Guest Presenters

Rabbi Jacobson

One of America’s premier Jewish scholars in the areas of mysticism and Torah, Rabbi Yosef Y. Jacobson is a senior fellow at the Rabbinical Seminary Chovevei Torah and spiritual leader of Congregation Beis Shmuel in Brooklyn.

A warm and motivational speaker, Rabbi Jacobson has lectured on Chassidic teachings to Jewish and non-Jewish audiences in six continents and twenty states and published scores of articles on Jewish thought.

Chana Weisberg

Chana Weisberg is a highly sought after speaker and a best-selling author and columnist.  She brings personal warmth, humor,inspiration and down-to-earth relevance into her talks. 
 
Chana Weisberg is the Director of Editorial Management at www.chabad.org the premiere Jewish educational site on the web. Watch her short inspirational "In Touch" videos here: www.chabad.org/646555

She is the author of Tending the Garden: The Unique Gifts of the Jewish Woman a comprehensive book on womanhood from a mystical perspective, as well as Divine Whispers—Stories that Speak to the Heart and Soul (both published through Targum/Feldheim). She has also published The Crown of Creation—The Lives of Great Biblical Women based on Rabbinical and Mystical Sources (1996) and The Feminine Soul—A Mystical Journey Exploring the Essence of Feminine Spirituality (2001). Weisberg has also published three resource textbooks as part of a Feminine Voices Series, textually-based courses on Biblical women.

Mrs. Weisberg lectures on a wide array of issues relating to women, feminism, the masculine and feminine dichotomy, relationships, the soul, faith and Jewish mysticism. The hallmark of her lectures is her extraordinary ability to skillfully articulate profound subjects in a down to earth style, appreciated by beginners and knowledgeable listeners alike, and adding practical meaning to participants’ lives.

Helana Herman

Helana Herman holds the positions of Rebbetzin, wife, mother, teacher, kallah instructor, and Life Coach. For the past 23 years, she and her husband, Rabbi Pinchas Herman, have served as co-directors of Chabad of Raleigh, North Carolina.

One of Helana’s most ambitious projects has been the renovation of the only kosher mikvah that serves the entire Eastern region of the state. Helana shoulders the duties of chief mikvah attendant, has trained others to assist her, and instructs brides and married women about proper mikvah use.  She also founded a highly successful day camp that provides some local children with their only connection to Judaism.

Helana graduated from Coach University and specializes in working with women to improve their lives and relationships.  She also leads presentations and workshops on a variety of topics.  With warmth, sincerity, passion, and a touch of humor, Helana captivates audiences and creates a dynamic and engaging atmosphere.

As certified Imago educators, Helana and her husband conduct popular pre-marital and marriage seminars that train couples to turn conflict into connection. 

Dr. David Nesenoff

Dr. David Nesenoff is a rabbi, publisher, journalist, musician and filmmaker. He received his formal education from Yeshiva University, Hebrew University and The Jewish Theological Seminary where he received his semicha and doctorate.
He was an anti-bias consultant for the U. S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Monitors Office and his creative award winning films have been screened by numerous venues including the Sundance Film Festival. He was the publisher and editor of The Jewish Star newspaper in New York and the The Jerusalem Observer in Israel.

David Nesenoff was the keynote speaker at Yale University’s global symposium on anti-Semitism and he recently received the National Jewish Hero Award from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute.

His interview with journalist and dean of the Washington press corps Helen Thomas at the White House caused her international demise. She was banished from her front row seat and from journalism after her 60-year career of covering every president since Eisenhower. The interview and its aftermath also caused a striking effect on Israel, international media, anti-Semitism and personally transformed the life of our guest speaker.

He proudly considers himself and his family Chabadniks and literally travels the globe delivering a highly sought after message as part of his mission for the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

David’s words are always known to be saturated with great belly-laughing humor and moving powerful content. (He was a winner of the Funniest Rabbi in New York Contest.)
 

Seema E. Goldstein

Seema Goldstein was born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised and educated in Springfield. She now resides in Brooklyn, NY. Seema is a graduate of  Fashion Institute of Technology  and Touro College. She is retired from a career at Con Edison, New York where she was part of the Public Affairs department. Seema has been an event/wedding planner for over twenty years serving the tri-state region.

In addition, Seema is a watercolorist and  her artistic endeavors led her to many horizons. She attended art classes at the Brooklyn Museum of Art School, Brooklyn Botanic Art School, National Art League, and Catskill Art Society,and studied with Ellen Hoyt, a watercolorist and attended various art seminars. She has exhibited at St. Francis College, The Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Con Edison, National Art League, Springfield Hospital and various private showings.

Seema is a trustee of  Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Visions Services for the Blind, former board member of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, New York Hospice and a former commission member of New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Seema is a member of Northeast Watercolor Society, Catskill Art Society and National Art League.

Molly Resnick

Molly Resnick, a veteran journalist who is the founder and director of the grass roots organization MATCKH, Mothers Against Teaching Children To Kill and Hate, writes a weekly Childwatch column for the Jewish Press. Aformer NBC TV producer, Resnick interviewed many of the world's celebrities, including Sean Connery, Sophia Loren, John Travolta, Menachem Begin and Yitzak Rabin.

Resnick, who is a political science graduate of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, provided the simultaneous live translation for Begin's speech for NBC News when Anwar Sadat made his historic visit to the Knesset.

A former left-wing Israeli liberal who promoted Palestinian products internationally, Resnick realized that any hope for peace was doomed  when she discovered that the Arab Palestinian curriculum was indoctrinating children to become suicide bombers.

Before 9/11, Resnick produced the video, Creating Peace: One Quilt At A Time,predicting how the anti-American, anti-Western education that teaches violence and hatred put the safety of the entire world in jeopardy. Hernew updated video, Creating Peace: One Letter At A Timei ncludes 9/11 footage and new images of children being trained to become suicide bombers targeting Jews and Americans. The video has been endorsed by the Board of Jewish Education of New York, and has been shown in schools all over the world.

A secular Israeli succeeding as a high-profile American socialite, Mrs. Resnick gives an entertaining account of how she found her way back to her ancestral roots. Her captivating story "Showbiz to Shabbat" is a thought-provoking tale that has inspired audiences worldwide.

Mrs. Resnick is fluent in Spanish, Hebrew, French and English. 

Freidy Yanover

Freidy Yanover is a brilliant and provocative teacher, not one to shy away from some of the toughest material in the canon of Kabbalistic writings. Her topics include "License to Laugh!", "The Soul of Prayer" and "From Fury to Forgiveness." Yanover taught a weekly class for women in Johannesburg, South Africa when she lived there, and lectures for Jewish organizations all over the US.

She trained with the Erickson College School of Education and Coaching and is the founder of Sunshine Coaching. Yanover works with individuals, couples and families who are ready to discover and uncover the skills necessary to live fuller and happier lives through transformative growth and consciously committed relationships. Widowhood as a young mother introduced her to the challenges and art of single parenting.

Manis Friedman

World-renowned author, counselor, lecturer and philosopher, Rabbi Manis Friedman uses ancient wisdom and modern wit as he captivates audiences around the country and around the world. He hosts his own critically acclaimed cable television series, Torah Forum with Manis Friedman, syndicated throughout North America. Over 150,000 copies of his provocative yet entertaining tapes, both audio and video have been sold.

Rabbi Friedman's first book, DOESN'T ANYONE BLUSH ANYMORE?, published by Harper San Francisco in 1990, was widely praised by the media. BLUSH is currently in its fourth printing. Following the publication of the book, he was featured internationally in over 200 print articles, and interviewed on more than 50 television and radio talk shows. He has appeared on CNN, A&E Reviews, PBS, and BBC Worldwide, and has been the subject of articles in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Seventeen, Guideposts, Insight, Publisher's Weekly and others.

Rabbi Friedman is a noted Biblical scholar, recognized for his sagacious grasp of Jewish mysticism. In 1971, he founded Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies in Minnesota, the world's first yeshiva exclusively for women, where he continues to serve as dean. From 1984-1990 he served as simultaneous translator for the Lubavitcher Rebbe's televised talks.

Rabbi Friedman is a professionally ranked member of the National Speakers Association. His speaking tours take him to every part of this country as well as Israel, England, The Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Canada, and Hong Kong.

Rabbi Friedman was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1946 and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1950. He received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbinical College of Canada in 1969.

Rabbi Manis Friedman enthuses each of his listeners and readers with a sense of purpose and definite direction.

Esther Kosofsky

Esther Kosofsky is the co-president of Chabad Women in Western Massachusetts, planning and facilitating weekly study groups and major events for women. Esther has spoken at public schools and universities in Western Massachusetts and at the International Convention of Chabad Shluchos in New York. 

She has also been a featured speaker for the Bnot Torah group in Lexington MA; Chabad Women’s Group of Richmond Hill; Ontario; Chabad of Plantation, FL; Chabad of Las Vegas, NV and for the New Haven Federation Women’s Division. Esther is married to Rabbi Noach Kosofsky; Principal of Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy and is a third generation Chabad shlucha.  She is a published author having articles printed on chabad.org and algemeiner.org. 

Esther and her husband are the proud parents of three sons and six daughters and wonderful grandchildren. 

Sarah Karmely

Sarah Karmely's expertise in the field of family purity, relationships, love and marriage make her a vibrant and enthusiastic speaker who has been lecturing and counseling for over 20 years. Her lectures stress traditional Jewish marriage and family ideals. Bringing first-hand experience into her dynamic lectures and sensitive, successful counseling, Mrs. Karmely is tri-lingual, speaking a fluent English, Persian and Italian, and has attracted packed houses all across the U.S. as well as overseas.

The daughter of Iranian parents, Sarah Karmely was born in India, raised in London and lived in Italy. She now resides with her family in New York. Highly educated and extremely talented in many areas, Mrs. Karmely achieved diplomas on Oxford level, studied art and had her works exhibited in a North London museum. 

Mrs. Karmely has been the director of Sha'arei Tovah Talmud Torah for the last 15 years. She is co-editor of Shalom Magazine, a bi-lingual outreach publication, and has written Thoughts To Hear With Your Heart, and a more advanced version, Words To Hear With Your Heart. Sarah has also created the inspirational and motivating Jewish Learning Series releasing two new CDs: Shalom Bayis (Domestic Tranquility) and Taharas Hamishpacha (Family Purity).

Melaha

Very young, she starts singing on stage in Lyon and shares her talent with the best jazz bands of the area...Her meeting with the famous producer "Andre Manoukian" takes her, 10 years later, all the way to Paris, at EMI France where she records several albums. Among them, a famous duet with the international star "Gino Vannelli"... Getting famous, she got to often appear on Tv (TF1, M6, MTV etc...). She also opened for many famous singers, such as Michel Jonasz, Michel Fugain, Sacha Distel...

A short while after that, she attended a Tania class by Rav Gurewitz in Lyon. She then wanted to do "Teshuva"... From then on, she decided to only sing Jewish songs and to women only... By "hashgacha pratit" a few days later she met a talented author-composer musician, Sydney El Ancry.

They started working together..."Meleha" was born!