Social
Menu
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Mendel's Messages
no comments

The Howling Wind, Below Zero Temps, Swirling Snow Shabbos Minyan at UAlbany – February 2026

This Shabbat Yitro, first weekend of February 2026, of the so-called “Spring Semester” got incredibly cold. There was a light snow on Friday Night and in middle of the night howling winds set in, swirling the snow around, and making … Read the rest

...
no comments

Parsha Yitro, the Superbowl, & the Camping Theme

This Shabbat dinner at Hillel (we alternate Friday Nights at Jewish UAlbany between Hillel and Chabad) has a camping theme. A paper-fire as a campfire centerpiece, and related camping decor on the tables and around Campus Center 375 where Hillel … Read the rest

...
no comments

Hakhel Halftime: Superbowl LX (2026) Lessons & Messages

See below for insights, lessons and messages about the Superbowl LX (2026) match up of New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks, prepared by Rabbi Mendel with help from Shabbos House student and alumni sports enthusiasts… in no particular order:… Read the rest

...
no comments

Ran Gvili – the Last Oct 7 Hostage

The IDF finding and recovering Ran Gvili, the last October 7th hostage, bringing him home to his family and people for burial in Israel – it’s a big deal for Israelis, for all who followed this long 800+ day saga.… Read the rest

...
no comments

Holy Folly – and the Snow

Our first Sunday Talmud 4-week theme for Spring 2026 is “Holy Folly” and our first piece of Talmud we studied on this theme (from Ketubot  17a) was as the snowfall was already underway with anticipation of a big snowfall (forecast … Read the rest

...
no comments

Wintertime Torah Dressed in Layers

On a very cold Shabbat like this, I usually share the Chassidic message contrasting “The Fur Coat Jew” vs. the Jew who lights a fire to warm others as well.(Amazed how many of you remember it!) Or see this … Read the rest

...
no comments

Unexpected Alumni Twists – Winter 2026

While we didn’t plan any formal alumni reunions this Winter 2025-26, we did get to meet up with and celebrate with alumni, and some of it in quite unexpected ways!

CAR-TROUBLE

This alumnus only spent one year with us at … Read the rest

...
no comments

Go Guesser Game & “with Great Wealth”

For our Welcome Back event for the Spring ’26 semester, our student board suggested some version of the Geo-Guessr game. So we asked students to submit pictures of their winter break places – for students at the event to guess … Read the rest

...
no comments

UAlbany’s Split-A Logo

We got word via internal UAlbany memo that the University is officially sunsetting their longtime “Split-A” logo in favor of using the Minerva and Great Dane imaging as University at Albany branding.

(Personally I’d go with the iconic and ubiquitous … Read the rest

...
no comments

Insight’s from Joseph’s Butler Baker Question at Rebbe’s 1973 Launch of the Public Menorah Campaign

In launching the Chabad campaign for public Menorah lightings, at a farbrengen on Chanukah 5734/1973, the Rebbe took inspiration from the biblical story of Joseph in prison, his interaction with the butler and the baker.

One morning Joseph awoke and … Read the rest

...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172
Next