Meet the UCSB Chabad Girls!

It wouldn’t be Shabbat in Isla Vista without warmth radiating from the Klein backyard and home. While Rabbi Gershon and his wife Miri dedicate hours to cooking, hosting, and compiling words of wisdom, their three daughters actually run the show, simply by being very cute. Everyone wants to be friends with the cool kids in town, that being five-year-old Mushka, two-and-a-half-year-old Mina, and five-month-old Chana. Want an in? Luckily for you, I had the privilege to sit down with Miri for an exclusive interview about the lives of her children, and even snagged a celebrity encounter at the end! 

Miri and I agree that Chana is indubitably the most adorable baby in all of Santa Barbara. With big brown eyes and chubby cheeks, one cannot help but give Chana a cuddle. Chana has recently begun eating mashed broccoli as her first solid food, and seems to enjoy it very much. We can anticipate her soon trying avocado, bananas, and applesauce, entering a whole new world of culinary delight. Lately, Chana’s favorite song is “Raisins and Almonds,” a piece sung in both Yiddish and Russian. “Raisins and Almonds” depicts a Jewish mother talking to her baby. She explains that the most interesting thing a goat can do at the dinner table is play with raisins and almonds, but as a Jewish child, the baby will have the ability to learn and grow. Clearly, Chana has already developed a distinguished musical taste. I asked Miri to describe her youngest’s emerging personality. Miri immediately pointed out Chana’s curiosity. She is deeply consumed in the process of figuring out what everything is, playing with every object she can get her hands on, and often putting items in her mouth. Miri also described Chana as a sweet and tranquil soul. “She’s a chiller,” Miri remarked, “she’s the vibe of the town.” 

Mina is so lovable in her tiny dresses and soft-spoken voice. One can often find her wandering the living room and enjoying the presence of guests on a Friday night. Miri informed me of some of her favorite things. Her most-loved toys are her menchies and playdough. Menchies are Jewish character figurines, smaller than the typical doll. She and Mushka love to give them “houses” with transparent magnetic tiles that build 3D shapes. Mina is especially drawn to the pink magnets and likes to hold them up to her eyes to see the world in a pink hue. While Shabbats are a great time for the Chabad kids and students alike, Mina has a holiday she especially looks forward to each year–Shavuot! Mina may discuss the importance of receiving Torah, but deep down, she just really likes cheesecake. Mina has also been absorbed in picture books lately, her favorite being “I Kiss My Mezuzah.” Even at two-and-a-half, she seems to be able to recognize how blessed her home is. We students can agree that Chabad is truly a special space. 

Now you’re in for a treat! I was invited to have a playdate with the Mushka Klein and ask her a few questions. Firstly, I asked her what it’s like being a local celebrity, and she replied, “Nothing.” It is astonishing how humble and down-to-earth she is, refusing to let the fame get to her head. I asked her how she felt about students coming over, and she admitted “I do like it.” Life for Mushka is a constant playdate, what’s not to like? Speaking of playdates, Mushka told me that her proudest building creation thus far is an enormous train made out of Legos. I inquired how long it took to accomplish this feat. She answered, “Like, a teeny weeny bit of a night, not a day, a weeny bit of a night to make a big train. That was on Yom Kippur! And then I ran and then I fell!” Along with building, Mushka loves to play board games, make jewelry, and help out in the kitchen. She assists with chopping vegetables, and proudly told me, “I like to cut scallions!” Mushka is also known for her professional jumping skills, prioritizing practice on her mattress every day. I asked her record number of jumps in a single day. She casually shrugged her shoulders and replied, “Ten hundred.” With all that she does, Mushka is undeniably a well-rounded and dedicated individual. UCSB students love to be at Chabad for Shabbat, and Mushka loves to have us here. She even confessed that “having guests” is her favorite part of Shabbat, even more than her beloved “grape juice and pickles” on a Friday night. Though tough on the outside, Mushka has the biggest heart. We discussed our favorite parts of being Jewish, and she said that hers was “mivtzoyim,” or encouraging other people to do mitzvot. Her parents recalled Mushka helping Jewish students on campus shake the lulav and etrog this past Sukkot. I concluded our interview by asking Mushka if there was anything else she’d like UCSB students to know about her. She responded with a blunt, “Nothing.” Miri asked that she try to answer the question again, to which she persisted, “Haha, nothing.” If you want to know about the secret world of Mushka, you might have to sit down and have a playdate with her yourself. I can confirm that the rumors are true–Mushka does have a top ten. What those rankings look like are extremely classified information that I cannot disclose (I signed an NDA). You won’t be able to pry her favorite color out of me either. 

As I thanked the family for their time, Miri remembered a wholesome story of attending her brother-in-law’s Shabbat during break with her two oldest children. She recalled, “Mushka turns around, she goes ‘when are the students gonna start coming?” With a smile on her face, Miri summed it up beautifully. “And for her, that was Shabbos, she couldn’t wrap her brain around students not being there, it was very sweet. It’s kind of like our kids’ whole existence and their whole life. And they really really, I think, at least hope, they really really love it.” The Klein family is such a light in our community, and their three children completely embody the Chabad experience. Mushka, Mina, and Chana are so loved by this community and never fail to warm our hearts. We are so lucky to be learning and growing with them here in Isla Vista.

-Maya Kaye