It’s a busy time for BES Women.
Last Shabbat, we rounded off our series of summer seudas with Chani Sprei inspiring us to work on our relationship with Hashem during Elul. Thank you to Jane Rose for hosting over 40 women and girls, and to all our other hosts this year: Cindy Goldstein, Antonia Grant and Bettina Jacobs.
On Monday, we celebrated the graduation of our first intake of ladies going Beyond Bat Mitzvah – committing to increasing their learning, and for some, a chance to have a Bat Mitzvah celebration for the first time. It was a hugely inspiring and moving evening, with each participant giving a Dvar Torah to family and friends. I’d like to wish a huge mazal tov to Nicky Brown, Helen Dashwood, Charis Freedman, Peta Freedman, Lisbeth Gilmore, Sue Hantman, Ira Kaye, Avril Lester, Michelle Lubinsky, Lorraine Miller, Vivien Newton and Natalie Sherman – it was a pleasure learning and celebrating with you! Thank you to Rebbetzin Eva Chapper and Shira Jackson for guiding us on this journey.
On Tuesday, we learnt to dance again at the first of our simcha dancing sessions. If you missed it, there’s another session this coming Wednesday. We hope that with all the women dancing together on Simchat Torah, we can give our N’shei Chayil the honour that they deserve. Mazal tov to Melanie Arazi, Rebbetzin Haddas Czitron, Victoria Ginsburg, Naomi Nathan, and our youth, Amelie Brownstein, Leora Mitchell, Lily Shama and Chloe Weisgard. We look forward to dancing with you.
This Shabbat, we’re expecting over 40 women to join us for our women’s service at Yavneh, Shema Koleinu, where we’ll hear from Rebbetzin Czitron, who is giving the Dvar Torah. Thank you to all the participants for the time and effort you put into learning the davening and leining, and to Louise Moont and the team for organising everything. Look out for the new SK Shorts format coming soon!
Together with my fabulous BES Women’s Team, we’ve been busy planning the schedule for the next year, starting with women’s Hallel over Succot and a Social in the Succah on Shabbat Chol Hamoed. If you’re not already on our women’s WhatsApp group, please join to keep updated.
Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova,
Caroline Levison
Vice Chair, Women