(Courtesy of Lamdeinu) Women of Bergen County and beyond gathered for a night of song, Torah and connection at Lamdeinu’s first women’s melava malka and kumzitz on Motzei Shabbat, February 16. The event was held in the home of Lamdeinu student Danielle Druck, and was attended by over 60 women of all ages.

The melava malka began with schmoozing and delicious Saturday night fare. The kumzitz kicked off with inspirational words by Druck. The singing was led with skill and emotion by singer-songwriter Esti Mellul, who is also the program director of Lamdeinu.

In between songs, Dean Rachel Friedman and Mollie K. Fisch gave beautiful and thoughtful divrei Torah about bringing Shabbat into the rest of the week and the spiritual power of music. There were also impromptu divrei bracha from the crowd; attendees spoke lovingly about the warm atmosphere of the melava malka. Students conveyed that learning at Lamdeinu is always a special experience as it enables men and women of all ages and backgrounds to share their love of Torah.

Following an impressive dvar Torah by 7-year-old Beatrice Dauber, everyone sang Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim together, which was a powerful finale to the evening. Although the official program was over and the hour was late, the audience continued singing, extending the light and aura of Shabbat a little longer.

Lamdeinu thanks the community for making its first melava malka so successful. All who were present left with new friends, broader communities and a closer connection to Lamdeinu’s mission: Study in Depth. Be Inspired.

Women are invited to join Lamdeinu for the upcoming Rosh Chodesh Tefillah & Torah on Thursday, March 7. Tefillah is at 9 a.m. followed by a light breakfast and a shiur by Alisa Danon-Kaplan entitled “Hearing the Stories that Matter: An Interactive Workshop.” The event will conclude at 10:45 a.m.. To register for this free event or to become a sponsor, visit https://www.lamdeinu.org/register.

For more information, contact Lamdeinu at [email protected]. For a full list of classes open to women and men, including Lamdeinu’s upcoming pre-Pesach series, visit https://www.lamdeinu.org.