Women’s Kollel in Pittsburgh Holds All-Day Retreat

Nestled in the warm yet snowy urban community of Pittsburgh, PA lives a vibrant collective of women who gather several times per week to learn Torah lishmah.

On Sunday mornings and evenings, as well as Wednesday evenings, the Lubavitch Center in Squirrel Hill hosts a Women’s Kollel, much beloved by those who attend.

Celebrating two years of learning since its establishment, the Kollel held a Women’s Day of Connection and Learning on Sunday, 14 Kislev, December 15th, 2024, featuring speaker Sara Gita Soble, creator of Relationshift.

The Relationshift method focuses on healing and building up interpersonal relationships based on 13 Torah principles.

The all-day retreat featured workshops, lectures and, ample breakfast, lunch and snacks. With an overflow of signups, the day was well-attended and thoroughly enjoyed.

The Lubavitch Center Women’s Kollel received an enthusiastic welcome upon its founding in 2022.

After the Lubavitch Center established Kollel Eretz Hatzvi for men to learn outside of business hours, the demand quickly emerged for a similar option for women. Mrs. Blumi Rosenfeld, who heads Chabad of Western Pennsylvania, together with her husband, Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld, wanted to create an environment that was just as rigorous and in-depth as the men’s program, but tailored to women’s preferences, learning styles and busy schedules. Thus began the Lubavitch Center Women’s Kollel, honoring the memory of Mrs. Rosella Pfeffer ע״ה, and funded by a generous grant from the Walder Foundation. All sessions of the Kollel have offered virtual options for those who can’t physically attend, and monetary stipends to incentivize regular, in-person attendance.

The Women’s Kollel’s online messaging states, “We’re all busy with life, work, home and family. But it’s our belief that the enrichment and fulfillment that comes from deep, ongoing Jewish learning should be just as accessible to women as it is to men.”

“After a wonderful year of shiurim and chavrusa learning, we’re looking into how we can make the Kollel even more enticing and tailored to our community,” says Mrs. Rosenfeld. “We’ve put out a comprehensive survey to drill down into what women want and need in terms of Torah learning, and how they want to access it.”

To increase and expand on its programming, the Women’s Kollel plans to add more online access, special events, Imahos Ubanoslearning (inspired by a similar initiative by The Crown Heights Women’s Circle), and even a dedicated, permanent space within the Lubavitch Center shul, just for women’s studies.

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