Rabbi Aryeh Royde, director of Project Inspire of Rockland County and founder of The Traveling Chassidim, has dedicated his life to one central mission: bringing oneg Shabbos to every Jew.
As someone who lives Shabbos — who teaches that Shabbos is the tachlis of creation and the greatest gift Hashem gave us — he was shaken to discover that there are observant women sitting alone on Friday night. Lighting candles alone. Facing a holy day while feeling broken and isolated.
“It’s heartbreaking,” he says in the video, describing women sitting home alone on Shabbos — “in the dark, lonely” .
Shabbos is yom kedusha umenucha, a day of true rest and emunah . How could a Jewish woman experience that alone?
When he came to see Mishpachtainu with his own eyes, he was deeply impressed.
No Jewish woman should have to celebrate Shabbos alone. Donate here!
Watch the video:
Under the leadership of Yehudis Sherman, Mishpachtainu opens its doors every single Shabbos — and throughout the Yomim Tovim — to divorced and widowed women who need warmth, dignity, and strength.
Each week, dozens of women — and hundreds throughout the year — are welcomed into a home filled with beauty and care. They experience full Shabbos and Yom Tov meals, heartfelt zemiros, empowering lectures, and the simple but life-changing gift of sitting shoulder to shoulder with sisters who understand their journey.
The home is filled with guest rooms and full tables. Women travel from across New York, New Jersey, Lakewood, Monroe — spanning Litvish, Chassidish, Ashkenazi, and Sephardi communities.
And yes — Chabad women from Crown Heights travel all the way to Monsey for Shabbos — because they know that this Shabbos will give them the koach to return home and light up their families.
Rabbi Royde speaks directly to that need. “Mothers are unbelievable. They give and give and give. They need the time and place where they get filled up so that they can give” .
A meaningful Shabbos, he explains, gives them the “fuel… to lighten up her whole home and kids” .
Mishpachtainu is not just hosting meals. It is restoring mothers. It is strengthening families. It is lighting souls.
Beyond Shabbos and Yom Tov, the organization provides ongoing emotional support, strengthening classes, and guidance — helping women rebuild with dignity and confidence.
Rabbi Royde calls Mishpachtainu “really the answer for this” .
In one of the most powerful moments of his message, Rabbi Royde speaks about the promise of light. When we light Shabbos candles, he explains, it is not only about wax and flame. As the pasuk teaches, “כי נר ה’ נשמת אדם” — every Jewish soul is a candle. When we restore the Shabbos of a lonely woman, when we bring warmth and dignity back into her life, we are lighting a living neshama. And Hashem promises measure for measure: you light the candles here, and He will light the candles of Tzion for you. These single mothers are not just women in need — they are Hashem’s daughters, raising Hashem’s children. When we take care of his children, He takes care of ours. Supporting her Shabbos is not only kindness; it is an act that ignites divine light for us all.
Because when you give her Shabbos —
you give her hope.
You give her a brighter week.
You give her a home filled with blessing.
Double the blessing.
Honor the sanctity of Shabbos —
and support Hashem’s daughters.
Its not only possible but more frequent then we want to admit.
Personally i know of more then a dozen Men, Women, the elderly that sit EVERY shabbos & Yom Tov alone at home,
No guests & no where to go.
Its sadly very true.
Please tell me how to reach you. We are always looking for guests of all ages. The greatest gift we can give our teens is opportunities to do kindness for others. We have singles coming to us of all ages. We do have mostly girls though, as our teens are girls.
This is beautiful. Mi keamcha..
Is there such a thing for men?
Look up Achim Baderech
Here’s the thing that helped me cope: Treat Shabbos like a regular Wednesday evening. Do you feel equally as lonely eating dinner on your own during the week? For most people, the answer is no.
Try not to put so much pressure on yourself. Give yourself the grace of being with Hashem. Think about how you have food on the table. You are worthy and strong. Of course it’s nice to get invited out too, but don’t sweat it if you don’t go out.
Thankfully this organization exists so that women that need a loving warm welcome to celebrate Shabbos have a home away from home…. and should not have to treat Shabbos like a regular Wednesday. Lets give them dignity and joy 🙂
Its a weds, its Shabbos and the energy is Shabbos, you can’t make firsay night weds night, even if you’re alone, thats insanity!
On weds night, you can put on a video, talk to friends and listen to music, on fri night, you stare at your walls!
I would love to see shared meals by neighborhood, a way to get to know who your neighbor is.
It’s so exhausting to travel every week and go away to friends…
Thank you for thinking of divorced and widowed women. Sincerely. !!
Sometimes I wonder, Why is there no organization for older single women that were never married? They are also ‘alone’. People assume they are fine because they don’t have kids to deal with. Or that they brought it onto themselves by being picky. Most people wouldn’t have a clue of the specific challenges, struggles and monetary needs that they face.
Something to think about
With much appreciation and love
If we had something by neighborhood, they can be included. A Shabbos Sisterhood.
Each on brings something to the meal. No hassle of sleeping over
I am now married 3rd time. i was single for many years 10 years alone after my first marriage and 7 years alone after my 2nd. Bh hashem brought me true joy with my current wife. And all my children are happily married. My own expierence was that the most bitter thing is bieng alone esp. shabbos. But i would attempt to be with other families. However when i sat alone i would sing very loud harzige nigunim that would lift me up and also the neighbors. I made shabbos with hashem and the malachim who came to me. However,… Read more »
We have single men at our Shabbos table Every week; men who otherwise wouldn’t have a place to eat.
Thank you for showing that men get support.
Poor you, that sounds like that was a very painful time in your life. May you only know of happy, healthy and many wonderful moments going forward!
No divorcee is stuck home alone unless she prefers it. B”h there are a lot of places to get hosted at, & that don’t charge for sleeping over (& eating). There’s Rabbi & Mrs Balcony in Boro Park who cooks amazing, there’s Mrs F. G in Boro Park, herself a divorcee too, that’s been doing it for about 20 yrs, there’s Mrs Weisberger (who used to do it with her husband a”h), there’s also Orchim.org that I’ve used often & pair up with a friend or they place me with another guest if I don’t want to be the only… Read more »
I am so happy for you that you are not in need of an uplifting Shabbos and that you have it all figured out… that does not take away from this beautiful organization that is there just about every Shabbos bringing woman together and bringing them joy.
These woman are beautiful and holy and deserve to be embraced with love and support. A great and very much needed organization! Please donate to this worthy cause
No one is sitting home alone unless they prefer it?
I, for one, don’t know any of the people you mentioned in your comment. And I know I’m not the only one.
Plenty of ppl sit home alone not by choice.
So heartbreaking to think in our community there isn’t an organization that takes care of divorced women . Women that many of them have suffered for years in silence. To think there isn’t anywhere for them to go here . They have to travel to Monsey ? Hatzlacha in your beautiful work that this organization does.
Youre right, we should have beautiful Shabbos meals in C. Hts that embrace our holy sisters with the dignity they deserve. Lets also support this organization that is shining a light and soreading awareness if the need while providing lovely Shabbis accommodations
Widows
Divorcees
Older singles
Young families that don’t have anyone looking after them
Even regular families who don’t have a friends group to tap into , experience loneliness on some level
Don’t wait for people to think of you
I love when people ask if they can join our fam for a meal – takes the pressure off from me and I’m so happy to host them – ask for invites.
I love the amount of chessed in our communities, and would love to see this expand to include many other demographics who are similarly lonely. Just to address the question in the title….How is this possible? Per a study conducted by Sanford, data shows that approx 69% of divorces in America are initiated by women. This increases to 80% – 90% among college-educated couples. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Our community would benefit more by tackling the causes of the ever-increasing rate of divorce, which has a far greater fallout than lonely Shabbosim, as horrible… Read more »
Marriages,even great marriages require hard work. Because of this , there are those that can think that failed marriages could have worked out if different solutions would have been applied,when in fact ,the missing point and mistake in that way of thinking is failing to recognize that anything successful just like parnasaah comes from hashem and you need to be thankful and grateful and feel lucky and blessed that you have a good marriage despite your hard work in overcoming obstacles in your marriage. I feel grateful and blessed for many things in my life. I dont feel lonely. Im… Read more »
I lived in CH for many years. I thought during these many years I would get married and then have a home where I would help other singles but having a beautiful welcoming Shabbat table that would invite singles to not have to endure the sometimes awkwardness of not yet finding the shiddich who was to become my other half. This never happened and I spent most of my Shabbats alone except for another single friend who would invite me over and was very important in my life. We would share cooking and enjoyed sharing Shabbat with someone else. When… Read more »