Some days are more than dates on a calendar. They carry special weight. They are gateways.
Today is one of them.
On the yahrzeit of the Rebbetzin, the Rebbe issued a personal request: That tzedakah be given to an institution established in her name, and it should be given in the numerical value of her name—470. He promised that those who give would be blessed by the Rebbetzin herself, from the World of Truth, with health, children, long life, and abundant livelihood.
The Or Chaya Center for the Jewish Woman proudly carries her name, and is a living continuation of her legacy. Each day, within its walls, thousands of women and young women grow and strengthen their connection to Torah and Chassidus, bringing nachas to the Rebbetzin and to the Rebbe.
This is an opportunity to take part in that legacy, give tzedakah in the Rebbetzin’s merit and bring blessing into your life and the lives of others.
On Chof Beis Shevat, let’s increase in light in her honor.
Honoring the Rebbetzin on Her Yahrzeit
Chof Beis Shevat marks the yahrzeit of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, the Rebbe’s wife and devoted life partner.
She embodied the quiet strength and dignity of Jewish womanhood. The Rebbe once said that she gave of herself with complete devotion to enable his leadership.
The Rebbetzin viewed each one of the Rebbe’s chassidim as her own child. When she passed away, the Rebbe instructed, “Inform her children, the chassidim,” and thousands came to accompany her on her final journey.
Following her passing, the Rebbe asked that chassidim establish institutions in her memory, in the spirit of the possuk “And the living shall take to heart.”
One year later, in response to the Rebbe’s personal request, Or Chaya was founded in Jerusalem in her honor, with the Rebbe himself choosing the name.
Empowering Women, Building Jewish Homes
Or Chaya is a dynamic center of Torah and Chassidus dedicated to empowering Jewish women. Since its founding, it has welcomed tens of thousands of women and young women from Israel and around the world, ages 18 to 90, offering a warm home, serious learning, and a source of inspiration.
The Torah Studies Division presents hundreds of classes annually in all areas of Torah, reaching thousands each month.
The Baalos Teshuvah Institute guides young Israeli women beginning their journey in Torah and mitzvot, providing in-depth study, personal growth, and preparation for building a Jewish home.
The Russian-Speaking Division supports young women who immigrated to Israel on their own, offering community, professional guidance, help with integration, and ongoing support through shidduchim, marriage, and beyond.
Chaya Mushka Seminar provides a warm chassidishe framework for students from Israel and abroad, combining professional training and diligent studies with personal development.
The Women’s Conferences Division organizes large-scale events that draw thousands of participants, including the central Chof Beis Shevat gathering at Binyanei HaUma and annual study days, seminars, and Shabbatons throughout the year.
Her Legacy Lives On
The Rebbetzin had no biological children, yet today thousands of Or Chaya’s students and alumnae learn Torah and Chassidus in her memory, living testimony to the light she continues to radiate.
As we mark her yahrzeit, we invite you to partner with us in fulfilling the Rebbe’s directive to support the institutions established in her name.
The Rebbe especially encouraged giving tzedaka in the numerical value of the Rebbetzin’s name, 470, and promised that she would daven for those who donate to be blessed with health, children, long life, and abundant livelihood.
