By Joe Wolf
Rabbi Zevi Tenenbaum of Chabad at UC Irvine often hosts Lunch N' Learns, where undergraduates and graduate students gather for Kosher lunches in order to discuss different topics on Judaism. Rabbi Zevi prepares sheets of information as outlines for what often turns into hour-long discussions.
While these lunches don't delve as deep as the one-on-one study sessions that Rabbi Zevi encourages us to partake in, they allow us to hear other people's questions on subjects such as what constitutes Kosher, how we're supposed to prepare for certain holidays, the importance of tzedakah (charity), and why Shabbos is guarded so carefully. They also allow us an ability to connect with other Jewish students who are interested in learning more about our common roots. Often, these discussions continue later in the week during Shabbos dinner.
Other Jewish programs on and around campus often focus on the social aspect of Judaism. Not only does Chabad do this enthusiastically, but it also encourages us to look deeper in order to better understand not only the 'how', but also the 'why'. Chabad is an acronym for "Chochmah, Binah, Da'as", which translates to "Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge." For any student who wants to take the next step in applying their intellect to their Jewish heritage, Lunch N' Learns and/or One-on-One Torah Study with Rabbi Zevi are highly recommended programs!