CHABAD IN THE JEWISH REVIEW

Chabad buys college student center

By DEBORAH MOON

article created on: 2009-03-15T00:00:00

 At least the tumbling economy has one local beneficiary—Jewish college students in Portland will have access to a Chabad Student Center across the street from Reed College.

When the housing market freefall dropped the price of a desireable house for the third time, Chabad of Oregon jumped on the opportunity to secure a larger, permanent home for student activities. Chabad purchased the 1,700-square-foot home at the end of January and expect to complete renovations in time to open in early March.

On Aug. 14, 2007, Rabbi Dov and Chani Bialo arrived in Portland to open a new Chabad Center serving Jewish students on all Portland-area campuses. Since then the couple has opened their apartment to scores of students for Shabbat meals, holiday parties and classes. But with meal seating “very squishy” with more than 20 people, the couple were unable to host as many students as they wished.

The new house, which is within site of the north entrance to Reed College, features a 50-foot long front room, which Rabbi Bialo said will easily seat 80. The location, large front room and large kitchen make the house ideal for a Chabad Student Center, he said. In addition to the main kitchen, the house will have a small dairy kitchen so students can have kosher pizza and other dairy treats at some events.

“There is not one inch of wasted space,” he said.

The large counter in the new kitchen will be ideal for hosting cooking classes, said Chani Bialo.

“I am so looking forward to the big kitchen to have room to cook and to have people come to cook together in the kitchen,” she said.

In addition to the existing living space, the home also features an oversized two and a half car garage, which Bialo expects to convert into use as a game room or lounge.

“We have a lot of options,” he said, noting he is meeting with student leaders to decide the best use for the garage area.

The new center will also enable the family to have separate living space from the center’s activities. The garage area and adjoining bathroom can easily be closed off from the family’s space. Currently Bialo said he and his wife spend at least an hour cleaning up their own and their children’s things in the apartment before every event. Now the large rectangular front room always will be ready for student activities.

A large back patio will be ideal for barbecues, added Bialo, noting it also provides room for a future addition as the center outgrows the current space. He said someday he would like to put on a two-story addition so the center could host students from other campuses who want to spend the night after Shabbat dinner.

Bialo said that parents of students and alumni have been very supportive of the new home. Twnety-eight partners helped purchase the new Jewish Student Center at 3355 SE Steele St. Others interested in supporting the first Jewish Student Center in Portland can go to PortlandJewishStudents.com and click on “Donate.”

For more information on student activities, visit the Web site or call 503-236-6642.