Jewish life at USC needs you!
Activities:
Everywhere you turn, you hear stories of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiments on campuses, of students afraid or apathetic to their Jewish identity. But our story is one of Jewish revival, of Jewish students seeking and finding their Jewish home.
For the past 20 years, Runya and Rabbi Dov have been blessed to be able to light the Jewish spark for tens of thousands of students at USC. We entered this past semester with some trepidation. Because of the construction at the Chabad House (more on that below), we’ve been operating out of a tent in our backyard. We’ve been cooking in a makeshift, outdoor kitchen. And still the spaces are overflowing, as an average 200 + students join us every Friday night for Shabbat dinner, and hundreds more throughout the week for activities, classes, and events. This semester alone, we’ve hosted talks by a Holocaust survivor, a breast cancer survivor, a mental health expert, a lecturer on relationships. We’ve had speakers on Israel, on Jewish diversity – even a Kosher celebrity chef. There are 2 and sometimes 3 classes or events each and every day. The impact on so many young Jews – and on the future of Jewish leadership in our communities – cannot be overstated.
And the numbers are just part of the story. Each and every one of those numbers is a person – a person with a personal story, an individual connection, at a unique juncture. We are committed to being here for each of those people, in every way that we can. And it is only through your partnership that we are able to keep answering the call.
Building:
For several years, we’ve been working on an expansion project – building the infrastructure to continue to meet the needs of USC’s Jewish community. Historic, Planning, Building and Safety, Parking – the challenges have been significant. And even at this late stage, the obstacles have been considerable.
But, in this past year, the project has gone from a dream to a reality. The framing of the expansion is done, the walls are up, and the goal is within reach!
We are adding almost 6,000 square feet – quadrupling our public space. There will be a large Shul and dining hall, library and lounge spaces for the students, a proper commercial kitchen (helping make some of this cooking possible!), as well as a large deck with function spaces and a second kitchen for a daily kosher meal plan/Kosher restaurant.
All of that comes at a cost. It’s now a $4,600,000 project. Over 2 million dollars has already been spent on the work that has been done to date, as well as upgrading the existing structure and the preparatory phases.
Our focus day-to-day continues to be on ensuring that every student has the most meaningful Jewish experience on campus as possible. But in order to do that, we need your help. We need to raise $750,000 by the end of December, to ensure that we can continue to meet our annual budget and keep the construction work moving forward without delay. And right now, with the challenge grant made by our matchers, every dollar you commit results in $2 for Jewish life at USC!
You – our alumni, parents, students, and friends – have been incredibly generous, and have helped grow this community to heights that nobody would ever have imagined. But today, we need your help more than ever before. We need each and every one of you to get involved – contribute, share, and engage, so that we can keep #growing and get this expansion done!
Please consider committing to $1,800 over the next year. In payments of $150 a month, this is the cost of a latte a day! Every gift of $1,800 and up will be recognized in a beautiful permanent donor wall in the new facility. Of course, if you are able, please consider larger dedications – all options are listed above.
If you’ve already participated in this project, please accept our thanks on behalf of all the students we serve. And please consider an additional gift at this time – either to our capital campaign or towards our ongoing activities budget. Every dollar counts, and every dollar will go directly to providing a home away from home for every Jewish Trojan for generations to come!
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