Hi everyone, Shabbat Shalom! My name is Rachel, and I’m the president of Chai Society.
For those who don't know, Chai Society is CSUN's Jewish and Israeli student organization. We're grateful to be supported by Hillel, whose community and beautiful space bring us together and give us a place to create our student led events. And I think that's part of what makes tonight so meaningful: Hillel and Chai are both built around the idea that Jewish life isn't something we have to experience alone. We bring Jewish students together through our culture, our shared experiences, and our connection to Israel and our Jewish identity. But to me, Chai has become so much more than a club. It's a community that reminds me what it means to show up for other people, especially when it's not easy.
I was asked the question, “How does Chai bring out the mensch in me?” and it got me thinking about what being a mensch actually looks like.
I think we sometimes imagine that being a good person is about the big things: standing up for what's right, saying the right words, or being there when someone needs us. All of these things Chai allows me to do, and those things matter. But I think being a mensch is just as much about what happens when nobody is watching. It's the hours you spend working on something that might seem small to everyone else. It's the late nights figuring things out events, the plans that fall through, the problems you have to solve, and choosing to keep going because you believe in what you're building.
As president of Chai, I've experienced all of that. Sometimes, you spend hours planning an event, coordinating with people, and worrying about all the little details that nobody else will ever notice. And then the event finally happens. You see people meeting each other, laughing, making friends, and feeling connected to their Jewish identity. Suddenly, all those hours make sense. You realize that something you worked so hard to create has become a meaningful experience for someone else.
And I haven't had to figure all of this out alone. Raz has been there to help me work through the million little details, and support me through all of what comes with running this amazing club. She's also somehow managed to put up with me through all of it, which might be the greatest act of being a mensch. so thank you, Raz, for everything you do for me Chai and Hillel.
I think that's what being a mensch is about. It's understanding that the effort you put into other people doesn't always come with recognition, and it doesn't have to. Sometimes, the payoff is simply knowing that someone who felt scared coming to CSUN felt a little less alone that day, that someone found their community, or that someone had a place where they could be unapologetically Jewish.
Chai has taught me that showing up for your community is a choice you make over and over again, especially when it's difficult. And in return, it gives you something just as meaningful: a sense of purpose, belonging, and the reminder that what you do matters, even when you can't immediately see the impact.
Ultimately, I think Chai brings out the mensch in me by teaching me that being a mensch isn't just about the person you are when things are easy. It's about the person you choose to be when something matters enough to you that you're willing to put in the work, even when nobody is watching.
And sometimes, the most meaningful thing you can do is help build a community where other people feel they belong.
Thank you, and again, Shabbat Shalom!