Elul and Tishrei Transformed for Hundreds of Women
Living Chassidus, an organization aimed at creating a community for women in Crown Heights, completed the 60 Days challenge based on Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s 60 Days: The Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays, bringing the classic holiday companion to life in addition to inspiring themselves and building a new kind of community within Crown Heights. The initiative was so successful, they will be expanding it for the coming months.
Living Chassidus was launched in 2012 by Mrs. Michal Weiss to address the material and spiritual issues of women living in Crown Heights. She envisioned a community where women strived to grow and stay inspired. Since its inception, Living Chassidus hosts regular Chassidus shiurim, Shabbos meals and other programs that provide a Chassidishe space where women can network, socialize and help each other. Through this unique network women have found jobs, apartment spaces to move into, and everyone has expanded their network of Shabbos host families. Many shidduchim have been aided through their programs, as well as wedding support, pregnancy resources and post-birth aid. More importantly, everyone involved has learned to apply Chassidus to their lives in practical ways.
The women of Living Chassidus have accomplished an amazing feat! As the winds of Tshuvah of Elul approached, they joined a personal and group effort to live with daily avodah of Elul and Tishrei.
Through Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s book “60 Days A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays” they read a page a day and attempted at the daily exercises in their own personal journal. Thanks to the daily reading from “60 Days” and the internal work that it inspired, many women’s lives were greatly impacted.
Every other week a farbrengen was held to celebrate the women’s accomplishments and to help inspire them to continue the journey. Thanks to generous community donors and Mrs. Weiss’s hard work, the women participating received gifts throughout to give them a more tangible reward for their efforts. And for those who did the program remotely, gifts were mailed. Prizes included farbrengens with inspirational speakers, store credit to local restaurants and educational materials.
“It acted as a guide to transform my Elul avodah unto something practical, attainable and meaningful which impacts my Tishrei and year ahead. I helped me to focus in on areas that I need to work on, in a positive and non-judgemental way,” said Crown Heights resident Daniella Conboy.
After the farbrengen, Mrs. Shaindy Jacobson encouraged more women to get involved saying, “Seeing scores of women so deeply dedicated to, growing from, and enjoying this journey, is a tangible testament to the power of learning Chassidus. Kol hakavod to Michal and each and every participating individual. May you grow in strength and numbers and may your passion for Chassidus continue to lead the way for all of us. Thank you for inviting me on this journey. I hope it’s ok – I’m now taking the liberty to invite everyone else!”
For Shabbos Bereishis, the culmination of the journey, a full award ceremony farbrengen was arranged where everyone who finished their 60 Days Venture Together program received a Certificate of Achievement signed by Rabbi Simon Jacobson and Michal Weiss, as well as a copy of JEM’s “Tishrei in Lubavitch” with a personalized sticker inside. The award ceremony was followed by a farbrengen with Mrs. Shimona Tzukernik. Women of all ages attended and enjoyed a milchig buffet and Chassidus seforim sale.
“We would like to give a warm thank you to Mrs. Shaindy Jacobson, Mrs. Eidle Sputz and Mrs. Shimona Tzukernik for inspiring us through their words of Chassidus and chizuk. May Hashem bless each and every one of the people involved in this 60 Days Project with everything they want and need, b’gashmiyus and b’ruchniyus!” said Michal Weiss.
“This journey has been absolutely incredible! Didn’t think I’d be able to keep up, and even more so, impacted so much. The support and encouragement of friends has kept me going and helped me really appreciate what I got out of the 60 Days journey. And B”H an amazing Elul and Tishrei! We’re strong and ready for a great year!” shared an excited participant, Sarah Mizrachi.
Living Chassidus anticipates the creation of a follow up 60 Days program for the upcoming Chassidishe months of Kislev and Teves! Join by contacting Michal Weiss: +1 205-937-9914.
