This page is in progress, we’ll be adding to this, and some photos in the next few days…
Chabad on Campus’ NYC Pegisha was the largest yet with 2000 registered students in attendance!
Below are some of Mendel’s highlights and takeaways, in no particular order, as richly experienced along with our UAlbany delegation. It was quite the jam-packed weekend!
OUR SWEATSHIRTS
Every year we make a creative sweatshirt or t-shirt, for our student board and/or for the annual UAlbany Pegisha participants. This year’s was a twist on the popular “Anti-Social Social Club” design, with the Chassidic twist of the “Beyond Worldly Worldly Club”. A highlight of Pegisha was the feedback and appreciation we got for this sweatshirt, ranging from the Pegisha’s videographer to a student from ASU, especially the Chabad on Campus rabbis, the Shluchim, who know how meaningful this paradoxical balance is in Chassidic thought and Chabad life, and how emphasized this was in the Rebbe’s teaching and vision to be both within and beyond the world, at the same time. So many people got it!
REGISTERING…
Most of our group (which came in different cars and times) all got to Pegisha Registration by 12pm. We all found parking (no small miracle!) and got the group registered at the Jewish Children’s Museum (which some of our group remembered from their childhood school visits)
GESHMAK TO BE A YID!
This Pegisha had a specific theme, how it is “Geshmak to be a Yid” – delicious, richly enjoyable, delightful. Or as the rabbi from Syracuse and his students put it: “Finger-Licking-Good!” Chabad on Campus gave each participant a pull-over sweatshirt emblazoned with “Geshmak to be a Yid” in a fun funky font – which many wore throughout the weekend. Those of our students who come to Shabbos morning know the melody, it’s an old Chassidic melody that we sing each Shabbos morning for “The Hodu Song”
AARON BARRY
Even with splitting up the Shabbat portion into two venues (Oholei Torah on Eastern Parkway and Razag Ballroom on East New York Ave) Pegisha was packed. People everywhere. It was quite crowded and could be hard to get around. That’s why I was impressed with a guy I met in a wheelchair. I asked him how he managed to navigate the crowds and accessibility. He responded with such positivity and strength and appreciation – that only grew once I learned his story. Man, this guy is a tremendous inspiration. Next time you feel down, or think you can’t, or feel weighed down by life, or want to complain and kvetch – think Aaron Barry. He’s from Houston, he lost his parents in an accident that paralyzed both him and his brother, both of whom are “Wheelchair Basketball” athletes and life enthusiasts.
JOSH ON THE OHEL LINE
Our Pegisha weekend culminated with a prayer visit at the Rebbe’s Ohel. Some of the guys in our group and I were standing together on that line. Just in front of us was a group from overseas. One or two in that group we also met on our midnight trek to Times Square on Sat Night, so we crossed paths the night before. We were chatting with Josh in particular, he seemed so warm and friendly and positive, upbeat. Turns out one of his Chabad rabbis is a classmate of mine, so we took a photo and I sent it as a regards. After we left the Ohel I got a message back from that classmate rabbi overseas, what a nice boy this Josh is – and that his life is a series of miracles. I showed that to one UAlbany student in our group and he said, “It really is true, everyone has a story.”
MEETING NEW PEOPLE
SEEING FAMILIAR PEOPLE
THAT EXTRA SUBWAY STOP