Event Honors Earthquake Victim

The bus loads of students came from Eilat and Karmiel, from Ben Gurion University in Beersheba and from the Northern Kinneret College and many dozens of universities and colleges in between. What they all have in common are a Chabad couple serving as Shluchim on their campus, as part of Chabad on Campus Israel.

These activities are part of the special projects division Of the Chabad Youth organization headed by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Aharonov and are operated by Rabbi David Kurtz and Rabbi Moshe Shilat. Chabad on Campus Israel has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years.

In recent months, students participated in the JLI courses “Map the Soul” and “A Jewish look into life” featuring a series of classes and lectures about Judaism. The event served as a graduation ceremony for all the students who participated in those courses.

The Wohl Center at Bar Ilan University was completely packed when the MC Rabbi Asi Spiegel opened the evening by inviting Minister Gila Gamliel, who is responsible for the development of activities for students and young people in Israel, to speak to the students. The minister, who expressed her appreciation for the wonderful activities of Chabad on Campus, told everyone about her connection to the Rebbe and told an amazing story about a blessing that was fulfilled after her visit to the Rebbe’s Ohel.

The highlight of the event was the participation of the Shluchim from Nepal, Rabbi Chezki and Chani Lifshitz, who shared with the students stories about their unique Shlichut and activities in the Far East. They provided everyone present with a glimpse into life of the Rebbe’s Shluchim.

A particularly moving moment took place when the parents of the Israeli traveler Or Asraf who perished in the earthquake in Nepal two months ago, were invited to the stage. His father, Patrick, spoke about his son’s special qualities, saying, “Or wrote in his diary, ‘When was the last time you did something for someone?'”

As his parents were about to go back to their seats, the MC announced on behalf of all the Shluchim that the next Chabad on Campus Shabbat dinner will be dedicated to the memory of Or Asraf.

The event concluded with a musical performance by the popular Israeli singers Evyatar Banai and Asaf Amdurski, who also read letters of the Rebbe from the from the newly published book “Answers to the Questions of Life.”

At the end of the event, this book was distributed as a gift to all the participants.