The Reason for the Bracha

On Tuesday night, 6 Tishrei, Sydney nshei ubnos Chabad got together in Chabad NSW Headquarters to be inspired in honor of the yohrtzeit of Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe’s mother. The evening was called ” a tribute to the Jewish mother” and was attended by approximately 100 ladies.

The evening was opened by Mrs. Chasia Feldman who introduced the program and spoke about the new year 5772, with all the brochos from the letter beis, the new number in the Jewish year.

Feldman then introduced her husband, Rabbi Shmueli Feldman who sang the well known Yiddish song ” a yiddishe mame” with feeling and warmth in English and Yiddish.

A new video by JEM was shown about the life of Rebbetzin Chana and made a very strong impact on the crowd. It highlighted the life of the rebbetzin in a very special way.

Rebbetzin Pnina Feldman, Head Shlucha To NSW, continued the program by giving all the ladies brochos and spoke about how one should request brochos from the Aibishter at this time.

She then introduced and moderated a panel of women to talk about raising good children, especially chassidishe children, in our generation. Each woman gave her unique powerful ideas which work in her home.

The panel speakers were: Mrs. Gavriella Aber, head of curriculum in cheder Chabad, Mrs. Shternie Althaus, teacher and women’s lecturer for JLI, Mrs. Leah Berger, shlucha to Double Bay.

Mrs. Marina, a newly religious woman who spoke emotionally about how she was very inspired by Torah and hearing stories of the Rebbe at a weekly Tanya shiur by Rabbi Pinchus Feldman every Tuesday evening. This inspired her to transform her entire family to a life of yiddishkeit.

The evening continued with Mrs. Althaus recounting the story of her grandfather Reb Chayim Tashkenter(Hurwitz) who met Reb Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, the husband of Rebbetzin Chana, while he was exiled in Chile, Kazakhstan.

The Rebbe gave Reb Chayim great brochos for arichus yomim for the difficulties of having organized Jewish books and matzos for fellow Jews in exile and reporting to the Rebbe of what had transpired there.

Rebbetzin Toby Lieder then spoke about her memories of rebbetzin Chana as a young girl. She remembered going to say gut yomtov and good Shabbos to rebbetzin Chana in 770 with her mother. She remembered how the room looked and how she walked backwards out of the room of such holy women, including the wife of the Frierdiker Rebbe. She also remembered the fateful day of 6 tishre when she went to the levaya of rebbetzin Chana and saw the crowds of people who came to pay their respects.

A professional Cheder Chabad girls choir was arranged by Sheina Mill and they delighted the women with the songs aishes chayil and avinu malkeinu.

Rebbetzin Chasia Feldman highlighted how the rebbetzin was visited by the Rebbe daily for an hour, and his immense kibud av v’em to her. She also related how Rebbetzin Chana stood up when young Shluchim walked into the room out of respect for her son’s (the Rebbe’s) Shluchim.

There were delicious treats prepared by various community women and the room was beautifully decorated with the theme of royalty and femininity.
A raffle was drawn and three women won jewelry donated by Rebbetzin Feldman.

It was truly an inspirational evening for all.

Special thanks goes to to the main organizers of this beautiful evening, Rebbetzins Pnina Feldman, Shternie Althaus and Chasia Feldman, and all the other ladies who contributed with food preparation.