Just like you, Chabad on Chatham President Leiba Estrin is settling into the school year, and it’s time for a fresh start: academically, socially, and for Estrin, religiously – September brings the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. “It’s nice that the Jewish new year comes at the beginning of the school year because it makes sense in my mind: of course it should be when school starts!” she says. “It’s new beginnings for everyone.”
Chabad on Chatham got its new beginning in Fall 2012. Originally established six to seven years before, Estrin reawakened the organization after a period without leadership. Since its re-launch, Chabad on Chatham has hosted dozens of events on campus: they’ve sold matzah ball soup and falafel, put together music performances and even organized a spring retreat at Eden Hall. With Estrin at the helm, the organization developed into an important feature of campus life and won the Big Thinking Award at the Chatham University Student Leadership & Organization Awards.
What makes Chabad on Chatham’s rise to prominence even more astounding is the fact that Estrin restarted the organization when she was making a fresh start of her own: she was one week into classes of her first year as a transfer. “The second I even stepped foot on the campus, I fell in love with it and I wanted to come here.”
A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Estrin moved to Pittsburgh for high school. One of her classmates was the daughter of Sara and Shmuel Weinstein, directors of the Chabad House.”I used to go to their house for different events, and I was inspired by what I saw.” Estrin continued her involvement with Chabad House when she made the transition to Chatham. “Now, coming back years later and reconnecting with them, I feel privileged and honored that they want me as a part of their team. They’re so giving and so warm, and they devote their lives to the students.”
Called “the warmest place away from home,” Chabad House on campus is part of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, a religious philosophy grounded in the teachings of seven Rebbes. “Chabad stands for chochma bina and daat, or wisdom, understanding and knowledge,” explains Estrin. “And they all sound fairly similar, but they are not. They delve into different aspects within the mind and intellect and how to use the mind and intellect to control our emotions.” The Chabad House now serves university students all over Pittsburgh. “Chabad on Chatham tries to appeal to everybody,” says Estrin. “We are also here to help Jewish students to connect to their heritage. Many are living far from home now and they often miss their delicious home-cooked holiday meals, but they always have Chabad House if they want to share a delicious holiday meal with other students in the same boat.” While she can’t name everyone, Estrin says that Dean Waite, Dr. McGreevey, Deborah Prise and Stephanie Reynolds have all helped to make Jewish students feel welcome, from assisting with the development of Chabad on Chatham to ensuring Kosher food options. “The campus has been so welcoming and accepting. [When you come to this campus, you] feel like you’re accepted, even if you’re from a different religion or background or culture or if you’re a little older. Everybody accepts you and welcomes you for who you are, and you don’t have that everywhere.”
Estrin pays it forward on that spirit of kindness, doing her best to reach as many students as possible with friendliness and genuine interest. “When I go to class and meet new people, I try to make that personal connection so they know that I care about them, not just that they’re going to support our organization.” Chabad on Chatham welcomes all members of the campus community to their events, whether they’re currently practicing Judaism or just want to learn more about it. On October 5, students can unwind from 9pm to midnight at a Cafe Rachel Coffee House Music Jam. Students with an interest in women’s issues will likely enjoy the Confronting Womanhood Symposium on Sunday, October 20 from 12:30pm to 7:30pm in Mellon. “We want to provide students access to inspiring modern career women who will speak about their careers and how students can enhance both personal and professional self-image.” And on December 3, students can learn about one woman’s journey from professional figure skating to religious motherhood at An Evening with Mor Greenberg: Finding my Path. “I want to bring people together, and I want to get students excited about the work that we do,” says Estrin. “To come to our events and start these interesting discussions, have them ask us questions so we can talk about our beliefs and our values.”
When asked how her faith impacts her life in college, she responds, “It is my life.” Though Estrin is balancing other commitments – a new life with her husband, a Communications major, and all of the complications of senior year – she stands firm in her commitment to her religion. “It’s this beautiful thing that I want to pass on to my children and to extend to whoever I meet and have that impact,” she says. “And I feel like the most impact I’ve had on any college campus has been here, because everyone makes themselves accessible. Everyone in the faculty and Student Affairs office, they make themselves accessible and you feel like you matter. You really feel like you matter here.”
Learn more about Chabad on Chatham by liking them on Facebook here.
To register for their upcoming events, visit the Happenings page on myChatham.