Greg Norman
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY
On Friday nights, when most students devote their time to leisurely activities after a week of schoolwork, Shmuel Bushwick heads to the kitchen of Chabad House to help coordinate the serving of a meal for 350 students.
As one of three kitchen managers, Bushwick spends five hours per shift leading student chefs as they platter and serve the facility’s Shabbat dinner, a weekly Jewish tradition.
“We’re there to make sure all the food is coming out of the ovens, getting on plates and getting it out to everybody,” he said. “It’s a three- to four-course meal, so a lot of work goes on behind the scenes.”
At the end of each night, the 21-year-old Scranton native sees his hard work pay off.
“You look around and everyone’s eating, and suddenly you get to take a breath and sit down,” Bushwick said. “It’s the best feeling you can get — it’s utter relaxation.”
Outside of coordinating dinners, Bushwick is the chairman of the Chabad House’s Barry J Raff Maasim Tovim Foundation, a volunteer corps of more than 50 students.
“They visit with local nursing homes and hospitals to make sure that Jewish elderly in the region who don’t have family or people coming to see them get a visit once a week or so,” he said.
Since taking over as chairman of the foundation in August 2008, Bushwick has expanded its ranks from five to more than 50 students, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed by Chabad House Rabbi Aaron Slonim.
“He’s involved in many capacities in our organization and has assisted our programs on and off campus,” he said. “It expresses exactly who Shmuel is … a person who is ready to give up his own comfort and personal pleasures to help out others, and he has pleasure doing it.”
On campus, Bushwick has instructed martial arts, been a teaching and resident assistant and is the president of the Rho Lambda chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH).
Through NRHH, a residential life leadership organization, Bushwick participates in Hand 2 Heart, a holiday gift collection for children.
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