Shalom!
This is going to be an adventure through pictures!
Thank you for sharing it with me!
1. The Bais Yaakov St. Louis once in 25 years Dinner.
It was a revelatory evening – a once in a life-time event. I was struck speechless.
Click the video image to hear my speech none-the-less. (This is the unedited version in which I included my thank yous – and I mentioned all of you.)
The 7 minute speech’s proper name is: “The Cave of Machpela, the Rise of the final ה and the Depth of Humor” and is an aliya neshama for R’ Gershon Zeffren Zt”l.
It also could have been called, and though I am joking, I am not: “where The Bais Yaakov movement/ Sarah Schneirer a”h meets (the tip of the iceberg of) R’ Moshe Shapiro’s Torah” and pretty much sums up my lofty dreams for all of us.
Hodu Lashem Ki tov.
The woman in the red hat is my piano teacher, Laura Schindler, who taught me music between the ages of 8 and 18. The other picture is me with my sister Shani Roberts. Here is an alumi shot – my incredible principal Mrs Tova Greenblatt in the center.
2. Ohel Sara Amen Group Rosh Chodesh Kislev
“The Lost Princess”
Wow. In the bristling cold women assembled to sing Hallel and learn Torah. I cannot describe the beauty of women singing Hallel. It literally felt like the Schechina Rising. In fact, that’s what the sources say… that David HaMelech was a musician because he was healing the exiled Schechina. When women sing the month in – I have no words to describe the power. I thank Ohel Sara for inviting me to join in.
The shiur “The Lost Princess” doubles up as the FIRST CLASS of the Chava, Rise into your Feminine Series!! This is what I had in mind before I even prepared the Chava series (though I didn’t know I would be delivering it in NY!). It explains all the correlations between the moon, the woman, the Schechina, and what “the rise of the feminine” means. (No, it does not mean feminism).
I also officially discarded the name “Pre-Messianic Woman” right in the middle of the shiur. (Well, bli neder.) You can hear why when you click on the image.
Shiur zechus aliyha neshama for Sara Yuta bas Ephraim Menachem Mendel
3. The Concert
At Bracha’s in Monsey I shared some of the Yonatan Razel piano covers I have been working on with vocals.
At the end of the concert, one of the listeners stepped forward with her guitar and sang her very own composition called “Princess”. This was of course totally unprepared and was one of the many hashgachos that guided the trip.
Tzirrel Liba runs the Shabbos Queen Project and you can receive her songs and Pre-Shabbos inspiration by joining HERE.
(pre-shabbos = pre-messianic…. 🙂
For Bracha: it felt so familiar to be with an x-south african who bravely welcomed the unknown into her house 🙂 I long to return to your yoga studio!
Tremendous Gratitude goes to all my hosts as well to Rachel Leah Ismali, Rena Hagbi and others who resonate with my vision and put in hours to plan all of the events.
Special mention to Henya Storch from The Storch Agency. Little did I know I landed in pure gold when I arrived there on Thansgiving day for an overnight stay (see my tray of gluten and dairy free treats!) May Hashem continue to fill your spacious heart with His Love and the love of us all.
4. A “Fool Proof” Formula Marriage Mini-Seminar 😉
Thursday evening, we held a 4 hour mini-seminar called “Cultivating a Pre-Messianic Marriage” or a “Geuladik Marriage”. It was a safe place for us to explore our paradigms through Torah sources and make all sorts of connections. Unfortunately I don’t have anything shareable from that special meeting as of yet but I can say that it is an incredibly important topic and some of those insights will be included this coming year as we learn about the Imahos at the school, of which the first course Chava is pre-requisite. Chava is starting again for the last time before we move ahead, on the first night of Chanuka and you can join HERE.
(Note: You will see how the course is valued, please reach out if you need assistance.)
I was delighted to see Rebbitzen Baila Gitty Vorhand who popped in right as we finished. She is the writer of Emunas.com, Torah of the Mashgiach R’ Moshe Wolfson and has just published “Free to be Me”, published by Artscroll, on the topic of tzinus, for girls and educators, which I highly recommend.
5. The Malchus Retreat
Phew! There was one day left and my parents, may Hashem bless them, drove me to the retreat in the ice and snow. Amazingly, all the women too managed to get through the precarious weather. If you missed reading about the The Malchus Retreat – the immersive, in-depth Torah + healing day that we spent together, here it is (click on the picture).
(Now I know why the Albany Shabbaton plans were “recalculated” to Motzai Shabbos/ Sunday!)
I will conclude with my message to you I wrote in the Bais Yaakov Dinner Journal.
“To my friends and soul-sisters at Nexus,
The most amazing thing about our learning community is its circle nature. As a circle has no beginning or ending, no up or down, through our connection with each other we are all empowered to become all that we can be. I am the lucky recipient of your love and I glow every day with your light. May we continue to dance our circle dance of the future.”
Love,
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