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Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel
Good evening and welcome, distinguished guest, the honorees, Phil and Beverly, the President, coach, foundation board, leaders, family and friends. Let me share with you a story… Just a few short weeks ago, I was asked by a close friend to join her on a research visit to a small town in central Indiana, the City of Attica. She requested I join her to help with deciphering the Hebrew on the stones in the Jewish cemetery, as she works to understand and learn about the people that lived there. Here in this small city of 5000, lived about 200 some Jews, from the mid 1800's, to ONE Jew living there today. As we drove, I learnt a lot about the Jews that lived in this area, that settled here, and now the grandkids all moved away. There is no one there. The synagogue closed in 1910. As I walked through the cemetery, and read the stones, families, people, all where, a nice traditional family, a community, a future. I inquired where are the children now? Where are the decedents? I am told there is one family on decedents that identifies as part of the Jewish the rest not, totally un connected.. As we walked out, we stopped and I made a special prayer of Keil Maleh Rachemim, and recited some psalms. As we left, it was pointed out to me, this is probably the first prayer said there since 1910. The whole way back I was thinking, here a nice clean cemetery, a community from the past, who where they?! What is of them today?! As we took the drive back, my mind was thinking, what are we going to do to make sure that our children not only don't leave with what they are brought up with, but only grow?! how do we ensure the strong united Jewish future?! As we were talking, my mind wandered to how we are nearing the last week of the semester. You know, each year at this time, as we come to graduation, I think, wow, what a special year, what growth, yet also think, but look what happens they all leave. It’s hard, the students move on.
People, faces, stories, flash through my mind, the random meetings, that connected students to Jewish life, and are now leaders. The student who signed up to our alternative spring break to Berlin, just because his roommate did, knew nothing about his heritage, had no interest to get involved, but on that trip, working with young children in a school which used to be a Gestapo villa, it hit him, hey it’s up to me to make sure there is a future, I am the Tomorrow…. Needless to say, he got involved, till actually becoming president of Illini Chabad…and today 5 years later? Still actively involved.. The student who was walking through 6 pack in Passover 2004 and saw a sign for a Seder, hosted at the private dining hall in his dorm, what a Seder on Campus? he walked in, got involved, became a leader in his life, realizing, he is the tomorrow, and today... 8 years later, leading a active Jewish life, right here in Chicago. The alum who was visiting campus, driving down fourth street and saw students hanging out on the famous swing of Chabad… stopped in, what is this… all he can say is, I wish you were here when I was…. Today, although living in Chicago, is actively leading in his community… The time we tabled on the Quad, and as we were heading out, a young freshman walked up, Yes, you know the rest of the story.. yes, she too, just graduated… after taking campus with a storm, getting ready to lead in her new stage in life. The many many stories, the people, the life’s touched, whether it’s the students leaving to Mexico in 36 hours (some here tonight), the leaders for Israel on Campus, the one who create the alley oop for special needs, or stand in dorms to help oversee the kosher dinner, at that moment, I realize, that no, let’s not worry, let’s be confident, let’s be active, we will only grow. Its this, that keeps us going each and every day, it’s this that reminds Goldie and I why we are here at Illini Chabad, our work on campus and in Illinois. Each and every student on campus today, is a leader of tomorrow, each a leader in their way, its up to us, to be there for them, in all ways and in all times. Each and every one of us, here tonight, it’s our work, we need to reach out, find out fellow, invite them, engage them, invite them to be a part of it, as they are truly the leaders of tomorrow. All of here tonight, are here, because we care, we care about the future, standing tall, standing proud, we need to create a united Jewish tomorrow, we need to invest in the future. We are all in it together, Goldie and I and the student leaders, we are on campus, on the field, but you are active partners in what we do, you give your part, we do our part, and together we create the tomorrow. With friends that inspire us, like our honorees tonight, Phil and Beverly Goldstick, who from the moment I met them, I see their dedication to the Illini, civic responsibility, and Jewish life, and with their unlimited hours of guidance, direction, show us how at Illini Chabad we can combine all those three, with close partners like President Easter, the university administration, with leaders like the student leadership, with friends like you all We can do it. You know, so many alumni here in the crowd that have been on campus since Chabad got to Illinois in 2003 (actually stand up, all those that graduated since 2003 stand up) all the current leaders on campus, (stand up) my friends we see here the tomorrow has already begun, these are the tomorrow, these are the future! Together lets invest, as tomorrow begins tonight….. Thank you very much!
Thanks to the special people… |
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