In early February, Chabad House at Rutgers hosted a remarkable cultural Sabbath experience: Syrian Shabbat. Over 400 college students from diverse backgrounds, including Ashkenazic, Sephardic, Persian, Moroccan, and Egyptian, gathered to celebrate Syrian life, history, traditions, prayers, and foods. Syrian students, known within their community as “SY” students, joined peers from all five Rutgers campuses, along with Syrian friends from other colleges traveling from Deal, NJ, and Brooklyn, NY.
“I’m graduating soon, and seeing such a vibrant hub of Syrian life here at Rutgers makes me incredibly happy,” said Raquel Arakanchi, one of the event organizers. “Between the Syrian Torah classes, programs, and now this Syrian Shabbat, it’s wonderful to see our traditions continue and the next generation embracing them.”
Students were welcomed into a beautifully decorated Grand Ballroom at Chabad House featuring purple and gold tablecloths, Middle Eastern décor, and an authentic Syrian Shabbat spread. The menu included hot chicken soup with allspice matzah balls, various types of mazza (Syrian appetizers), such as lachmajin (mini meat pizzas), torpedo-shaped kibbeh, meat cigars, and yebreh (stuffed grape leaves), all prepared by Chabad’s Syrian students, with no gefilte fish in sight. Led by Chabad’s Kosher Kitchen Director Rabbi Mendi Pevzner, and Head Chef Benjamin, Sous Chef Carlos, and Rutgers’ Syrian students. Everyone who participated could feel the authentic warmth and heritage of Syrian culture come alive.
During his remarks that evening, Rabbi Baruch Goodman, Chabad’s Activities Director, enthusiastically said, “Tonight, we are all Syrian Jews! We share one heritage and belong to one Jewish people.”
The SY Shabbaton was organized by Rutgers students Raquel Arakanchi, Victoria Kassin, Ginger Ammar, Michael Cytryn, Joel Nasar, Ariael Blotner, Joe Gindi, Ariel Ifrah, and Ralph Tawil. 
Rutgers students also opened their dorms to welcome Syrian peers from other colleges, giving them a firsthand experience of Syrian hospitality. “I will never forget my grandmother describing her journey from Syria as a young teenager,” said one Syrian student. “Her courage, resourcefulness, and care for others along the way are inspiring. Syrian Shabbat reminds us that even in challenging times, we draw our strength from unity and our shared heritage.”
That real unity, the student added, comes when people from different communities and cultures come together, find common ground, and celebrate both their similarities and differences, not when everyone is the same.
For future activities on the Rutgers campus, or for info on Chabad’s Housing and Dining Programs, please contact Chabad House, 170 College Ave., New Brunswick, N.J. 08901 732-296-1800 info@ChabadNJ.Org
