The Dining Club That Transformed College Life
Kosher Dining at the University of Colorado
In the early 1960s, the global Jewish community faced a serious crisis. Many Jewish students attending out-of-town colleges were drifting from Judaism and intermarrying. Initially, the rate was just three percent, but it rose alarmingly fast.
Rabbi Ephraim Sturm, then CEO of the National Council of Young Israel, recalled:
“I called together the officers of Young Israel and I said, ‘We have a problem!’ We agonized over it, and we decided to ask a number of Jewish leaders what to do.
Some suggested increasing the number of observant Jewish college professors—but that was beyond our reach. Others urged Jewish high schools to strengthen their students' connection to Judaism before college, but we couldn’t guarantee that. One even proposed that Young Israel forbid students from attending out-of-town colleges—yet we didn’t have that kind of authority.
Then we turned to the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. His response was fascinating. He had the unique ability to speak to the individual while considering the broader picture. He saw beyond the symptoms to the heart of the issue.
The Rebbe explained:
“In Berlin, if you were an observant Jew, or if you were a member of any other religion, you had to defend your religion; you had to be able to answer people who challenged you; you had to know the philosophy of your religion in order to defend it. But Americans are not interested in defending religious philosophies. They are more interested in consistency. If a person is consistent about their values and beliefs, the average American will respect him or her.”
He painted a vivid picture:
“So, let’s look at what consistency means. A Jewish boy or girl goes to an out-of-town college, and says to their parents: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll celebrate Shabbat and holidays, I’ll eat kosher.… I’ll manage for four years.’ Maybe they mean it, maybe they don’t mean it. Let’s assume they mean it. But can they do it?”
“Imagine a young man sitting in a college dining room with his non-Jewish peers,” the Rebbe continued. “How long is he going to eat his pre-packaged Kosher food every single day? And what is he going to do when a girl says to him, ‘Take a taste of my lunch, it’s delicious!’ How can he deny her? After a while, the peer group will pressure him – not with malice—but simply as part of social life. How long can one withstand that subtle pressure?”
Then the Rebbe offered a practical solution:
“What you have to do is create a program to bring together all the young Jewish men and women in one place at the most vulnerable time. That most vulnerable time is not in the classroom when they are each interested in their own notes or their own marks, but in the non-classroom area. The best thing is to establish kosher ‘dining clubs’ on college campuses.”
Of all the suggestions we received, the Rebbe’s was the only one we could realistically implement—and it worked. These dining clubs became a place for Jewish students to eat, meet, and support one another in maintaining their Jewish identity.
Fast forward to today, and the kosher food industry has become a multi-billion dollar global enterprise. Over 144 colleges and universities nationwide offer kosher food options. A significant portion of grocery store items are kosher-certified. Kosher meals are available in airport lounges, major brands seek kosher certification, and upscale kosher restaurants cater to a growing, diverse clientele. Keeping kosher has never been more convenient.
The Hebrew word “Kosher” means “fit” or “proper” in accordance with Jewish dietary law. This week’s Torah portion, Shmini, outlines the signs of kosher animals, fish, and birds:
“These are the creatures you may eat… Any animal that has a cloven hoof that is completely split and brings up its cud… These you may eat of all that live in the water: anything with fins and scales…” (Leviticus 11:2-3, 9)
Examples of kosher animals include cows, goats, and sheep. Kosher fish include tuna, salmon, and tilapia. If an animal or fish lacks even one of these signs, it is not kosher.
While some health benefits are attributed to kashrut, its true purpose lies in a higher, divine wisdom. Nevertheless, there are meaningful life lessons we can draw from these laws.
Nachmanides (Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, 1194–1270) explains that the food we eat becomes part of our physical and spiritual makeup. The characteristics of an animal can influence our inner traits.
Kabbalah teaches that every object contains a divine spark—its source of life and energy. When we use something for a higher purpose, like using kosher food to serve G-d and help others, we elevate that spark.
The signs of kosher animals symbolize how we should live. For example, the requirement that an animal "chews its cud" teaches us to reflect before we act—to pause, consider our intentions, and ensure we act with purpose and alignment.
Before we speak or make a decision, we might ask ourselves:
“Is this truly reflective of who I am? Will this uplift me and those around me?”
Change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small:
Make an effort to choose kosher products when shopping in a local supermarket.
Choose to dine at a Kosher restaurant when eating out.
Make a concerted effort to prepare a delicious Kosher Shabbat dinner for your family once a week.
Even these small steps help align us with a life of deeper meaning and connection.
Remarkably, our Sages teach that in the future Messianic era, even the pig—long seen as the epitome of non-kosher—will become kosher. As the Midrash says:
“Why is the pig called chazir? Because in the future, G-d will return (le-hachazir) it to Israel.”
When negativity is removed from the world, even the pig will have both kosher signs. It’s a reminder that ultimate transformation is possible—even for what seems permanently unclean.
May we merit to see that day soon, when peace, goodness, and G-dliness fill the earth with the coming of Moshiach.
