A group of KU students recently participated in a special graduation celebration. Unlike many other events at this time of the year, which mark academic achievements, this one was a celebration related to their personal growth. More than 50 students gathered to celebrate a semester of Torah learning as part of the JewishU program at KU.
“The power of staying connected to the Jewish community is the most crucial component of Jewish continuity. It is a great gift to have a program like JewishU to help each student feel connected to the Jewish community and its heritage,” Eric Kaseff, a Kansas City Jewish leader and KU Chabad supporter, told students at the event.
According to Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel, KU Chabad co-director, for many young Jews today, their Jewish involvement consists of participating in various experiential Jewish opportunities. While Rabbi Tiechtel considers this integral to ensure continued involvement, the importance of engaging the mind in intellectual study and immersion in Jewish texts can’t be neglected.
“Sadly, for most millennials, their Jewish learning ends at the bar and bat mitzvah phase,” he said. “The JewishU program is here to change that.”
College students want to learn more about themselves, their history and their heritage but are often too busy to commit to extensive Jewish learning. To fulfill this need, Chabad at KU created JewishU, a program that offers a variety of opportunities for Jewish learning, decreased workload, quantifiable knowledge and valuable rewards. JewishU provides students with a platform to gain a comprehensive Jewish education alongside their standard college education.
“JewishU provides an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in Jewish learning and to explore core Jewish values and ideas,” said Nechama Tiechtel, KU Chabad co-director and JewishU course leader. “It is amazing to see how much self-discovery and personal development that the students gain from participating in these discussions.”
At the start of each semester, students can choose from five different courses, with each course linked to another track.
This semester’s tracks included a mental health track, where they received in-depth training from mental health professionals and Torah scholars; a business school track, where they explored the topic of “How Success Thinks” from a Jewish angle; an Israel track, where they learned Israel advocacy and why we care; a graduate-student track; and a special track for the Jewish Greeks.
Once students complete a course, they can then convert their class participation into scholarship funds towards further Jewish programming, or allocate their stipend to a favorite charity.
Sophomore Suzi DeLay joined three JewishU courses this semester.
“When I started taking these JewishU classes, I realized how easy and fulfilling it is to build a connection with my Judaism. Now I love studying Torah, and it has given me an outlet to feel secure with my faith and with myself which is a gift I can never appreciate enough,” she said. “I am forever thankful for this incredible opportunity of Jewish learning.”
According to sophomore Maya Kamen, this semester’s JewishU coordinator, the Chabad House will have a mélange of students come together for Jewish fellowship and study on any given evening. Those attending have only one common denominator — they all want to learn more about what being Jewish means.
JewishU is funded by a grant from Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, the Robinson Family Foundation and other generous donors. To learn more, visit www.JewishKU.com or contact KU Chabad at 785.832.8672.
