Project Likkutei Sichos Held a Women’s Shabbaton in NY

By Joannie Tansky

There are rare moments when the physical world loosens its hold, when weather, time, and noise fall away.

Such was the Project Likkutei Sichos Women’s Shabbaton held recently in Tarrytown, NY with over 66 women in attendance. The Shabbos event was an offshoot of the Monday morning Likkutei Sichos class led by Mrs. Rivky Slonim.

The women came together from Israel, Argentina, Uruguay, Canada and many states. Though spanning generations, there was no age gap as they seamlessly blended into a single, unified community to immerse in Torah and the Rebbe’s teachings.

It was forty-eight hours of genuine conversation, stories that stirred the heart, learning with depth, uplifting niggunim, and dancing that stirred the soul.

Shalom Aleichem welcomed the Shabbos Queen Friday night by the glow of hundreds of Shabbos candles and the soft chorus of women’s voices. All during Shabbos women shared their stories, some for the very first time, in a space of emes and trust.

There were two late-night farbrengens, where time slowed and conversations were candid and lively. As Shabbos slowly waned, the seder niggunim touched each person’s soul. The Melave Malka went late into the night ending with a spontaneous farbrengen.

The Shabbaton concluded on an emotional high Sunday morning with a heartwarming, memorable closing session, many women taking on hachlotas.

Together over Shabbos, these women strengthened their bond with Hashem, the Rebbe and generations of women who came before them. No one was measured or judged. Rather, each woman was left humbled by the stories of others, by the resilience, dignity, and strength that rests quietly within every Jewish woman.

Spending time in a place suspended above the ordinary renders the return to reality at the end of Shabbos a quiet recalibration of the soul. To fully understand the gravitas of that Shabbos, here are a few comments sent after some of the women returned home:

…I will sorely miss class tomorrow, as Iyh, I will be flying (and I won’t even need the plane for that, as I am already soaring) home.

… Each person is so unique with a story to share, so authentic, so deep, given over with care. What comes from the heart enters the heart, everyone hand-picked to reveal their unique part.
… I haven’t yet fully processed the beautiful experience of the Shabbaton which left me feeling so recharged.

And finally…

…Thank you to everyone who taught, presented, sang and shared. It was truly amazing to grasp what the Rebbe created for such a group to come together.

Here is the link to join the Monday morning class: https://projectlikkuteisichos.org/rivkyslonimlive/