New Jewish women’s learning collaborative offering classes, lectures, and workshops

Ikar at the Alcove is a new Jewish women’s learning collaborative offering an eclectic mix of classes, lectures and creative workshops built around monthly themes throughout the year.

Located at 1714 President Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, our master instructors are affiliated with the multi-talented Chabad/Lubavitch community.  Our affordable Sunday afternoon programs, $35 plus materials or $20 per class, cater to small groups, fostering a friendly atmosphere for learning and gathering together.

For Tamar Adelstein, Ikar’s administrator, the idea for opening a program like this has long been on her mind to do.  Modeled after the Chautauqua Institute’s learning vacation concept, Ikar’s classes give women a chance to spend an enjoyable and enriching weekend afternoon learning something new.

The Winter calendar begins this coming Sunday, January 2, 2022 on Erev Rosh Chodesh Shevat from 12:30 – 4:30pm.  The theme for the day is Letters, Life-Stories and Song.  Space is limited so RSVP today!

Classes start promptly at 1pm beginning with Lessons from the Rebbe’s English Letters with Mrs. Frida Schapiro in which we will study selections from the Rebbe’s exchange of letters published from The Letter and The Spirit series that her illustrious father, Rabbi Nissan Mindel, compiled.

A round table talk follows led by Tamar Adelstein called Sharing the Story behind the Snapshot. Participants are asked to bring along a treasured family or other photograph and share the story.  Everyone has five minutes to speak.

Capping the day, is a talk specially prepared for Ikar by Miryam Swerdlov entitled

The Depth and the Feeling of the Frierdiker Rebbe

In Study and Song 

Selections from the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Wartime Journal,

HaKriah V’Hakedusha.

This historical gem was published by the Previous Rebbe from 1940 to 1945.  Entries in Yiddish, Hebrew and English covered a range of topics from Chassidic discourses to poignant essays on the catastrophe afflicting European Jewry.  The journal also appealed to American Jews to do their part by strengthening their religious observance and included cryptic Kabbalistic messages of prophecies about Moshiach and the Geula Shleima.  This is a lecture you won’t want to miss!

Housed in a century-old warm and artsy home, Ikar also shares space with The Juneberry Tree Art Gallery, a new fine art exhibition space hosting solo and group artworks from emerging Jewish artists and venue for special events.

On Tu B’Shevat, January 16^th, the gallery will present the first in a series of monthly talks called:

Rejuvenation

Recollections and Reflections from the post-war period of recovery by women who survived the Holocaust as children and young teenagers.

Our first guest speaker is well-known educator, author and pioneer in the field of kosher tours to Scandinavia for twenty-five years, Chana Sharfstein.

The evening is being sponsored by Yussel and Anna Adelstein and is free of charge.  Tu B’Shevat refreshments will be served.

‘Paper Alive’, a solo show by quilling artist Yamit Presman opens The Juneberry Tree’s first exhibition on

Wednesday, January 26th at 8pm.

For more information about Ikar’s Winter Calendar

For more information about The Juneberry Tree Art Gallery