What the Weekend Taught Me

By Chani Vogel
Photos: Rochel Spangenthal

From as far back as when I was 5 years old, I remember thinking that only ‘older’ people go to the conventions.

Last year, Yehudis, a friend of mine told me that she has been going for the past few years. I thought it strange that she was going, and I told her about my reservations. After hearing her out, the seeds were sown, and this year with Hashgacha Protis, I found myself with Brachie, an incredible roommate, and a packed suitcase, joining the wonderful women who were going to be inspired for a weekend, as per the Rebbe’s request.

From the first second that we pulled up to the Heritage Hotel in Southbury, Connecticut, the staff was just a pleasure. We were pleasantly surprised with a beautiful arrangement from Oh! Nuts on every guests’ bed. A negel vasser shisel and kvort held packages of colored popcorn, chocolates, and nuts.

When I walked into the dining room for brunch I didn’t have to guess, I just knew the food was catered by Levi Feigenson from Table One Catering. His signature was everywhere. The presentation of the food, and the various herbs and spices he uses to create an element of surprise in each mouthful, just screamed Levi’s name.

The first workshop was about to commence. It was a tough choice. Of the five presenters, I chose David Nessenoff. The guy that got Helen Thomas riled up outside the White House, definitely got my attention. This former Conservative Rabbi, blessed with two children, told us with pride about their journey, and subsequent destination, as Chabadniks.

It was licht bentchen time. The hundreds of ladies bentching licht together with me, were carrying on a mesorah that started with Sarah Imenu! Aibishter, You are great! Harachaman hu yimloch aleinu lolam va’ed!

Mrs. Tzivia Jacobson was the next person to speak, and the inspiration continued with Bluma Weinberg, shlucha in Kansas City who led davening with two brave girls who stood in the front of the room. We davened every single word out loud. Achdus really permeated the room.

Rabbi YY Jacobson was next in our unbelievable line up of wonderful speakers for the convention. After reassuring all us women out there that our husbands were living on Cheerios, and not to worry because all the trouble we went through to stock our kitchen with ready meals for a mommy-less weekend would be able to be used next week, he proceeded to explain to us the million dollar mystery!

Men are like waffles, and women are like spaghetti, and we just have to understand the profundity there, and we would all be good to go. (Men compartmentalize all their issues, and deal with each one in its own box. Women have kids, husband, job, house, laundry, supper all on their mind, and one issues melds with the next, and that’s how we multi-task.) I have never sat through an hour and a half speech before, but there is a first for everything! After the meal, Chani Krasnianski led a beautiful chasidishe farbrengen.

In the morning, Rabbi Jacobson explained the Yaakov and Esav relationship with his signature style. Torah is not what it seems, and this relationship certainly lived up to that fact. At the meal Mrs. Katz from New Haven, CT, shared with us her families’ unique relationship with the Rebbe, and the Frierdiker Rebbe.

It blows the mind that the Rebbe himself (then known as the RaMa”Sh) called her father, R’ Moshe Yitzchok Hecht OBM, to ask him for a favor, to please give his little baby girl the name after the Rebbe’s grandmother. Listening to Mrs. Katz and knowing a Moshe Yitzchok named for her father, I know that she will see much nachas from her ainiklach.

The inspiration continued with Mrs. Rivka Kotlarsky, speaking about her parents, and Mrs. Chana Weisberg, who told a story about a Torah that was saved from the holocaust.

Barbara, Nancy, and Zoya, all women who were part of the Litchfield community came up to talk about their journeys home. One of them literally became frum because of a challah. We were surprised again, with a copy of the redesigned N’shei Chabad Newsletter, and a chocolate on everyone’s beds. (Did I say thank you Oh! Nuts?)

We had another short workshop and then it was Havdala time. Meleha was the next entertainer. Sugar sweet is the only expression that comes to mind. Her voice, and her energy, are just forces to be reckoned with!

It was pretty late when Malka Edrei took over. Malka entertains with her guitar, she started a kumzitz and I joined her. We led the singing together, and I can only tell you that I left my voice in the hotel somewhere! It was after 2am when Malka wrapped up the kumzitz!

Sunday dawned bright and (too) early. We opened our bedroom doors to another surprise. We had coffee mugs with chocolates waiting to tell us good morning! Again, there were five workshops to choose from.

And then there was another first in my life: I was rendered speechless! It was when Rabbi Manis Friedman asked what we had thought of the weekend thus far, and I said it was incredible! He asked me which part was incredible. I was stumped! Every single part of the weekend was something else! One segment was more exciting than the next!

During the banquet, Rechyl Eisenbach, a 12th grader in Bais Rivkah, got up with poise, and confidence, and addressed the crowd. She spoke without any notes. It was surreal to see how a young 12th grader kept everyone spellbound.

Chani Krasnianski spoke at the banquet, and she clarified that women are NOT spaghetti; we are lasagna, because we are full of layers, and due to the fact that she is the older sister, I knew I was not arguing! This chassidus infused, and achdus inspiring weekend was drawing to a close. Though this was my first convention experience, Be’ezras Hashem this will not be the last one. Plenty of my peers were there, and I was by far not the youngest.

I want to thank Rabbi Yossi and Mina Eisenbach, and Mushka Ciment, and Rivie Feldman, and everyone else who gave me an experience I can’t wait to have again. May the Rebbe repay you with brochos kiflayim.

The bottom line from the convention was, that even waffles when paired with lasagna, if they have chocolate from Oh! Nuts, and Levi Feigenson to arrange the way it is served, will blend together in beautiful harmony to create a wonderful chasidishe environment for our homes!