Ten years ago, Rabbi Zalman and Nechama Tiechtel had a dream to open a Chabad House. They wanted to go somewhere where they could have an impact and had “tremendous potential.” So on March 26, 2006, they landed in Lawrence, Kansas, to serve the Jewish students at KU. Nechama was young — the same age as the college students they would be directing — and the rabbi, at 24, was just barely older than the seniors.
“It was a little bit of a leap of faith because we didn’t know a soul. I like to say we came with a dollar, a dream and a 6-week-old baby,” Rabbi Tiechtel reminisced.
His wife, who serves as KU Chabad co-director, notes that being Chabad emissaries and serving the students is not just a job for them.
“This is an honor and a privilege. It’s really our calling and we do it with our whole heart, we really do.”
At KU and college campuses across the country, Chabad serves as a “home away from home” to the Jewish students. As such it offers a broad scope of Jewish programming aimed at engaging students with their own heritage. These include weekly Shabbat dinners, large holiday events, ongoing Torah classes and discussion together with the popular Sinai Scholars Society, trips and retreats.
Before the Tiechtels made the decision to move to the Midwest, they did have a chance to visit with Rabbi Mendy Wineberg of Chabad House Center, and now The Shul — Chabad of Leawood.
“We worked very closely with the Winebergs, who really helped us settle in. Although we are a 100 percent independent entity, we had their blessing and emotional support,” Rabbi Tiechtel said.
They had also met others at KU, including Jay Lewis from KU Hillel and some Jewish members of the faculty community.
“There was such a warm embrace and we really got the feeling that there was a lot of potential for even more growth and we were very blessed that from the get-go there was a very strong support and friendship with KU Hillel.”
They rented a small house across the street from Naismith Hall, which, Rabbi Tiechtel said, was everyone’s recommendation for the location, largely because so many Jewish freshmen live in Naismith, and it’s so close to campus. After a couple of weeks, they were busy programming.
Being in Kansas, so far from New York where the rabbi grew up and the couple began their married life, was a bit of a shock to the Tiechtels.
“It was an alien world for a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn,” he said.
The couple was surprised by how nice people in Lawrence are. They also didn’t expect to start their outreach so quickly, while they were still unpacking their belongings.
“Two days after we had arrived, I got a phone call on my New York cell phone. On the other end I heard, ‘Is this Chabad?’ It turns out that a kid at KU was looking for something Jewish and he Googled Chabad and we came up. Literally three days before I added my phone number to the Chabad.org listing. This kid came and we spent an hour together and he became one of our founders of Chabad and he was very involved for four years and we’re still very close.”
A few weeks later, at KU Chabad’s first official Shabbat dinner, five students attended. Since that time three of those students have gotten married, not to each other, but “all to wonderful Jewish people.” Rabbi Tiechtel was privileged to officiate at all three weddings.
Serving hundreds of students
In 2016, KU Chabad attracts between 60 and 80 students on a regular Shabbat.
“There’s always one or two Shabbats a semester when we have almost 100. And then once in a while you have a small one because there is a game or something going on.”
It takes more than just the two Tiechtels to run KU Chabad, and they are very proud of their student leadership. Every semester a group of about 15 students “who Chabad really is their passion” meet regularly and plan and discuss what can be done to enhance Jewish life at KU.
Today the 34-year-old rabbi is surprised by how fast KU Chabad has grown.
“We have become a real, strong presence. In the beginning it was ‘Where’s Chabad?’ ‘Who’s Chabad?’ It took time, but now before freshmen arrive at KU they want to be part of this Chabad community.”
He said he and his wife worried that growing larger would diminish the family feeling that is, for many, the main attraction to KU Chabad.
“What surprised me is how, with the help of the students, we are able to maintain a very strong family feeling. Even if you rarely come, you’re always one of the crew. When you show up you feel like you never left.”
That family feeling extends to the Tiechtels’ seven children — the 6-week-old baby Mina is now 10, Mendel (8), Yosef (7), Levi (5), Yisroel (4), Sima (2) and Esther (1).
“It’s amazing how close our children feel with the students,” said Rabbi Tiechtel. “These kids are 10, 15 years older than them, but they have such a special connection to the students, which is incredible. They are so loving to our kids.”
Being a Chabad campus family also gives the children an opportunity to be leaders at a young age. As an example, the rabbi notes that one child explains some traditions every Friday night and another gives a D’var Torah.
“When I was 6, 7 years old, I wasn’t standing up in front of 80 people speaking.”
Establishing connections
The Rebbe, Rabbi Tiechtel explained, “once said our job is not to build members, it’s to build people. I think that the young people today connect with people. They love the personal connection. Because of that, many times, they don’t connect with institutions. What’s really unique about our model as a Chabad on Campus couple, is that our model is really about that personal relationship. What really brings these things to us — besides the food and the fun — is that personal connection. They know we are there for them, not just for something Jewish per se, but for anything.”
Over the years the rabbi said kids have called him for everything from needing a ride home after a late night of partying to wanting a friendly face and an advocate in the emergency room when they were sick or injured.
“They know whatever it is, we’re there, we’re friends. I think that’s why they really stay connected because it’s a genuine friendship without strings attached. Sadly, you don’t come by that much today.”
Rabbi Tiechtel said he and Nechama love the fact that every day they have the opportunity to inspire, impact and empower the young people they serve.
“These are people that are young, that are starting their journey and it’s amazing the impact we can have now that will last 10, 20, 30 years.
“I can’t talk about more than 10 years yet. We already have alumni that we’re very close with and it’s amazing the things they share. We have alumni who call us as soon as they get engaged, we have alumni who call us as soon as they find out they are having a child. Alumni that call us before they make a big decision about a move or a job. All those seeds were planted when we met them as a freshman.”
When thinking about the past decade, Rabbi Tiechtel said one of the biggest highlights is not one of the very memorable special events — including the Torah celebration last year — but “realizing the opportunity we have to have such a special connection with so many of these young kids.”
Nechama agrees.
“The people that we have really connected with have become part of our family and many of them, their families as well. We’ve connected with their parents and their siblings. I think about over the years how many we’ve reached and still keep in contact with,” she said.
One of those families is the Bohen family. Mark Bohen said his daughter Allyson was active at KU Chabad when she was a student several years ago and as he learned more about the program and met the Tiechtels, he bonded with them as well.
“I attribute Chabad to really helping my daughter Allyson find Judaism, and she met her future husband Josh Mawhirter there,” noted Bohen, who added that Rabbi Tiechtel officiated at the wedding.
“While she’s no longer at KU, I still keep in touch with the rabbi and try to help him out when I can. It’s been really a terrific experience for the whole family.”
Looking to the future
Rabbi Tiechtel said they will continue to strive to reach every single Jewish student at KU.
“If we reach 1,999 and there is one that still does not know that he or she has a home, a place to be, a place where they belong, we didn’t finish our work. That’s our biggest goal, to reach every single Jewish student.”
They also want to build a new building because they have outgrown what he calls their “little hut.” They have plans for a two-story home with room for Shabbat dinners, a student lounge with a library, a place to daven and pray, and accommodations that will allow students or visiting parents to stay overnight. The project is expected to cost $1.9 million.
As they make these plans, Rabbi Tiechtel said they recognize the incredible support they get from parents and alumni in Kansas City.
“The campaign we did earlier this year raised $100,000 in 24 hours and a significant percentage of that came from Kansas City people.”
Later this year the Tiechtels expect to celebrate KU Chabad’s first 10 years with a gala in Kansas City, “in appreciation for a lot of support we get from the Kansas City area.”
As Nechama recalls all their successes over the past 10 years, she said it inspires them to work even harder in the future.
“I see the good work we’ve done, but I see how much more good work there is still to do. There’s still so many more kids to reach and build a connection with and get involved.”