Oberlin College Jewish community has new home in time for Rosh Hashanah

OBERLIN — After raising nearly $1 million, the Jewish community at Oberlin College is celebrating a new home. The Chabad House, dedicated at the start of the fall semester, is the first permanent site in Oberlin to be set aside solely for those of the faith, according to Rabbi Shlomo Elkan. There have been several Jewish organizations in the city, but they've always been connected to college buildings, he said. "There was never a synagogue or a student center... that wasn't rented from or utilizing a college building," he said. Chabad is among the largest of the world's Hasidic groups. It is influenced by the teachings of Baal Shem Tov, who was born in 18th century Poland and believed the divine spark was revealed by showing unconditional love to others, no matter their differences. Elkan and his wife, Devorah, moved to Lorain County in 2010 as co-directors of Chabad at Oberlin. Recognizing more space was needed to meet the needs of adherents, they started looking for property about seven years ago. They found 214 W. College St., originally built in 1840. It was in foreclosure, had been in decline a long while and had squatters. Chabad bought the home with the intention of renovating large portions. It turned out to be in such bad shape that demolition was the only answer. And so the Elkans decided to rebuild the old home, keeping only old trim and a freestanding carriage house at the rear of the property. Using pictures from historical archives, they did as much as possible to recreate the original exterior of the home. "We didn't want to just come in and bulldoze a house and turn it into something that didn't fit with the feel of the neighborhood," Shlomo Elkan said. The new building is much larger than the former Chabad space, which was a little over 1,400 square feet and had only one bathroom. Elkan said he didn't even have an office for one-on-one meetings, which he usually took in a nearby coffee shop. "It was cozy, to say the least," he said. "This will allow for us to expand how many people can come, especially once we're allowed back inside" because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new space will provide a place for more than 800 Oberlin College students who identify as Jewish to worship, study and grow together. Elkan said the family includes almost 100 other local Jewish residents, including some who have no connection to the college. The Chabad House "is to be celebrated," Elkan said, and now is the perfect time. Today is the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the High Holiday period that ends the evening of Sept. 28 with Yom Kippur. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.