We are excited about our most recent meeting, which took place on Wednesday, February 11 at the home of Mrs. Devorah Davidzada. A huge thanks to Mrs. Davidzada for opening up your home!! 

The theme of this meeting was GETTING TO THE ESSENCE PART 2. Some highlights that we covered: 

1) We did a Dropbox tutorial for those of us who have never used it before. Thank you to those who put their profiles in!! If you are familiar with Dropbox please please go in there for one minute and put the profile in. From now until the next meeting our goal is to have at least 20 profiles there - 10 for men, 10 for women! 
Last meeting we agreed that the organization and naming of files will go as follows: 
Click on either the Male/Female folder. Then within each folder we created subcategories of age, increments of 10 years. Choose the correct age range for the single. Then right click your mouse, and choose Upload File. Name the file the following: Female_Age ##_PROFILE_(and then the next number which follows the last number already in the folder). 
Contact us for Dropbox Login Info!

2) We viewed more video clips of singles. If you haven't already gotten a short video of your single, don't waste a minute and call them up right now to ask them to do it! 
Here are some sample questions that they should answer: 
- What is the most important quality that you would say you are looking for in your spouse?
- Tell me somebody that you look up to/admire and why?
- What's something you have a real love for, something that either relaxes you or something you just absolutely love doing?
Video clips shouldn't be more than 2-3 minutes long. 
Remember, these videos are meant to do two things: 
#1 Introduce the single to the group in a way that makes them a REAL person and not just another name on a piece of paper. That way we can feel like we "know" them a little more and can have hopefully more success in trying to match them with another single. 
And #2 to try to dig a little deeper beyond the basic facts on a profile and to GET TO THE ESSENCE of the person. To try to understand what makes them tick, so to speak. 
Once the video is made, let the single upload it to the Dropbox as well. The file should be named: Female_Age ##_VIDEO_(and then the same number that was used for the profile). 

It was a pleasure meeting with all of the ladies and we look forward to our next meeting!!

Bs"d
This week, the Miami Beach Chapter hosted a Tu B'Shevat event. The meeting took place at the home of Rita Steiner in Bal Harbor, with Rabbi Menachem Bergovoy as the guest speaker.

The Pittsburgh Shidduch Group met Tuesday at 8pm at the house of Pessy Leah Lester. The meeting was well attended due to distribution on the email network of the Pittsburgh Lubavitch Women Organization.
 
Rebbetzin Sukie Rubin spoke about the importance of the group. Being a group means utilizing “achdut”; banding together. Only together, can we open the channels which will bring the shidduchim.

She reminded everyone to say the names of the children looking for shidduchim at the time of lighting the candles. Woman should keep in mind the names of their own children, as well as the names of the children of the other group members. 18 cents should be put to a special Hachnassat Kalla pushka each day and it is a segula to say the following chapters of tehilim: 32, 38, 70, 71, 100, 121 and 124. Sukie also emphasized the importance to be in touch with a shadchan, to give her/him gifts. 

Then there were the questions/answers session and we thanked Dr. Chana Miriam Hubner for sharing her experiences.
 
Each participant’s names and the names of their children were listed on a pan to the Rebbe. This list of the children's names will also be distributed to the group members. We took pictures, said L’Chaim, and then each woman presented the profiles of their children.
 
Thank you to Pessy Leah Lester for opening her home and hospitality for this event. Many thanks to Sukie Rubin for sharing her valuable insights.
 
May Hashem bless our efforts and enable us to see many weddings this year!

BS"D

Rabbi Avbrohom & Yehudis Blumberger were the gracious hosts of this year's annual Chicago Shidduch Group Chanukah Couples Melave Malka.

A festive pot-luck seudah was enjoyed by all! Members contributed delicious homemade soup, salmon, quiche, salad, garlic bread, candies & nuts, l'chaim drinks and more!

Elana Bergovoy welcomed the crowd and introduced a short video with highlights from the recent International Shidduch Group Network Conference in Crown Heights. Included in the video was a film clip of keynote speaker, Kivi Bernhart. He emphasized that that when trying to get to the goal--the chuppah--one needn't worry so frantically about "how"--HOW am I going to marry off my child--as long as he/she is clear about the "why." A single should be extremely clear about what marriage is, why they are dating for marriage, & why he/she is getting married!!  Also what qualities he/she brings to the relationship & what he/she needs in a marriage partner.

MC Labish Bergovoy told a beautiful story illustrating the inyanim of hashgacha pratis, bitachon and emunah in shidduchim.

Mr. Bergovoy then introduced guest speaker, Rabbi Mendel Moscowitz. Rabbi Moscowitz spoke about the highlights of the recent workshop on Shidduchim at the Kinus haShluchim. He gave over important news from Moishe Raichman, founder of Chabadmatch.com, and urged everyone to try and utilize this site when searching for shidduchim. He also gave a chazara of remarks by Rabbi Nissen Dovid Dubov, author of "Mazel Tov: A Chabad Wedding Guide." 

Rabbi Dubov said that many times parents feel overwhelmed in their search for matches for their children. However they should try and "compartmentalize." He explained that the ship "Titanic" had a special compartmentalized system to prevent flooding of its enormous engine room in the bottom of the ship. The ship's hold was divided into multiple chambers with heavy doors separating each one from the others. That way, if one chamber became flooded, the doors to the others would seal themselves off from becoming flooded. 

If we, as parents, can try and focus on the particular shidduch suggestion at hand, or other details, as we proceed calmly to the goal, we will avoid becoming overwhelmed by the HUGE challenge of finding "the right ones at the right times" for our children!

Thanks to the Blumbergers, Wolfs, Grossmans, Bukiets, Grinkers, Krokers, Rivkins. Zimmermans, Moscowitzes, Citrins & Bergovoys for their help in putting this memorable event together. May we all share many simchas very soon!

On Tuesday, December 16, the Pittsburgh Shidduch Group gathered new members Gila Dlinn, Shoshana Malamud, Rivka Marcus and Michal Ehven together to make a L'Chaim , accompanied by the names of their daughters. After writing a pan for the Rebbe, they made the list with their daughters' names, read the checklist of Rabbi Groner from the booklet, and Gila reminded everybody to put 18 cents each day in the hachnassat kallah pushka (charity for brides). They also talked about saying the names of their girls when lighting the candles and making the challah for Shabbat.

Devorah Dlinn gave a dvar torah that connected of Hanukkah and shidduchim: In the
same way that Hashem can make the miracle of vinegar burning like oil, Hashem can make the miracle of shidduchim.

The ladies then danced and sang and made plans to meet next week Tuesday – same day, same time. If you are in the Pittsburgh area and would like to join, please email [email protected]!

The Miami Area Shidduch Group meeting took place on December 14/Kislev 22, hosted by Mrs. Rita Steiner in her home in Bal Harbor. Around 25 women attended the meeting where they learned together, were inspired by words of chizuk from Goldie Tenenhaus and Toby Weicz, networked with one another and made plenty of "L'chaims!"

This Sunday, September 14th, the Crown Heights Shidduch Group led by Mrs. Faygie Rapp will meet for a night of networking and learning.  Rabbi Yitchok Tsap of JEM Productions and Living Torah will share his insight into the world of shidduchim. All are invited to join and bring profiles to share. 

When: 7:45 PM Sunday, Yud Tes Elul, September 14th
Where: Apt E2 7 Balfour Place Brooklyn, NY 11225
Who: The Women of Crown Heights 

A grosse "Yashar Koach" to Miriam Feiner, Debbie Fine, Chava Rochel Krintzman and the L.A. Shidduch Group!

Last night, Miriam hosted a "Standing Room Only" crowd of about 70 women from the community to hear Rabbi Yosef Shusterman address the topic, "Shidduchim:  What to ask--What to Answer."  He spoke poignantly about many aspects of shidduchim, based on his many years of experience as a Rav.  A "Q & A" session followed his talk, and many pertinent topics were covered then, as well.

Rebbetzin Chana Leeba Raichik led the crowd in the Rebbe's capital before the Rav's speech.

A tasty and eye-pleasing array of refreshments was enjoyed by all who attended! 

We wish the L.A. Shidduch Group much hatzlocha in its efforts on behalf of shidduchim in the Los Angeles area and beyond.  Hope to hear that many chassunahs are being celebrated in L.A. very soon!!

Kasiva v'Chasima Tova,

Dvora Schulman and Elana Bergovoy 

Over forty women gathered at the Annual Chicago Shidduch Group Conference on Sunday, July 27th/Tammuz 29 to learn, network, gain inspiration, and guidance in their journey of making shidduch Group Network welcomed women and post-seminary girls to an evening packed with fun and practical direction in guiding our children to the chuppah.  Mrs. Bergovoy shared the story of how the Chicago Shidduch Group was formed with just a small group of friends nine years ago.  Based upon Torah and the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the group’s activities led to engagements and has evolved into a global network.  With chapters in over four dozen cities, the International Shidduch Group Network, now a tax-exempt 501(c)3 charitable organization, has had an important part in making  hundreds of shidduchim since its inception.  

The uplifting evening began with a dvar Torah by Mrs. Brocha Wolf of the Chicago Mitzvah Campaign.  Raffle drawings, including a one day pass to the JLI Women’s Day Event, were sprinkled throughout and winners claimed a variety of prizes.  Elegant table settings were featured by Rochel Bukiet, party planner and stylist extraordinaire.

The highlight of the evening was the sought-after guest speaker Mrs.Esther Friedman.  Mrs. Friedman is an experienced shidduch coach and co-director of the  Torah Learning Center and Director of the Jewish Women’s Institute in Overland Park, Kansas.  With her in-depth knowledge of Torah, Kabballah and Temperament Theory, Rebbetzin Friedman has counseled and helped countless people in all walks of life, including those in the parsha of shidduchim. 

Mrs. Friedman incorporates personal stories into her down-to-earth yet uncommon approach to shidduchim.  She shared that when she was twenty-one, her father came to her with a suggestion for a shidduch.  But first he asked her, “Is there anyone you’re interested in going out with?” 

She emphasized the importance of trusting our children, because “then they will trust us and trust themselves.”   She enumerated over a dozen practical aspects to ensure a good shidduch, including approaches to reference checking, recommended duration and frequency of dating, the importance of a good shadchan as a go-between, and the need for a mashpia/coach with whom to process and explore any and all doubts/concerns that come forward.  While the end goal is to make a dira b’tachtonim--to create a dwelling place for Hashem-- Mrs. Friedman acknowledged that what we accomplish in a shidduch is greater than Kriyas Yam Suf, the splitting of the sea.