To the Northwestern community,

I’m writing in light of VP Telles-Irvin’s e-mail to the student body regarding Northwestern’s disaffiliation with the Tannenbaum Chabad House and Rabbi Dov Hillel Klein. Her letter cites “alcohol use and abuse … including the service of alcohol, including hard liquor, to underage students in the Tannenbaum Chabad House and by Rabbi Klein, and excessive consumption of alcohol by students at the Tannenbaum Chabad House” as the primary cause for disaffiliation. As someone who has been at Chabad every Friday night this year, I can vouch that — except a sip of wine (or grape juice for those who prefer) for the ritual Kiddush blessing — there has been no alcohol served at Chabad in any capacity whatsoever.

I repeat: outside of religious ceremony, there has been no alcohol served at Chabad in any capacity whatsoever since the start of the school year.

Her primary reason for disaffiliation is alcohol. Chabad took care of that concern, so why disaffiliate? If policy change is truly what she seeks, Chabad proved its willingness to follow suit.  She did not, however, ask for a policy change. She asked for a resignation and chose to disaffiliate. To me, this shows that there is more to the story than she is letting on. The students of Northwestern — especially those in the Jewish community — deserve full transparency in this matter. She speaks of “an investigation,” yet she has never stepped foot in Chabad since she started here. How credible can such an investigation be given these circumstances?

Dr. Telles-Irvin and the Northwestern community: I invite you to join me and the Chabad community at Chabad House on a Friday night. Come see firsthand that your concerns were responsibly addressed, and let’s start a conversation on how to resolve this matter and bring Rabbi Klein back to campus where he belongs.

Thank you.

Matthew Renick, Communication senior

President, Northwestern Chabad Student Executive Board