I can’t count the number of times I meet a young person in my community for the first time, only for them to tell me, “I was so close to Chabad on campus.” My heart soars hearing that, but it also aches. I’m left to wonder: Why weren’t they encouraged to continue their journey with their local Chabad?

A concerned shliach

As a community shliach, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the incredible dedication of campus shluchim. You build vibrant, welcoming homes away from home for Jewish students, and the connections you forge are nothing short of miraculous. You are the front lines of a revolution, sparking a flame of Yiddishkeit in young people who might otherwise be lost to us.

But what happens when the semester ends? What happens when a student goes home after their time in college, or graduates and moves to a new city? Too often, that flame dims. A student who was a regular at your Chabad house is now disconnected from their community. They’re back in their hometown, but the local shliach doesn’t know them. Or they moved to a new city for work, and they never forge a connection with the local Chabad.

The vibrant Jewish life they had on campus could’ve been a springboard to continued growth in their Yiddishkeit; instead, they Rachmana Litzlan aren’t brought further into the fold.

I can’t count the number of times I meet a young person in my community for the first time, only for them to tell me, “I was so close to Chabad on campus.” My heart soars hearing that, but it also aches. I’m left to wonder: Why weren’t they encouraged to continue their journey with their local Chabad? Why didn’t their campus shliach make the simple introduction that could have kept that connection alive?

This is a problem we have a shared responsibility to solve.

I have made it a practice for years to reach out to campus shluchim when a student from my community goes to college. It’s a simple act that has yielded incredible results. A quick email or text: “Rabbi, just wanted to let you know that a student from my community, [Student’s Name], is on your campus. I’d love for you to connect with her.” This small act ensures that the student is on your radar and that a valuable partnership between us is established from the get-go.

Now, I am making a humble but direct appeal to you, my fellow shluchim on campus. We need you to do your part. You have the unique position of being the bridge between campus life and community life. You have the relationship with the student. You have their contact information. A simple email to the shliach in their hometown or the city where they are moving can change everything. “Rabbi and Rebbetzin, I want to introduce you to [Student’s Name]. He was a regular at our Chabad house and is now moving to your community.”

This isn’t about placing blame. We are all overwhelmed with the day-to-day demands of our shlichus. But this is a matter of paramount importance. The connections you build on campus are too precious to be left to chance. The work you do is a vital investment in the future of our people. Let’s not let that investment go to waste.

Let’s work together to create a seamless network of support for our young people. Let’s ensure that the spark you ignite on campus becomes a lifelong flame. We shluchim are a close-knit Mishpacha; it should be comfortable to pick up the phone and contact a fellow Shliach about a student who grew close with you.

I’d like to add that this onus is absolutely on the community Shluchim to do the same and likewise reach out to campus Shluchim when they know of students going to college. I always make an effort to do so, and it is imperative that others do, too. It is a crucial stage in the youths’ lives and they must be given the support to grow and thrive in this opportune time for growth in Yiddishkeit.

We must do better to support the wonderful campus Shluchim who are our partners in hafotzos hamayanos to all ages. I am sure that many campus Shluchim will lament the same as in the above article and it is crucial that we recognize our responsibility to help them in their Shlichus.