Final Women's Chodesh Circle Event of the Year at Chabad

Pictured are some of the attendees at the Chodesh Circle event marking the new Jewish month of Iyar with guest speaker Pat Chirumbolo RN, CNM, LMT (seated second from left) who spoke on Empowerment in Birthing. Pat, a midwife with over twenty years of experience kept the group spell bound for over two hours with an interactive presentation on the birthing process. The group also discussed the strength and determination of the first two midwifes recorded in the Torah, Yocheved and Miriam and how it was their example and the tenacity of the Jewish women in Egypt that kept the Jewish nation intact. Pat stressed that although most things have changed over the course of history, birthing remains essentially the same and that a woman's mind set is pivotal to the process and her experience. As a follow up, the group met again to screen the movie Out of the Ashes; the true story of Dr. Gisel Perle which is a made for TV documentary about a Gynecologist forced to use her skills in unthinkable ways in order to save lives in the concentration camp during the Holocaust.

The Women's Chodesh Circle meets on the first evening of each Jewish month to celebrate womanhood and Jewish identity. Each program features a hands on activity or special presentation, interactive games, a learning component, refreshments and the sheer power of sisterhood.