Halfway to Messiah : 2,000 Students Gather for Chabad Campus Event
In a powerful display of Jewish unity, approximately 2,000 college students from 176 universities converged on Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood for the annual Pegisha weekend retreat organized by Chabad on Campus International. The event culminated in a Havdalah ceremony marking the end of Sabbath, carrying special significance in Jewish tradition, echoing a teaching from the Talmud that states if the Jewish people collectively observe two Shabbats properly, it will usher in the messianic era – a poignant reminder of Shabbat’s transformative power and the importance of Jewish unity.
The gathering, which reportedly marked the largest assembly of Jewish college students outside of Israel, saw record attendance this year. According to Rabbi Yossy Gordon, CEO of Chabad on Campus International, there has been a 40% increase in student engagement with Chabad on campus since October 7, 2023.
“We provide them this opportunity to be able to come together, to unite and to feel each other’s strength and light, so that they can bring back that energy back home to their campus,” Gordon told JNS. He emphasized the importance of unity, stating, “There’s no greater strength than when we’re united.”
The event comes amid an alarming surge in campus antisemitism. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents on U.S. college campuses increased by 191% between October 7 and December 7, 2023, with 545 documented incidents. The organization found that 73% of Jewish college students experienced or witnessed antisemitism during the 2023-24 academic year.
Students at the event spoke candidly about these challenges. “Especially with antisemitism, Jews are afraid,” Texas State University sophomore Yafah Russek told JNS. “They don’t want to show their pride, and when you come out to an event like this, it just reminds you to be proud to be Jewish, even though you are on college campuses and there are people that are protesting.”
The impact of community support was evident in student testimonials. University of Kansas senior Robbie Metz shared with JNS: “When you are on a campus with not that many Jews and all you see is hatred on the Internet, it’s so relieving to come to a place like this and be surrounded by so many beautiful people that are all of the same faith.”
Rabbi Dov Wagner, who brought 30 students from the University of Southern California, noted the event’s transformative effect. “As our enemies try to crush us, what they’ve accomplished is the exact opposite,” he told JNS. “There’s greater strength, greater excitement, and passion right now in our student communities than there’s ever been before.”
For newer students like Texas A&M University freshman Max Lurie, the event offered an expanded version of the welcoming atmosphere he’d found at his local Chabad. “The only thing you can do is be more proud of who you are and be proud to be Jewish,” he told JNS, emphasizing that responding to hate with more hate isn’t the answer.
This year’s Pegisha event’s success demonstrates how Jewish students find strength in the community during challenging times. Rather than retreating from their identity in the face of increased antisemitism, many are choosing to embrace it more fully, supported by organizations like Chabad on Campus International.
The weekend’s focus on Shabbat observance and unity particularly resonates with the ancient teaching about redemption through Shabbat – suggesting that perhaps the strongest response to adversity is not just pride but the deepening of Jewish practice and community bonds.
The teaching comes from the Talmud (Shabbat 118b) which states: “If Israel were to keep two Shabbats properly, they would be immediately redeemed.” This is often quoted in Jewish tradition.
The idea comes from a rabbinic interpretation of Isaiah 56:4-7, which discusses the importance of keeping the Sabbath and promises redemption. The concept is that if the entire Jewish people were to observe two consecutive Shabbats perfectly – with all the proper laws, intentions, and joy – this collective spiritual achievement would merit the coming of the Messiah (Moshiach).
This teaching emphasizes several important aspects of Jewish thought:
- The special significance of Shabbat as a cornerstone of Jewish practice
- The power of collective observance and unity among the Jewish people
- The relationship between proper religious observance and redemption
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