Traffic is terrible in Boston, and so is the price of gas. Therefore, not long after moving there, Professor Binyomin Abrams ditched his car and bought himself a Moped.
That summer, as he was riding his moped down Commonwealth Avenue - a large street that runs the length of Boston University Campus - one of the incoming first year students snapped a photo of him with his beard flying in the wind. The student posted it on Facebook and captioned it, ‘So excited to be coming to Boston University. Where else are you going to see an Amish person riding a moped?!’ Then the comments started coming in.
The first comment was, ‘I don’t think the Amish are allowed to ride Mopeds.’ Then the second one was, ‘Hey, stop telling the Amish what they are and aren’t allowed to do.’ And then the last comment was, ‘I don’t think he’s Amish. I think that’s a Hasidic Jewish person, and I think he’s our chemistry professor.’
Binyomin Abrams grew up in Montreal. He and his family belonged to an Orthodox synagogue, but they weren’t particularly observant. Abrams attended years of Jewish day school and had a bar mitzvah, but not much else.
He was always fascinated by chemistry, and in 1998, he went to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemistry. In 2003, he moved to Manhattan to get his PhD in theoretical chemistry.
Who’s Who
The great prophet Eliyahu (Elijah) lived approximately in the Jewish year 3,000 (760 b.c.e.) and lived at a time when the Jews were greatly tempted by idol worship. He pitted himself against 450 priests of the Baal cult on Mount Carmel when he successfully demonstrated the veracity of G-d. Taken by a fiery chariot, he was one of the seven saints who went into the next world alive. Tradition names Eliyahu as the one who will announce the advent of Moshiach.
Merging Torah and Science
His first encounter with Chabad was at a Passover Seder while living in Manhattan. Abrams was looking for somewhere to celebrate the holiday, and ended up attending a Seder led by Rabbi Korn at Chabad on the Bowery. He was extremely taken by the experience, and by Judaism in general. He began laying Tefillin and joining Chabad every week for Shabbat almost immediately.
That summer, in the middle of his PhD studies, Abrams took off and attended a two-week Yeshiva summer program. From there, he continued studying Judaism in Crown Heights and he became fully Torah observant. His doctoral studies went on, but he split his time between his studies at NYU and learning Torah and Chassidus. During that time, Abrams was introduced to and married his wife, Liorah.
He was encouraged by the words of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to continue in chemistry after his degree, and was drawn to working as an educator. Abrams also began to study and research the connection between Torah with science, and was fascinated by how the two merged.
In 2008, Abrams earned his Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry, and was hired by Boston University as a professor and lecturer. However, because he’s a Canadian citizen, there were a few visa issues to work out at the last second. This meant that the BU course list hadn’t been updated to reflect that he was teaching classes. Therefore, Abrams was listed on the student’s rosters as ‘professor staff’ (which is what they write when they don’t know who is going to teach a class). As a result, the students had no idea who would be teaching.
Abrams walked into his first lecture of the year. It was a class of about 180 1st year students taking advanced chemistry. Most of them were pre-health students, chemistry majors, or biochemistry majors. He walked in wearing Tzitzis, a hat, a jacket, and a beard.
Looking up at the students with a trace of a smile on his face, Abrams said, “Welcome to Intro. to Mystical Jewish Thought.” And the room went silent. It was their first class, so a student timidly pointed out that, “Professor, I think you’re in the wrong room.” Abrams asked what class this was, and the students clarified that it was chemistry. “Oh, ok, I can teach you that too,” replied Abrams.
Despite this humorous first encounter, Abrams teaches strictly chemistry in the classroom. However, students can, and often do, learn Torah with Professor Abrams in his office.
In 2015, Abrams received a prestigious award for excellence in teaching. In front of an audience of 5000 people, he was up on the big screen, wearing the ceremonial gown under his black beard, and his black hat on top.
There were easily 50 other professors there, all wearing their full college regalia, but he was up on stage in his gown and Chassidic garb: Professor Abrams refuses to compromise.
Abrams’s mind, heart, and whole self is in Judaism now.
There is an old saying: the first sip from the Chalice of Science could make someone an atheist. But if you drink all the way to the bottom, G-d is waiting. Abrams made his way to the bottom.
Two years ago, Abrams studied for and earned rabbinic ordination. Now Rabbi, Doctor, Professor, Binyomin Abrams in his 16th academic year teaching at Boston University.
Over the years, Professor Abrams has enjoyed a friendship with Rabbi Shmuel Posner, Chabad Emissary to Boston, who continues to serve the Jewish students at BU, always looking to help and inspire, and with Rabbi Korn who continues to direct and inspire at the Chabad House on the Bowery, together with his wife Sara.
Abrams says that without them, he wouldn’t be where he is now.
For those who wish to catch a glimpse of chemistry professor Binyomin Abrams on his moped, weaving through Commonwealth Ave’s thicket of pedestrians, skateboarders, bicyclists, buses and automobiles: unfortunately, those days are over... Abrams switched from a moped to a bicycle.
As he says, 100 miles a gallon is good, but a bicycle is better for your health and even better with gas mileage. So students up and down Commonwealth Ave will still be able to witness his beard flapping in the breeze.
Excerpt from the Machne Israel “Lamplighters” Podcast - for more episodes visit Lubavitch.com/podcast
