Josh Schreiber Major: SOM with concentration in Finance Future plans: next year Madrich/counselor in Yeshivat Reishis Yerushalayim in Israel, after that only Hashem knows... When I came to Binghamton University I was fresh off the boat from Yeshiva in Israel and a summer learning in Kollel, so Binghamton was an interesting change, to say the least. College is a compelling time for most, its supposed to be the best four or five or six years of your life or in my case only 3. A lot of people are away from home for the first time ever and the independence can be intoxicating, especially for people who grew up going to yeshiva all of their lives. For the first time they don't have to go to minyan, put on Tefillin dress a certain way, in fact they don't have to do anything, least of all go to class. Unfortunately, for many college provides an opportunity to abandon many of these rituals which they never really understood or wanted to do in the first place. My time spent in Israel saved me from this. I don't know exactly how things would've turned out had I not gone to Israel and learned why I do these things and why they're important, but I'm sure glad I did.. Its often hard to swim against the tide and stay religious in college but for those who are interested the Chabad House of Binghamton is an amazing asset in the fight. The staff and all the kids from Levi to Schneur Zalman make it just a little easier to do. The Chabad House offers great food, especially for the soul. I should know, in my 3 years in Binghamton I've probably spent about as much time in the Chabad house as I have in my room (maybe even as much as I spent in the JSU). Between daily shacharit minyan and Kollel and long shabbos afternoons with Shmuley jumping all over me, it almost seems like I grew up there. And I've never felt more comfortable or at home. I even felt comfortable enough to just go right into the fridge and make myself a little shalishudis. Special mention and thanks to Eric Zegermen for helping me start Schreiber's Shalishudis. The resources the Chabad house provides for growing as a Jew and a person are limitless, the books in the library are only the beginning. From late night discussions with Rabbi Slonim to talking with Rivky about getting married, I've taken about as much advantage of these resources as one can. I think it is thanks to them that I leave Binghamton a better servant to Hashem than when I came in and that is really all that needs to be said