A Community Sisterhood Grows

Levi Margolin – Lubavitch.com

When Dina Krasnianski, co-director of Chabad of the Town in the Town-of-Mount-Royal launched Loaves of Love in her home’s kitchen, she had just a few participants. It has since morphed into a strong following of devoted women.

“For some of the women, this is their way of making a statement,” said Krasnianski. “They are displaying their pride as Jewish women. It’s very important to them.”

The women attending the program enjoy the closeness of the group with Krasnianski as their crew chief. “It’s a time for them to come together as Jewish women and reflect,” Krasnianski offered. “They bond with others and spend quality time in a Jewish surrounding.”

Myrla Azuelos attended the launch of Loaves of Love more than five years ago. Today, Challah baking has become a deeply purposeful activity for her and her husband, Dr. Alain Azuelos: Every week, Krasnianski and crew dedicate their Challah to the recovery of their infant son, Aramis.

According to Jewish tradition, Sarah, Rebbecca, Leah and Rachel baked Challah, and Jewish women have been doing so ever since. Thousands of years later, Challah still graces the Shabbat table and baking Challah in honor of Shabbos is said to bring blessing. In that spirit that Krasnianski chose to dedicate Loaves of Love to little Aramiz Azuelos.

When visiting Montreal from Ottawa, Yvonne Azuelos, Aramis’ grandmother, looks forward to baking Challah with Mrs. Krasnianski. “In fact, we’re baking Challah tomorrow. I’ll be there with Myrla’s mother, Beti Losic from Sao Paolo,” she told Lubavitch.com. “Dina’s help and commitment means the world to us!”

Krasnianski said that she and her friends campaign for 43 challah bakers in Aramis’ merit every week. Forty three, she explained is the numerical value of the word Challah. She credits Facebook as her greatest outlet for the campaign.

From the time her first post goes up until she finds 43, Krasnianski continues to update. “27 more bakers needed,” she’ll write, or, “just 3 more bakers needed for Aryeh Dov ben Myrla. Who’s in?”

After going to a few Challah baking sessions I started doing it every week” said Mrs. Liliane Levy. “Now, like Dina does, I give some Challah to a few friends each week.

Levy credits Chabad’s exclusive-to-women events for empowering TMR’s Jewish women to live more openly Jewish lives. “Chabad of TMR has a big impact on every woman” she noted. “They have contributed to the increased level of Judaism amongst the Jewish women and their families.”

Loaves of Love is one of a number of lively activities engaging women at Chabad in Town-of-Mount-Royal, more commonly referred to as TMR. The Center, directed by the Krasnianskis with the assistance of Rabbi Zalmy and Esther Rader, hosts weekly prayer discussion groups exclusively for women, as well as a monthly Rosh Chodesh gathering, hosted by a rotation of women from the community.

Spa for the Soul, another event that attracted upwards of 200 women last year, presents a full day of wisdom and inspiration featuring contemporary personalities, and hands-on health and wellness activities.

Jewish life in TMR was not always so vibrant. “It was only sixty-years ago when TMR didn’t allow Jews to live here,” reflects Rabbi Krasinianski. “Once the doors opened, the community to began to grow.”

Rabbi Krasnianksi speculates that Jewish people moved to TMR to get away. Ironically, he points out, these were the people who were instrumental in creating a Jewish community of their very own.

“Since we founded Chabad TMR in 2004 as a small gathering of people looking for that tenth man for the minyan, we have grown into a full-service Jewish Community Center,” Rabbi Krasnianski said.

“We are no longer looking for that tenth man in the Minyan. He’s already arrived and brought dozens more with him.”