The “Menorah Community” youth project of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, which has been actively developing thanks to the efforts of the Zislina family, recently held another women’s class dedicated to the onset of the month of Av, the weekly parshah of Devarim, as well as the laws and customs of the period from the 1st through the 9th of Av.
The speaker for the gathering was Morah Edna Yudovich, who offered the participants a deeper understanding of the spiritual significance of Rosh Chodesh Av—a time when it is especially important to strive for unity, to be attentive to one another, and to transform the lessons of the past into the building of the present and future.
The central theme of the session was Parshas Devarim. The participants reflected on the power of human speech, on why sometimes an important but unpleasant truth must be conveyed not immediately but at the right moment and under the right circumstances, and on how a spoken word—even a critical one, yet delivered with respect and love—can help a friend find the opportunity for spiritual growth and inner improvement.
During the gathering, the participants also reviewed the essential laws and customs of the period from the 1st through the 9th of Av, which hold particular significance in Jewish tradition as a time of mourning for the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, introspection, and strengthening the unity of the Jewish people.
An important part of the gathering was a workshop on baking traditional challahs, during which the participants not only learned the intricacies of their preparation but also performed one of the most significant mitzvos for women—the separation of challah—infusing the process with special spiritual meaning and communal tefillah.
“It was very important for the girls to see that even the mourning period of the month of Av teaches us not only to remember the tragic pages of our history but also to seek paths toward unity, caring for one another, and spiritual creativity,” said Esti Zislina, co-director of the project. “Such gatherings help us to understand more deeply the meaning of the weekly parshah, Jewish traditions, and mitzvos, and to see the power of kind words and good deeds, through which—in our project—we strive to strengthen and develop our beloved united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
