A little over two weeks prior to this event, I had celebrated Shabbat with Chabad for the first time. Typically, I celebrated Shabbat with Hillel, but I had decided to attend at least one Shabbat with Chabad per the advice of some friends. Ultimately, I enjoyed the Shabbat that Chabad hosted that night (now roughly…

I arrived well before the event’s advertised start time of 7:00 PM and claimed a seat in an empty row. Some groups of people had congregated near the front and back of the room, but the middle was isolated in its relative desolateness. My row remained empty (aside from myself) for some time, until someone…

The opportunity to study in a foreign country has always appealed to me. I had, for a time, considered spending an entire semester abroad, but I didn’t want to commit to a longer term, so I decided that a summer program would be the best fit. Shortly before entering Miller Forum, I realized that I…