanukah and Passover. Now we stand at the threshold of a large expansion—and for this we seek your partnership. Recently, we purchased a 9,000-square-foot building adjacent to the Yale campus that we will be renovating and expanding. This building will allow us to comfortably and safely accommodate the many students that make Chabad at Yale their home. It will allow us to enhance our Shabbat and holiday dinners, build a world-class Judaic library, host Jewish social events, and continue to expand our activities to serve the growing Yale Jewish community. Once again, I thank you for your generous support, and it is my sincere hope that you will partner with us on this exciting endeavor. The effort that we put into the Yale community today will last for generations. As our Sages teach, “Just as our parents have planted for us, so must we plant for our children.” Help us plant new seeds today. Sincerely,
Rabbi Shua Rosenstein Executive Director, Chabad at Yale University
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MANY STUDENTS, ONE HOME. Chabad at Yale is a place for the Jewish community at Yale to come together and cherish our religion, traditions, and to learn and celebrate together. — Josh Flaster ‘06
Chabad at Yale has evolved into a large community of students who view Shabbos dinners as a wonderful break from the busy lives that most of us lead, and developed into a large community that is completely open to any student.
I have always identified as a Jew, and Chabad at Yale has provided me with the perfect outlet to rediscover and cultivate my Jewish identity.
— T. Nathaniel Kempner.‘05
— Brian Korchin ‘05
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MISSION STATEMENT Chabad at Yale University’s mission is to connect the Yale Jewish community to Jewish heritage, culture and spirituality in a warm, diverse, and non-judgmental environment. Chabad welcomes every individual with unconditional acceptance regardless of background, knowledge or affiliation, creating a sense of community while cultivating the Jewish leaders of tomorrow.
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WHAT IS CHABAD? One of the most dynamic forces in Jewish life today, ChabadLubavitch is a philosophy, a movement and an organization, with 4,000 full-time shluchim (emissaries) directing over 3,300 institutions dedicated to the welfare of the Jewish people worldwide. Chabad-Lubavitch is driven by the philosophy and spirit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, known simply and lovingly as “the Rebbe.” Motivated by the Rebbe’s profound love for every human being and spurred by his boundless optimism and self-sacrifice, Chabad career outreach teams of young rabbis and their families have set into motion a dazzling array of programs, services and institutions serving every Jew across the globe for the last several decades.
4,000 full - time Shluchim (emissaries) families direct more than 3,300 institutions dedicated to the welfare of the Jewish people worldwide.
Seeking to help shape the next generation of engaged leadership within the Jewish community and within American society at large, Chabad combines faith and tradition with a welcoming, inclusive and nonjudgmental attitude most effective in today’s campus environment. Chabad operates active, full-time outreach centers on over 130 national and international campuses, with part-time outreach activities at an additional 150 universities worldwide. Although Chabad at Yale is affiliated with the Chabad worldwide network, we are responsible for raising 100% of our budget. Additionally, all funds raised stay entirely within Chabad at Yale and are used exclusively for our programs and activities.
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CHABAD AT YALE About Us Chabad at Yale University is co-directed by Rabbi and Mrs. Shua and Sarah Rosenstein. Rabbi Rosenstein grew up in Oak Park, Michigan and studied at rabbinical seminaries in Detroit, Miami and New York before receiving his rabbinical ordination in 2004. Sarah grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from the Beth Rivkah seminary in New York. The Rosensteins moved to New Haven in 2005 with the goal of creating an exciting and warm Jewish experience for every Jewish student and faculty member at Yale. They are blessed with three beautiful children: Rachel, five; Menachem, three; and Mushka, two… all proud young members of the Yale Jewish community.
“…creating an exciting and warm Jewish experience for every Jewish student and faculty member at Yale.”
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A BUILDING OF A DIFFERENT KIND The Chabad House at Yale is not just another physical structure: It is a home to anyone who walks through its doors—a home for stimulating discussions, probing questions and meaningful dialogue… a home of diversity and acceptance, where all are welcomed and included… a home where students feel they belong.
CHABAD AT YALE 36 LYNWOOD PLACE NEW HAVEN, CT 06511
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A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
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WELCOME Going off to school is an exciting, transformative journey for the young college student—a critical period of life in which the student will forge his or her independent identity, social circles, professional career path, and religious life. To accommodate and support the Jewish college student all through this rite of passage, Chabad at Yale serves as an intimate, vibrant community and a pillar of support for hundreds of Jewish students, regardless of personal beliefs, backgrounds or levels of religious observance.
“Chabad at Yale has created a community within the larger Yale community. Many students have approached me over the past months asking about the Shabbat dinners and Passover Seders they have heard so much about. Each week, many new people join our dinners to participate in the vibrant Shabbat celebrations. Because of Shabbat at Chabad at Yale, I feel as though I have become a part of a new community; my own sense of Judaism is strengthened and I have met many new people who share my heritage.” —Jillian Merns ‘05
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FIRST FLOOR:
The first-floor entrance will feature a flourishing foyer decked with elegant Jerusalem stone, with a benefactor wall honoring all our partners in the Chabad at Yale building project. The Library and Conference Room will be a place of in-depth study and probing research, with thousands of volumes on hundreds of topics in Jewish thought, ranging from Talmud and Kabbalah to today’s moral challenges. Daily classes and study groups will meet in the Conference Room for study, discussion and debate on all things Jewish, from the arguments of Maimonides to modern Jewish medical ethics. An inspiring art gallery will lead to the Synagogue/Lecture Hall, a handsome hall that will facilitate Shabbat and holiday services as well as the many lectures hosted by Chabad at Yale. The first floor will also comprise offices for the rabbi and administrative assistants.
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A CENTER OF JEWISH ACTIVITY
Chabad at Yale offers a wide array of Jewish cultural, religious, academic and social activities and programs for the entire undergraduate and graduate student community.
Standard activities include: • Shabbat and holiday dinners • Daily classes and study groups • Lectures on Jewish topics • Tikkun Olam initiatives • Beginners’ prayer services • Birthright Israel trips • Student counseling • Hospital visitations • Alumni programming • L’Chaim graduate club • Humanitarian support
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SEC0ND FLOOR:
The second floor will feature the center’s dining room, perhaps the most-used space in the building. Chabad at Yale consistently attracts overflow crowds for its five-course gourmet dinners for Shabbat and Jewish holidays—and the dining room will be built to match. The dining room is designed to comfortably accommodate over 100 students at any event, incorporating an atmosphere of warmth and intimacy that engenders that all-important sense of Jewish family and community so integral to Chabad life. The dining room will be paired with a state-of-the-art kitchen to match.
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A FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP Chabad at Yale is an incubator of cutting-edge ideas on engaging the contemporary Jewish collegiate, with a particular focus on Jewish leadership, both on campus and post-graduation. Chabad at Yale continuously hosts leading religious thinkers, prominent academics, respected politicians, renowned physicians and successful business professionals as guest speakers to inspire Jewish leadership within the Yale community. The new building will serve as a boardroom for the Jewish future, where students can brainstorm on new initiatives and blaze new trails of Jewish leadership worldwide.
“A true leader is not one who creates followers; it is one who creates leaders.” — The Rebbe
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THIRD FLOOR:
The third floor will offer the Yale Jewish community a superlative student lounge complete with pool table, piano and seating area—a safe haven of comfort and the ideal venue for small events, and a cozy retreat for relaxing and hanging out with friends. The third floor will also comprise two fully-appointed guest suites with accommodations evoking the finest hotels, allowing Chabad at Yale to regularly host visitors, guest speakers, alumni, parents and friends in uncompromising comfort, class and centrally-located convenience.
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BUILDING A PARTNERSHIP At Chabad at Yale, every donor is a partner. By partnering with us, you will make a direct impact on the Yale Jewish community, ensuring a Jewish future for the leaders of tomorrow. Each dedication will be recognized with a beautiful tribute in the new Chabad house.
Center name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,800,000 Building name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,080,000 Dining room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $540,000 Synagogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $360,000 Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250,000 Student lounge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $180,000 Conference room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $180,000 Rabbi’s study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $162,000 Kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150,000 Synagogue Ark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $126,000 Entry Lobby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $108,000 Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100,000 Guest suite 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $90,000 Guest suite 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $90,000 Torah 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $72,000 Torah 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $72,000 Front doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54,000
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DEDICATIONS: Administrative offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54,000 Bimah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,000 Ner Tamid – eternal flame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,000 Building Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,000 Elevator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,000 Stairwell 1st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,000 Stairwell 2nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,000 Stairwell 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,000 Synagogue Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,000 Dining Room Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,000 Library Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,000 Conference Room Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,000 Rabbi’s office Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,000 Backstairs 1st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000 Backstairs 2nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000 Backstairs 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000 Kitchen Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000 Student Lounge Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,000 Guest Suite 1 Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,000 Guest Suite 2 Mezzuzah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,000 Honor wall Large gold plaque (10 total) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,800 Medium gold plaque (15 total) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,200 Small gold plaque (20 total) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,600
TOTAL – $6,000,000 Chabad at Yale is a 501(c)3, and all donations are fully tax deductible. We would welcome the opportunity of discussing special projects and programs, perpetual endowments, and planned giving possibilities. Many gifts are eligible for credit with Yale University when made through the development office. To discuss dedication opportunities, please call us at 203-498-9770.
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PROJECTED COSTS: BUILDING EXPENSES: Building purchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $900,000 Building renovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,800,000 $200 per square foot x 9000 square feet Soft costs (architect, legal, engineering, design, permits) . . . . . . . $200,000 Building furnishings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300,000 Total building expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,200,000
OPERATING EXPENSES: Annual operating expenses for first 2 years after expansion $500,000/year x 2 years = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000,000
Total building expenses . . . . . . . $4,200,000 Endowment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,800,000
Fundraising goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,000,000
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CHABAD AT YALE 37 EDGEWOOD AVENUE | NEW HAVEN, CT 06511 PHONE: (203) 498-9770 | FAX: (203) 498-9977 WWW.CHABADYALE.ORG