Every Monday night, students show up at Rabbi Uri and Abby Lorkis’s house for dinner.
That’s it. That’s the pitch.
Okay, it’s a little more than that. But not much more complicated. You come. You eat. You learn something. You leave feeling a little more connected than when you arrived.
They call it Mishpacha, which means family in Hebrew. And honestly? That’s what it feels like.
What Actually Happens
The format is simple. Abby cooks (and she’s a really good cook). Everyone sits around the table together. You catch up on each other’s weeks, complain about midterms, share random stories.
Then after dinner, there’s learning. But it’s not like class. Some weeks Rabbi Uri teaches about the Torah portion. Other weeks Abby leads a discussion. Sometimes students present on topics they care about. Sometimes they bring in guest speakers.
“We wanted to create something organic,” Rabbi Uri says. “This isn’t a lecture hall. It’s a living room. Learning happens best when everyone feels they have something to contribute.”
And people do contribute. Students lead sessions. They ask questions. They disagree respectfully. They bring their whole selves to the conversation, whether that’s their academic interests, their doubts, their curiosity.
The topics range widely. Jewish ethics. Current events. Philosophy. What it means to build a meaningful life. It depends on who’s there and what people want to talk about.
Why Students Keep Coming Back
Here’s the thing about JLIC at Michigan. For a lot of students, especially those far from home, it becomes their home base. Not in a cheesy, promotional way. In a real way.
Rabbi Uri and Abby remember your name. They ask about your classes and actually listen to the answer. They care when you’re stressed about finals or excited about an internship.
This matters more than you’d think. College can be lonely. You can be surrounded by thousands of people and still feel like you don’t have your people. JLIC, and specifically these Monday nights, gives students a place where they’re known.
Who Shows Up
Everyone, really. Freshmen who are trying to figure out college. Seniors who’ve been coming since their first week on campus. Students who grew up deeply connected to Judaism and students who are just starting to explore what it means to them.
The Lorkis have built something where you can show up exactly as you are. No prerequisites. No expectations that you know certain prayers or texts. Just come.
Beyond Monday Nights
What starts at the Lorkis’s dinner table doesn’t end there. Students become friends. They form study groups. They celebrate Shabbat together. They’re there for each other when things get hard.
The community that forms around Mishpacha extends across campus and, for many students, well beyond graduation. The relationships are real. The support system lasts.
If You’re Curious
If you’re at University of Michigan and looking for community, for good conversation, for a place where people will actually know you, come to Mishpacha.
Monday nights. Dinner. Learning. Family.
It’s that simple. And somehow, it’s everything.
JLIC at University of Michigan. Led by Rabbi Uri and Abby Lorkis. Your home away from home.
Reach out to any of our Directors to learn more about JLIC and to support our programming.
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