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been attending Shabbat dinners 
at Chabad with friends, but got 
more involved after Oct. 7 to 
meet and bond with other Jewish 
students. He joined the student 
board and helped plan the Mega Shabbat 
dinner. “It felt like you were in this big 
family; it was very meaningful to be 
there,” he says, adding that the message 
of the evening was one of strength. 
Additionally, Feber says he plans to 
keep reaching out and bringing people 
into the community and spreading the 
message of togetherness. “No matter 
who we are, we’re all Jewish, and we 
should all come together and build 
bridges together,” he says. 
Aidan Warren, an MSU sophomore 

from West Bloomfield, attended the 
Mega Shabbat for the third time, having 
first come with his sister when he was a 
senior in high school. “I loved it, and I 
come back every year,” he says. “I started 
to get involved and helped to get other 
people to come.” 
His parents joined him for the event, 
as did some of his cousins, his aunt 
and members of his AEPi fraternity. He 
made new friends and reconnected with 
a Jewish student he’d been on a wrestling 
team with as well. 
“It’s a chance for all the Jews you do 

know on campus, to see them again and 
talk about things. It’s really nice,” he 
says. “Having this event, and realizing 
there’s other Jews around you, you’re 
not the only one, and that we’re all here 
for you, and having it also be a place to 
reconnect with people you don’t always 
talk to — it makes me happy to see that 
people care and want to be there for one 
another.” 
Rachel Perry, a sophomore from 
Bloomfield, says she knew she wanted 
to be involved with Chabad after taking 
part in a Mega Shabbat her brother 

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
 
Local children from the 
greater Lansing Jewish community 
enjoy the photo booth. The many 
candles made for a beautiful 
evening. Blake Phillips from 
Huntington Woods puts on tefillin 
with Arik Shemtov. Danny and 
Karen Diskin, parents of junior 
Ilana Diskin, who won a prize in the 
mitzvah raffle. Rabbi Bentzion and 
Simi Shemtov, co-directors of MSU 
Chabad. Seniors Lana Heany and 
Dash Ankers enjoying their third 
annual Mega Shabbat together. Dr. 
Bruce Skolnik of West Bloomfield 
enjoys Mega Shabbat with alumni 
 
daughter Maya, currently studying 
in med school at Washington 
University. 

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