Campus outreach elsewhere

Kiruv in Arizona

By Roy S. Neuberger

It is difficult to believe what a vibrant program exists in these communities. In one week, we spoke seven times at various community programs, once to students at the University of Arizona in Tucson, once to the students at Arizona State in Phoenix (reportedly the largest university in the United States, with over 65,000 students, ten percent of whom are Jewish!). We participated in a JAC Shabbaton with students from both Phoenix and Tucson, and additionally spoke to the Kehilla in Scottsdale as well as parents of the Phoenix Hebrew Academy.

The Arizona university students' kiruv program began under the auspices of the Phoenix Kollel, headed by the legendary Rabbi Zvi Holland. It then branched off to become an organization of its own.  Rabbi Jordan Brumer and his devoted staff head JAC, including Rabbi Yudi Moskowitz.

The mesiras nefesh of these rabbonim and their wives is remarkable.  Day after day, Shabbos included, their lives revolve around rescuing Jewish children from a world of assimilation almost impossible to fathom if you haven't seen it. Many students are recruited after being approached directly on campus, and it is hard to believe some of the "customers" who turn out to be Jewish. As we were told on another campus: "Rachel Goldstein" could very well NOT be Jewish and "Brian McGillicuddy" could be a Jew. We encountered Japanese Jews, black Jews, Mexican and Peruvian Jews, a Jewish woman with a shaven head and many earrings on various parts of her face, and dozens for whom this Shabbaton was their first Shabbos ever. In general, the knowledge of Torah and the Jewish lifestyle is almost entirely absent from these students, and many must battle the anger and resentment of their own parents.

Several times each week, JAC rabbis and rebbetzins make the four-hour round trip from Phoenix to Tucson.  Countless time is spent in learning, shiurim, chavrusas and one-on-one counseling. Parents sometime become involved on the positive side as well, and we find living examples of "he will turn back the hearts of fathers with their sons...' When that happens, amazing things may follow: several parents have purchased Shabbos homes near Shul in response to the work of the Phoenix/Scottsdale rabbonim.

We spoke to the students, as we always try to do, from our hearts, telling our personal story with no attempt to make ourselves look "bigger" than we are.  Baruch Hashem, many connect with our message because it reminds them of their own spiritual yearnings, pitfalls and miraculous assistance from Above.  Many students expressed gratitude after we shared with them our deepest experiences, and we were struck by their derech eretz, politeness and respect, all signs that the fire of Torah is warming their souls. JAC has an incredible success story, with dozens of "graduates" now learning in Israel and the United States and several shidduchim to their credit.

Following our campus visits, we were privileged to participate in a JAC Shabbaton, held at Congregation Ahavas Torah in Scottsdale. Under the brilliant leadership of Rabbi Ariel Shoshan, himself a former member of the Phoenix Kollel, Ahavas Torah is itself a beacon of Torah light in the Arizona desert. The Shul recently celebrated its fifth anniversary with a Shabbos visit from two legendary Jewish heroes, the unforgettable Reb Abish Brodt and Rabbi Nate Segal, Torah Umesorah's Director of Community Development and the guiding light behind Torah Umesorah's program of creating and nurturing kollelim, kehillos and kiruv programs across the country.

The JAC Shabbaton brought students from both universities to Scottsdale, where rabbonim and local families hosted students. The results were beautiful to behold. Over Shabbos, my wife spoke to the students on the subject of the "Jewish Way in Dating and Marriage." I spoke about the nature of the times in which we live and comparing Yetzias Mitzraim to the Geulah Shelemah. Song played a big part, ranging from zemiros at all those Shabbos meals to a guitar-accompanied Havdalah service that ushered out the Shabbos Queen in a memorable and dignified way.

The students left with the song of Shabbos in their hearts, and we left Arizona with a renewed sense of the tidal wave of kiruv that is sweeping Am Yisroel closer to Torah and ushering in the era of Moshiach ben Dovid, may we greet him soon in our days.