By COLlive reporter
The Rosh Chodesh Society—the women’s division of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI)—has launched its newest course, SoulMates, a seven-session series for women.
Running in nearly 200 locations across the globe, SoulMates draws upon millennia of Jewish wisdom, from the mystical to the down-to-earth, allowing women of all ages and walks of life to explore love and marriage through interactive discussions and text-based sources that weave together the philosophical, the spiritual, and the practical.
This course, as with all Society’s courses, will be taught once per month for seven consecutive months and is designed for women at all levels of Jewish knowledge. In addition to the professionally designed marketing materials, videos, student textbooks, PowerPoints, and extensive instructional support that RCS offers, the program creates an unparalleled sense of community that is felt among instructors and students alike.
“It’s a great pleasure to be part of the RCS family,” says Mrs. Esther Winner, shlucha in Brighton Beach, NY. “The curriculum is professional, informative, and deep, and the lessons excite the women to come back for more.”
After teaching the first lesson, “Two Halves of a Whole,” which explored the spiritual root of love and marriage, RCS instructors have said the course has immediately begun positively impacting the women of their communities.
“RCS is a highlight – a personal success in my Shlichus! – and it’s made great waves here,” says Mrs. Chana’le Itkin, shlucha in Kansas City.
Shluchos have reported back that student feedback after the launch of the course has been powerful. Mrs. Faygie Kaplan, shlucha in Thornhill, Ontario said, “Right after the class, one of the women approached me and told me that she went to the mikveh before she got married but hasn’t been since, and would love to go!”
Says Mrs. Esty Zaklikofsky, shlucha in Bellaire, Texas, “The content can really be life transforming, as some women openly professed at the end of the class. So many women signed up for the entire course at the first lesson, I ran out of books!”
“The women absolutely loved it,” says Mrs. Chai Cohen, shlucha in London. “They are texting and emailing me how great it was and how it gave them so much to think, and talk about with their husbands.”
Thanks to the incredible kindness and generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Yitzchak and Julie Gniwisch and family, every shlucha-instructor and each student attending the class, is being gifted with a beautiful authentic pearl bracelet.
They were especially commissioned and designed for the Rosh Chodesh Society, proudly bearing the RCS logo in rose gold.
“The bracelets are beautiful! They’re elegant and a reflection of a really classy operation,” commented says Mrs. Michal Shapiro, shlucha in Dallas, TX. “This is such a beautiful blend of gashmius and ruchnius and I’m sure it’s giving the Rebbe much nachas! Thank you so much for making this happen,”
Mrs. Sara Steinmetz, shlucha in Sarasota, Florida, concurs: “I wanted to share that B”H, the course took off very well and I’m accommodating even more women than I originally expected! The bracelets were so appreciated!!! Please tell the sponsors that they made such a huge impact, and the achievement of sisterhood was certainly tangible…”
Mrs. Shaindy Jacobson, Director of the Rosh Chodesh Society, says, “It is our hope that SoulMates will not only impact the students themselves, but the ripple effect will extend to their husbands, children, friends, and greater communities at large, strengthening the foundation of the entire Jewish people.
She added, “there are no greater, more qualified, more dedicated instructors out there to share this message – and the entire message of Limmud Torah – than the Rebbe’s shluchos. There’s no question that what each of these shluchos is accomplishing single-handedly, is unprecedented in the Jewish world. Please join us in lauding our sisters out there on the front lines. Ashreichen Shluchos!”
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The Rosh Chodesh Society is an international Jewish sisterhood that aims to connect, empower, and inspire Jewish women through monthly Jewish learning and cultural experiences. For more information about SoulMates, please visit www.roshchodeshsociety.com/courses, or contact Shaindy directly at [email protected] / 718-221-6900 x 117.
Shaindy was always elected as speaker even by her friends in sem! (Remember the learn-a-thon in the basement?) Continue meichayil ad chayil!
Mrs. Shaindy Jacobson, director of RCS, is one of a kind, A tremendous source of inspiration and motivation.
I attended the workshop that rosh chodesh society organized at the kinus last year and it was outstanding. I hope they do something again this year.
The last paragraph of Shaindy’s comment brought tears to my eyes:
‘She added, “there are no greater, more qualified, more dedicated instructors out there to share this message – and the entire message of Limmud Torah – than the Rebbe’s shluchos. There’s no question that what each of these shluchos is accomplishing single-handedly, is unprecedented in the Jewish world. Please join us in lauding our sisters out there on the front lines. Ashreichen Shluchos!”‘
How beautiful and how true.
Der Rebbe bleibt nisht kein bal chov. Yesh sachar l’f’ulosech.
AWESOME program!
I am a longtime VERY proud member of RCS. This is the best thing that happened in my women’s adult education programming.
Major shout out to Shaindy and her team for the most incredible personal customer service I ever experienced. Corporate America would do well to follow their example 🙂
May Hashem bless you all and give you the strength to keep this up and keep growing.
I am eternally grateful to my dear Rebbetzin Shlicha for bringing this amazing program to our community. You’ve changed my life, and that of my family, for the greater good with your excellent classes. So professional and yet so personal. I live with your teachings daily and always look so forward to the upcoming lesson.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who make this possible. And thank you to the Rebbe of blessed memory, for sending these Rabbis and Rebbetzins, Shliachs and Slichas, to every neck of the woods.
Being a mother/in-law to several Shluchos I want to give a public yasher koach gadol to the Rosh Chidesh Society and the Gniwisch family for helping, supporting, and always uplifting our children in their Shlichus. You cannot imagine the gratitude that each parent and every Shlucha and her family feel. I also want to say that I too am a very lucky recipient of the RCS because my daughters often share what they teach, their students’ wonderful reactions, and I can see how it gives them tremendous chizuk. May Mrs. Jacobson and everyone at JLI have continued hatzlacha michayil el… Read more »
#6 & #7
The beis Medrash circle women circle has JLI every month and Shaindy Teaches it herself!
what a lovely gesture…
So true. Very much needed here. Unfortunately “arum dem yam is truken”, and those that need these classes are the ones that won’t attend.
We need this in Crown Heights.
If I’m not making a mistake I think just these few photos alone go halfway around the world!
USA, Canada, Brazil, Russia….
Shaindy and the Fantastic RCS Team – Chazak v’Ametz!!
I’m so happy this is being featured! I have wanted to say a public thank you to JLI for creating a women’s division, this Rosh Chodesh Society, and especially to Shaindy for a long time. Thank you for giving me this chance to do so. THANK YOU & THANK YOU & THANK YOU AS MANY MORE TIMES as I can say it, for ALWAYS responding to every single inquiry, during day, night, simchas, and even, unfortunately, thru personal trying times. I don’t know how you do it! I don’t only speak for myself – I know I speak for our… Read more »
I <3 YOU
I know first hand what a humble generous couple this is. They are true examples of Baalei chesed and Baalei tzedakah in the truest sense. Always looking for opportunities to bring happiness to the rebbes children.
Shluchos are very fortunate that Shaindy Jacobson directs RCS, she really cares for the Shluchos and is an amazing woman.