I feel like all my Binghamton memories (the good ones, anyway) are somehow intertwined with Chabad, even if they didn’t happen there. Chabad is the reason I met my girlfriend, it’s the place I got to know most of my closest friends, and it’s also a place I was consistently able to look to for support and comfort whenever I needed it.
When I was forced to spend the summer of 2002 in Binghamton, Chabad was one of the only grounding influences I had: Erev Shabbat dinner at the Creegers, Shabbat lunch at the Creegers’ or at the Slonims’. Whenever I needed guidance in religion, I was always able to get evenhanded, useful help at Chabad; nobody preached to me, they just helped me make informed decisions about what was right for me. I can honestly say that without Chabad I would have been lost in my time at Binghamton University, and I am grateful for this opportunity to let the people at Chabad know how much I appreciate them.