While Utah is not usually known for its Jewish community, one student group is attempting to give the religion and its followers a more visible presence on campus.
Chabad on Campus, a student group focused on creating a Jewish community at the U, started meeting on Wednesday.
The group affiliates with the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic community, an Orthodox Jewish sect started in Brooklyn, NY, which has since become the world’s largest Hassidic community, with more than 200,000 adherents worldwide.
Chabad on Campus organizes social activities such as bowling nights and group trips to Yellowstone, as well as weekly classes on Kabbalah or the Torah.
Ziv Abolnik, the president of the group, said 20 to 30 people are involved in the group, and its main focus is on expanding that number. There are hundreds of Jews on campus, he said, especially among the faculty, but “the hard part is finding them.”
Abolnik would like Chabad on Campus to, one day, become a hub for the U’s Jews as the Newman Center is for Catholics.
He said he dreams of a dedicated building on campus where students could pray, perform religious ceremonies or attend religious classes.
The Chabad-Lubavitch is an Orthodox Hasidic sect, meaning many members observe the traditional laws of Judaism and wear distinctive black clothing, long beards, sidelocks and top hats.
However, Chabad on Campus welcomes practicing and non-practicing Jews alike, whether they be secular, modern or orthodox. The first meeting was attended by Jewish students but also people who identified themselves as Christian or pagan.
“We’re open to anyone who wants to learn about Judaism, unless they bring a message of hate,” said Feliks Furmanov, the group’s vice president.
Those interested in the group are encouraged to email [email protected] for more information.