12/31/2025
A Letter from Chanie
This idea that we have created a "product" and "experience" that has been proven to be wildly successful in different ways—both in obvious ones like an overfull house for Shabbat dinners and engaging and impactful learning sessions, and in quieter ways, like the many dear and cherished relationships we have with students, who become alumni, and then friends—yet we still need to ask for financial support is strange and "unbusinesslike." On paper, it doesn't make sense, particularly when the ones we engage with the most are the students who are not expected to support us.
And so, each month—or in this case, as we end 2025—there's this potential within Peretz and myself to feel drained and depleted when we need to once again ask for support. Sometimes our request isn't received in a relational way. Sometimes we don't hear back, as families and alumni may not grasp the importance of this request, or perhaps life gets busy, or other priorities take over.
We ask families of current students who are tremendously benefiting from our devotion to their student in Waltham, MA. We ask thousands of alumni who know how impactful, important, and simply delightful having Chabad at Brandeis was to them over four years—and how it continues to influence the choices they're making and their relationship with Judaism. We ask families of alumni who once gave and are being invited to recognize the continuous impact we are having with students and alumni.
What is that about? Why in the world do we still do this?
Over almost 25 years, we have understood more and more about the value of giving—the very need to live by this dynamic. The giving that's done by choice, not expectations, and is visibly expressed towards others, and also expressed in internal, private, and unseen ways.
Giving expands one's heart. It deepens meaning. It creates generosity in character. It moves oneself out of the center of life—and allows for relationships, abundance, softness, and connection.
We model this to the hundreds of students each year. To thousands of alumni. And to many families. We have even created ways to invite students to live by this value: to give to Anabela, the woman who prepares each Shabbat dinner; to be Givers of Time and help set up for dinner; to show appreciation to Peretz and our family at the end of their senior year.
And we also ask others to give to Chabad at Brandeis—mirroring the way Chabad at Brandeis, and our family, gives or has given to them. For this value of giving is an opportunity to be generous in the world, refine character, show gratitude, and even invite elements of faith in relationship to money and livelihood. Imagine if we only gave what we could afford on paper—the students wouldn't have what they have.
There are families and alumni who understand this intuitively and give generously. There are others who are learning this art and skill. And there are some who aren't ready yet—for whatever reason. Everyone is on their own journey.
I've outgrown the feelings of being drained and depleted, for I have holistically learned the importance of giving—and I will continue to do so—and will continue to invite others to do the same. Perhaps I'll softly declare that because I'm proud and grateful to live this life of giving and meaning, I can comfortably ask this of others too.
I'm not a sociologist, but life has taught me this: any adult with a twinkle in their eye who lives a life of vibrancy is also a giver.
If these words resonate, we invite you to partner with us: charidy.com/brandeis25
With love,
Chanie
