10 Campus Rabbis Who Are Even More Legendary Than Their Impressive Facial Hair

Here’s a list of 10 mensches from campuses across the U.S. with stories that'll blow your mind.

Since encountering Chabad during my studies at University of Cincinnati, (huge shout out to Rabbi Yitzi and Dina Creeger!) I personally have encountered each one of these impeccable rabbis through various outlets, such as shabbat dinners, shabbatons, and Birthright trips. We've kibitzed, laughed, and cried. Actually, we've never cried, but I'm open to it!

Check out the list of legendary Chabad on Campus rabbis below and stay tuned for my list of legendary campus Rebbetzins (female religious leaders)!

Rabbi Elie Estrin

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Who is this military man? The rabbi at the University of Washington since 2004, Estrin, alongside his wife Chaya Rochel and their seven children, serves the Jewish students on campus by hosting Shabbat meals, classes, and many fun holiday events.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? In 2014, Estrin’s luxurious facial hair made headlines when he became the first bearded chaplain of the United States Air Force. If that was not impressive enough, a year later he graduated from Officer Training School, surviving five weeks of training in Alabama with only pre-packed kosher ready-made meals. What we are saying is, not only did this macho man of faith become an Air Force officer, he did it in the manliest way possible - with his beard intact.

Rabbi Moshe Leib Gray

CrossfitRabbi / Via Instagram: @crossfitrabbi

Who is this weight-lifting guy? Rabbi Gray, his wife Chani, and their 5 beautiful children live in the-middle-of-nowhere, New Hampshire, in order to provide the Jewish students at Dartmouth College with a “home-away-from-home.”

What makes this bearded man such a legend? Also known as the “Crossfit Rabbi,” this is one Crossfitter who CAN talk about something else besides Crossfit. Between teaching college students about Judaism and creating and hosting events that attract hundreds, Gray also has inspired many other rabbis and clergymen to start taking their physical health as seriously they take their spiritual health. Since the story of Chabad on Campus’s “Health and Wellness Initiative” received news coverage around the world in 2015, his Instagram page @CrossfitRabbi has amassed almost a thousand followers, many of whom are constantly inspired by his weight-lifting progress. This man of G-d has finally responded to the age-old question of: “Bro, do you even lift?”

Rabbi Dov Yona Korn

NY Times / Via static01.nyt.com

Who is this jolly fellow? Rabbi Korn and his wife Sara opened the Chabad House at Bowery to cater towards the many Jewish students of NYU. Along with their seven daughters (!), the family hosts close to 400 students each week for Shabbat.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? Long before he was a rabbi, Korn was a young, soul-searching, deadhead who called himself “Butterfly”. During the 90’s, Korn followed the Grateful Dead around the country, where he met a blonde, dreadlocked, flower child at a concert. Years later, after the two got married and became observant Jews, the couple founded the Chabad Center at Bowery that was named by Interior Design Magazine as a Best of Year 2012 Project finalist. That the holy space is something unique should be no surprise considering the rabbi wears Pumas to synagogue and told the interior designer that he wanted his study to feel like a “man cave.” I mean, also probably because the center is run by a man who used to call himself Butterfly.

Rabbi Simcha Weinstein

Rabbi Simcha / Via rabbisimcha.com

Who is this rabbi who looks like he is about to drop the hottest hip-hop album of 2016? Rabbi Weinstein and his partner-in-crime Ariella co-direct a Chabad House that serves the Pratt area and the über-hip Downtown Brooklyn Collegiate Community.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? The “Comic Book Rabbi,” as he likes to be called, is an internationally known speaker and the best-selling author of Up, Up, and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero and Shtick Shift: Jewish Humor in the 21st Century. He has been on CNN to debate whether Superman is Jewish (I mean the name sounds perfectly Hebraic) and was recently named “New York’s Hippest Rabbi” by a PBS affiliate. This British-born art-student-turned-rabbi-at-an-art-school is also known for his hilarious, comic-themed (duh) sermons and for founding the semiannual Brooklyn Heights Jewish Film Festival.

Rabbi Zalman Bluming

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Who’s the papa of this ridiculously good looking family? Chabad of Durham & Chapel Hill, which serves the Jewish students and faculty at UNC and Duke, is run by Rabbi Bluming, his wife Yehudis, and their five helpful children.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? In 2004, when he got wind that Duke would be hosting an event aimed at whitewashing Palestinian terrorism and vilifying Israel, Bluming arranged for a blown up bus to be shipped from Israel to his campus.

Sara D. Davis / Via media.gettyimages.com

The number 19 bus had been attacked by a Palestinian suicide bomber earlier that year, killing 11 innocent civilians and injuring more than 50. The display made national headlines, forced a shift in conversation, and demonstrated the solidarity felt by many students towards Israeli victims. In response, the rabbi got called a lot of names, but the one we’d like to call him is “One Proud Jew.”

Rabbi Mendy Minkowitz

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Who is this saintly dude? (The older dude, without the killer bowtie...) Rabbi Minkowitz, with his wife Rivky and their adorable son Meir, mans the Chabad House that serves Elon campus in Burlington, NC.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? Hailing from Milan, Italy, this soccer enthusiast has traveled a long way away from his iconic European hometown to settle down in Elon. At only 25, he has spent a considerable amount of time living in multiple countries around the world, including Brazil, Uruguay, Israel, Ukraine, and of course, Italy. He has mastered seven languages (so far), including Italian, English, Hebrew, Yiddish, Spanish, and more. Yes, seven. I mean, not to make you feel bad, but you definitely should have taken your Spanish 101 class a bit more seriously, hermano.

Rabbi Dov Hillel Klein

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Who is this serious officer? Since 1985 (!) Rabbi Klein has served Northwestern University and hosts over 100 students each Shabbat at his Chabad House. Rabbi Klein is adored on campus and has made a name for himself as being a rockstar of a Rabbi!

What makes this bearded man such a legend? If going on Birthright makes you a legit Jew, this man is the most legitimate Jew there is. Klein has led 33 Mayanot Birthright trips around Israel, more than any other campus professional in the world. However, in his spare time, when he’s not traversing the Middle East with exhausted and cranky college students, this man also acts as a chaplain with the local police force.

Rabbi Menachem Schmidt

Chabad.org / Via w3.chabad.org

Who is this ZZ Top lookalike? Rabbi Schmidt and his wife Chava run the Chabad House that serves the University of Pennsylvania as well as the Jewish Heritage Programs.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? In the 1970s, when aspiring rock star and post-modern video artist Matty Schmidt became Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, the man was determined not to let his musical identity disappear. With his long beard and 1968 Les Paul in tow, he rolled into Philadelphia and started a synagogue and a Chassidic rock band, each of which has been attracting students to his Jewish events for years. One of these students was a young Ron Dermer, the current Israeli Ambassador to the United States. In 1993, the rabbi and the future diplomat joined to create the Jewish Heritage Program, an umbrella organization that aims to attract Jewish students to their own heritage, which the rabbi continues to run to this day. He has since expanded the organization to include other college campuses and programs for young Jewish artists, professionals, and businessmen.

Rabbi Matisyahu Devlin

National Geographic / Via evrofilm.com

Who is this fedora-wearing, mystery mensch? Rabbi Devlin and his wife Nechama offer free wifi, kosher food, and support for the Jewish students at the University of California, Riverside.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? Matisyahu grew up in York, Pennsylvania as one of eleven children. As the son of a Catholic father and a non-observant, Jewish mother, he spent most of his life completely unaware that he was Jewish. That is, until he had the most important coffee of his life. He was sitting in a Starbucks in Manhattan when he started chatting with a young rabbi. The rabbi explained to him that he was, in fact, Jewish and sent him to Crown Heights, Brooklyn to learn more about what that meant. The young man did as he was told and stayed there for years, learning more about Judaism until he himself became a rabbi. A couple years ago, this legend was featured in a National Geographic episode about Chassidism. ...And all I’ve ever gotten from Starbucks was my name spelled wrong on my six-dollar mocha frappuccino.

Rabbi Yossi Witkes

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Who is this exhausted dad? The director of Chabad on Campus International IsraeLinks, Rabbi Witkes and his wife Chaya bring hundreds of college students to Israel each year to learn about Judaism.

What makes this bearded man such a legend? Yossi started this incredible, post-Birthright organization that offers young college students the chance to spend three weeks in the holy land, experiencing the depths of Judaism, Kabbala, and Israel. In total, over one thousand Jewish twenty-somethings have been on the trip and Yossi keeps in touch with most of them, while being able to literally name all one thousand. Due to this man’s effort, myself and many other students have made Aliyah or have taken other steps to learn more about their Judaism. But until you need him for something, let’s let this poor man sleep.

Now, although these ten mensches are positively legendary, let us not forget the more than 220 other Chabad on Campus rabbis that selflessly devote their time to Jewish college students. I mean, on almost every campus in the country, some bearded hero in a white oxford shirt, long black coat, and fedora is just dying to have you over for a Shabbat meal, to discuss your classes, to talk about Judaism, or to talk about life! And I can guarantee that his home will be warm, and his words of wisdom may actually blow your freakin' mind.

If you need help finding your local rabbi, just walk outside your dorm and look for the super friendly man with the impressive beard. Or, y'know, you can find his information here.

BIO:
Paltiel "Paul" Ratzenberg studied communications at University of Cincinnati and is currently enrolled in Mayanot Institute in Jerusalem. Paltiel produces and organizes events to cater and connect Jews from all over the world through concerts, festivals, and shabbatons. He's passionate about Jewish values, family, Chassidus, networking, sports, and entertainment. Watch this captivating video to find out more about his journey, by clicking here.