On Wednesday night, hundreds of women and girls filled Lubavitch Yeshiva Hall for the first women’s Farbrengen ever held as part of Crown Heights Simchas Beis Hashoeiva. More than 1,000 more joined the livestream from home.

The women arrived to a beautifully designed hall: a gorgeous tablescape with candles, and an abundance of salads, sushi, soup, snacks and drinks. Sponsored by Shaya Gordon and Shmuly Klein of Mr Greens and by Chanie Greenbaum of CG Events. Soups and salads catered by KosherTown. Sushi sponsored by Sushi Spot.

The general reaction among those present was that they could hardly believe how beautiful it all was.

Musician Mendel Deitch provided the music, and Chaviva Tarlow led the niggunim on guitar. Happy niggunim carried through the night, with the whole room singing along. The women were deeply appreciative to have an outlet to sing, dance and experience the joy of Simchas Beis Hashoeiva.

The Farbrengen was led by Sara Blau and Faigy Blumstein. Faigy opened by introducing herself and sharing how she came to Chassidus and to Crown Heights. Sara then turned to the evening’s theme: the true meaning of simcha, and how joy is not only a feeling but something we are commanded to have.

Sara spoke about being happy with Hashem, and about how real joy does not stay in the spiritual world. It permeates and elevates the physical as well, from the Yom Tov table to the rest of daily life. She also spoke about juggling, and the way it represents both the avodah of nurturing the body as well as soul.

Faigy added a talk on Sukkos, on the feeling of leaving the comfort of our own homes and not being in control, and finding simcha there.

At 11:00 PM the program moved to dancing with live music.

The event was made possible thanks to Rabbi Yossi Langsam, and the Simchas Beis Hashoeiva committee thanks him for his tremendous effort in making it happen.

The committee also thanks Mrs. Mica Soffer for her help in making the event such a success.

The Women’s Farbrengen was made possible with the support of Keren Hachomesh Charitable Foundation, as part of Simchas Beis Hashoeiva’s effort to expand the celebration beyond the nightly dancing and programming.

The committee asks the community to join in, buy tickets in the nightly grand raffle at sbh.live/raffle and help continue bringing Simchas Beis Hashoeiva to new heights!

VIDEO: Full replay