A gathering of the women’s culinary club “Rosh Chodesh with Taste,” organized by the “Women’s Wisdom” program of the “Kollel Torah” project, took place in Dnipro. The event, dedicated to Rosh Chodesh of the month of Cheshvan, was held at the home of Rebbetzin Shoshana Weber and combined the study of Jewish traditions, the fulfillment of an important mitzvah, and warm fellowship over a festive repast.
One of the central moments of the gathering was the fulfillment of the mitzvah of afrashas challah – the separation of a portion of the dough when baking bread. Leah Brez dedicated this mitzvah to the elevation of the souls of her grandmother and grandfather – Chaya Tzila bas Mayor and Marx ben Agaliy. Thus, the tradition of the Jewish home acquired a special personal significance, combining the fulfillment of the mitzvah with the memory of loved ones.
An important part of the program was Rebbetzin Shoshana Weber’s account of the story of the Matriarchs Rachel and Leah. She gave special attention to the deed of Rachel, who gave her sister the prearranged signs and said not a single word about the fact that she had yielded Yaakov to her in order to avoid shame. Using this story as an example, the participants spoke about modesty, kindness, delicacy, and respect for other people, and about how important it is to preserve human dignity.
The gathering took place in a homey atmosphere, where the festive repast and fellowship became a natural continuation of the conversation about Jewish values. It is precisely this combination of tradition, knowledge, and everyday life that reflects the idea of the “Rosh Chodesh with Taste” club.
“The story of Rachel and Leah reminds us that true kindness is manifested not only in deeds but also in the ability not to speak of one’s own sacrifice, to preserve the dignity of another person,” noted Rebbetzin Shoshana Weber, head of the women’s division of the “Kollel Torah” project. “It is very important to us that women can not only study Torah but also find in it answers to the questions of everyday life, strengthen Jewish traditions in their families, and feel themselves part of the united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
