By COLlive reporter
Photos by Eli Rosenberg / The Brooklyn Paper
Oprah Winfrey, the queen of television who wields influence over millions through her media empire, made a splash last week when she visited the chassidic community for an upcoming show.
“Shul girl Oprah,” was how the New York Post titled it, reporting about her tour in Crown Heights, Borough Park and a Mikvah in Brooklyn Heights.
Her new show “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” will premiere on her OWN Network in January and will feature interviews with spiritual leaders all around the world, the Brooklyn Paper said.
What was not reported was the months of preparation and collaboration between the crew of the OWN network and staff of Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center – Chabad.org.
“This is part of the ongoing effort to build bridges with a wide variety of media to create a kiddush Hashem,” said Rabbi Motti Seligson, media relations director of Chabad.org.
“She was gracious and warm, and was genuinely interested in our way of life,” Seligson told COLlive.com on meeting Winfrey.
The family Winfrey spent time with in Crown Heights was Mrs. Dina Abrahamson, an African-American Jewish activist. Her son Yosef Abrahamson was a two-time winner of the NYPD’s “Commissioner for a Day” essay contest.
OWN cameramen have been spending the last few weeks in the neighborhood, filming the vivid life and even the nightly dancing on Kingston Avenue during Simchas Beis Hashoeva on the Sukkos holiday.
They have also been filming a chosson and kallah – Michoel Shapiro of White Plains, NY and Chava Zviklin of Newton, PA – as they prepare for their wedding, like getting a new fedora and Kapota at Primo Hatters and Sartoria Sacho.
The reel will be used for Winfrey’s new show and a separate one, Our America with Lisa Ling, on the OWN channel, COLlive was told.
Oprah in the Mikvah
Later, in Brooklyn Heights, Winfrey visited the Mei Menachem Community Mikvah at Congregation B’nai Avraham, where Shliach Rabbi Aaron Raskin gave her a copy of his latest book.
Winfrey didn’t actually take a dip in the mikvah, said Rabbi Raskin. “She just wanted to see it and had a woman give her a tour and explain the details of how it works.”
“She did have security and therefore, any room she was in, nobody was allowed to go in besides those who were doing the interview,” Raskin said.
The person who showed Winfrey around the mikvah was Mrs. Bronya Shaffer, a globetrotting lecturer on Jewish women’s issues, kallah teacher and mentor to many women.
“I have never even seen a single one of her shows,” admitted Shaffer in a conversation with the Brooklyn Paper.
“When I told Oprah’s producer that I didn’t know anything about her work, she said, ‘That’s refreshing!'”
For Oprah’s many TV viewers, learning about the life and customs of chassidic Jews will be refreshing as well.
There is no greater example of what tzinus means than Bronya Shaffer. I have admired her for years.
I do not have a tv, so I have never observed Oprah on her show. However, I did hear that she used air time to promoted the political asperations of the socialist who succeeded in getting himself elected to office in the last presidential election. If that be the case, all I can say about her latest “interest in Chabad” is, “TRACHT GUT V’T ZAYIN GUT!!!” because … BORUCH HASHEM NOTHING BAD EVER RESULTED FROM PUBLICIZING A MITZVAH!!!
Called Justice Sdom style in USA
Nachman
her real is orpah, i am her number one fan!
We are fortunate to have Shlomie and Mendy in the ‘hood with hats and kapotos. i remeber when we had to shlep all over the city to take care of these things.
go mendy!!!!!
For the twenty years I’m listening to speakers about mikvah and going to TH review classes, I’ve never heard any one as clear and open and inspiring as Bronya Schaffer about this subject. Good choice for Oprah!!!!
She is an amazing woman who has accomplished so much and helped so many people. Oprah was lucky to have interviewed her!
Mrs Shaffer is the best person I know!
good job
Not having a t.v., I’ve never seen her show but I remember reading somewhere that her mother actually intended to name her “Orpah” (as in megillas Rus) and got confused with the spelling, or perhaps pronunciation, of the name. Sounds plausible enough. In any case, we’d do well to remember that it is she who should feel honored that we gave her a tour of our neighborhoods. At the end of the day, Hollywood celebrities are simply people while Yiddishkeit is our everlasting gift from Hashem. Occasions will arise when some of it may be clarified as a means of… Read more »
Why no pictures of you?
She’s got a lot of integrity and she’s helping to better society and the world. Thank you, Oprah, for all that you do. May Hashem bless you.
wow I really like her she is so kind and nice I wish I knew she was here I wanted to see her.
Maybe she can speak about Rubashkin and help out!
Oprah couldn’t have picked anyone better!
Love from your fans in Florida!
wow amazing,
you look very professional . well done !!!
Your fans in South Africa
Go Motti S, you make us proud!
I hope it Rabbi Rubashkins plight was mentioned to her as I”m sure she can do a great deal with her power with the media.
Bronya go see one of her taped shows and see how giving kind and caring she is……………….
Mazel tov on your wedding!
bronya s. has that ability to make a special touch, she speaks well, and from the heart, and I’m sure she did a kiddush hashem, may she be blessed with lots of nachas and gezunt
and show RESPECT to where shes going
it’s nice to see how she so respectfully dressed in such a tznius manner…
Go Mendy!! Always in the centre of the action
i’m so happy to hear that mrs. shaffer gave the tour. i know there are many capable women out there but bronya has surely got the most amazing way of teaching, talking and guiding in concepts of mikvah, taharas hamishpacha, relationships…
kol hakovod. i would love to hear oprah’s comments on the tour
moshiachs tzeiten!
She is no different.,y’all.Anyway,her father named her after a Jew,and her production company is named for comedian… Harpo Marx.(Oprah is Harpo spelled backwards) which she told me personally. I believe her.She said she never forgave him,and wanted to change it,but he wouldn’t let her.She is a sweet lady,and I partied with her,Stedman,Ivory and a few others in SF at Rasselas Ethiopian Restaurant and Jazz Club on California Strret in my “previous life.”in the early eighties.Her companion ,Stedman,was a frequent customer in my flower shop I think my painful early childhood memories may have touched their hearts,as she also had a… Read more »
i luv celebrities!!
Does anyone know what date the show will air?
is the perfect person to give a tour, i love the way she talks so beautifully about these mitzvos…
What a Kiddush Hashem. Now more JEWISH WOMEN will learn about MIKVA. this is really MOSHIACH’S TIMES!!!!!!
what color lining did he get??