On March 25th, the doors of Georgia Tech and Georgia State University's Lohr Chabad House opened for the annual Shabbat 360 event, welcoming hundreds of Jewish students from the local Atlanta area and their friends and family. participated. The Sabbath is a Jewish day of rest, celebrated from sunset on Friday until evening the following Saturday. Although there are many spiritual traditions, a common ritual is the Shabbat dinner, and Shabbat 360 is centered around this.
Market-style stalls lined the cordoned-off streets with wares, baked goods and other food and drinks. The accompanying Shabbat dinner, held after sunset, filled tables of students, friends, and family.
Shifra Sharfstein and her husband, Rabbi Shlomo Sharfstein, are leaders of Chabad groups at Tech and Georgia State University. Chabad is an international organization centered on the Jewish community and education, with more than 300 university campuses. They work with children to host weekly Shabbat dinners focused on community values and other events throughout the school year, such as Shabbat 360.
“We are here to bring Jewish students closer to Judaism…We want Jewish students, especially those who are away from home, to feel like they are part of the community. We like to think of it as a home where you feel at home and feel part of. We host many social events, cultural events and learning opportunities, all of which include food. It's about hugs and home-cooked meals, and our goal is to be a family and a place where everyone is welcome,” said Shifra Sharfstein.
Six years ago, Shabbat360 started with just that purpose. The goal was to host a larger Shabbat event to give students who may not be familiar with Chabad or other Jewish students on campus an opportunity to feel welcome in the larger community. Initially, the event was titled Shabbat250, but as the Jewish community grew, so did the event.
“We believed that there were Jewish students who didn’t even know there was a Jewish community on campus, or who didn’t feel like they were part of a Jewish community and needed to feel welcome… We all came together and at the first event we all walked around like this.'' They were like, “I didn't know there were so many Jews on campus. This is crazy.'' People realized that there was actually a Jewish community here and that there was a place where I could be a part of it and feel welcome,'' Shifra Sharfstein said.
The event not only included new students celebrating their first Sabbath at Tech, but also returning students who had enjoyed the event in past years, giving them the space to reconnect with old friends and celebrate their shared traditions. is completed.
“Everyone is here, so it's a great way to not only see people you see often, but also to reconnect with people you haven't seen in a while. It's also a great way to share your traditions with everyone. , the environment is always uplifting and invigorating… It is very important for everyone who identifies with their culture and heritage to find some way to connect with it,” Ethan said.
Klein is in his third year at CS.
BCHM fourth-year student and Chabad student body president Maya Khan spoke about the importance of taking time to celebrate cultural and religious identities.
“It's so important. I mean, it's a part of who you really are, it colors every part of your life, and it's really good to connect to that and connect with other people who share it.” ,” Khan said.
Religious and cultural identity can be a determining factor in a person's life. Taking pride in these aspects of life can feel especially fulfilling when you have like-minded people to celebrate it with.
“I think it’s really great, especially this year, to have a space where the whole community can come together…College is a particularly important time for people to explore their identities. [and] You have the opportunity to connect with people who have similar beliefs and values,” said BMED fourth-year student Talia Segal.
Shifra Sharfstein explained that Tech's campus does not have a particularly large Jewish population, making it all the more important for this community to be present and active.
“Since October 7th, many Jewish students have felt isolated and hurt by conversations on campus directed toward Jewish students. “No, you're not alone, there are people who love you, we're here for you, we care about you'' and make them feel like a big family. is.”
Shifra Sharfstein said.
Such communities are important to students' social and emotional well-being. College is a time to meet new people and have new experiences, but having a safe space surrounded by familiarity and shared values can be just as important.
“Whenever a student walks into Chabad University on a Friday night, there is always someone there who welcomes them…a community that not only makes them feel, but lets them know that they matter and matter. that you are part of something [is] It’s really important for the mental health, emotional health and spiritual well-being of our students,” Shifra said. Sharfstein talked about how Shabbat created community on Tech's campus.
Shabbat dinners are held every Friday at 7:30 p.m. Interested parties can learn about other events hosted by Chabad on Instagram. @chabadgeorgiatech.
