In 1988, Boteach was sent at age 22 by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson[7] as a Chabad-Lubavitch shaliach (emissary) to Oxford, England, where he served as rabbi to Oxford's students for 11 years and during that time founded the L'Chaim Society.[8] Under Boteach's leadership the Oxford L'Chaim Society grew to be the second-largest student organization in Oxford's history, with a membership that included over 5,000 non-Jews.[9] A dispute erupted when Boteach was asked to remove some non-Jewish students from the society, including future Senator Cory Booker, but refused.[10] Later that year Boteach won the "Preacher of the Year" Award from The Times.[7]