The annual Shabbat 200 Dinner, the largest Jewish event on the Colorado State University campus, takes place on Friday, Nov. 11, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Main Ballroom of the Lory Student Center. The event is presented by the Chabad Jewish Organization at CSU and is free and open to the entire campus community; register at www.JewishCSU.com/Shabbat200.
In addition to a lavish kosher meal showcasing traditional Jewish cuisine, in honor of Veterans Day this year’s Shabbat dinner features Lt. Commander Laurie Zimmet Lans, U.S. Naval Reserve. She is an inspirational Jewish figure who erected a menorah in Saddam Hussein’s palace and arranged a kosher megillah reading in the hills of Afghanistan.
Lans has served tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf and other locations, including active duty supporting Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2003 to August 2003. She was activated once again to full-time service and joined the ground forces in Iraq from September 2005 to September 2006, and most recently served in Afghanistan June 2010 to June 2011.
Koshering the kitchen
in order to have a kosher dinner, a part of the LSC kitchen is koshered according to Jewish law and tradition and then the meal is prepared under the supervision of Rabbi Gorelik. Koshering will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 9.
With an engaging and dynamic style of presentation, Laurie weaves stirring stories of her time in war through humor and humility to deliver her message of Jewish pride and tenacity under extreme conditions.
“The Shabbat dinner is always a great atmosphere and fun for all, and we are proud to welcome Lt. Cmdr. Lans as our guest speaker this year,” said Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelik, faculty adviser to Chabad. “It’s an educational, cultural and social experience for anyone, and features a delicious meal, too.”
Shabbat 200
Pioneered by the Chabad Jewish Student Organization at SUNY Binghamton over 20 years ago, Shabbat 100, 200…1000 is perhaps the single most ambitious program to be launched by any Jewish student organization. The goal is to unite diverse students in a meaningful experience by providing the Chabad Shabbat dinner experience to a broader audience. Hundreds of colleges across America now host these Shabbats.
CSU is proud to be part of this tradition. This year is the ninth Shabbat 200 Dinner on campus. Co-sponsored by Chabad and ASCSU, with funding from the Diversity Grant, LSC and Coca-Cola, past Shabbat events have been great successes, with more than 200 participants each year. The event even won a SOARS Award for “Best New Program.”
Shabbat 100…1000 has proven to be a potent catalyst for invigorating both Jewish life on campus and creating multi-cultural diversity; it has served as a portal to the campus community for thousands of students who were previously uninvolved in a discussion that stretches across three millennia.
For more information and to RSVP for the dinner, go to www.JewishCSU.com/Shabbat200.
