Name: Ronit Celine Notkin
Major: Psychology and Human Development
Minor: Studio Art
Future Plans: Alzheimer’s Research at NYU Medical Center, Grad School

My time at BU has been magical. There really is no other way to describe it. It is hard to believe that Binghamton was not my first choice, but thankfully my parents knew better. Something that I learned one Shabbat at Chabad was that there are many different paths that our lives can take. What I have taken from this is that for every possible path that we can go on, there are people and experiences that are b’shert for that path. This truly epitomizes the gift that Hashem gave to us of freedom of choice. It is therefore up to us to figure out what path we belong on. Sometimes we do not fully understand the meaning behind why we met a particular person, how we ended up in a situation or how we became who we are. Something that I find beautiful is that, at times when we feel like we are falling off track, we are really just being pushed further along our path. It is through every life experience and each neshama that we encounter that we develop ourselves.
Thanks to the Chabad House and the Jewish community here in Binghamton, my sense of community and Jewish identity has grown more than I would have ever imagined. While living on campus, Chabad has made me feel like I will always have a place in their home. Similarly, when I moved off campus, the Beth David community also welcomed me. I will never forget the memorable Shabbat dinners at 56 Murray and 33 College Street. It was only when I moved off campus that I realized the true beauty and holiness of making my own Shabbat dinners on a regular basis. All of the Jewish groups on our campus work incredibly hard to create a rich Jewish community and outlet for its students. The opportunities to get involved in the Jewish community at BU are endless and the rewards are priceless.
Although Binghamton has a reputation for being gloomy, Chabad clearly helps bring a ray of sunshine in the lives of so many of its students. Thank you for your generosity, patience, hospitality, concern and friendship.