In Jewish tradition, family has never been a matter of
chance. Not because everything must be predetermined, but because family has
always been treated with seriousness and care. A family is not something you
“pick up along the way” – it
is something you build. Step by step. And almost never alone.
In one of my recent columns (№ 286), I wrote – drawing as well on the
views of professionals – about why being part of a family, being needed, is
often deeper and more sustaining than remaining single and formally free.
Our community is full of intelligent, accomplished people
– professionals in their fields, individuals with inner strength, thoughtful
and interesting personalities. Yet more and more often we see that in the most
personal and vulnerable area of life – the subject of family – people remain
alone. Alone with their doubts, and with a hope that feels awkward to voice out
loud.
We speak a great deal about values, continuity, and the
future. But the future always begins with specific people and their personal
stories. With whether two people meet. Whether they are able to truly hear one
another. Whether they choose to continue their journey together. We feel a
responsibility to ensure that our community gives rise not only to projects and
initiatives, but also to strong, stable families. That is why we – our
magazine, our women’s organization, and I personally – do not feel we can
remain mere observers.
Creating a family is not only a personal decision. It is
a contribution to the future of the entire community: to children, to the
continuation of tradition, to the sense of home that is passed forward. And if
we can help support this process, we consider it our duty to do so.
Within our “Dating Club,” a team of five dedicated
volunteers has been working tirelessly and wholeheartedly to help create new
families – thoughtfully, sensitively, and, importantly, with real success.
Recently, a new idea emerged from the conversations and questions we hear again
and again: the idea of “Evenings of Connection.” Not as another format or event
for its own sake, but as a response to very real needs. We repeatedly hear:
“Where can one truly meet someone today?”
“How can you meet a person intentionally, not by accident?”
“Where are depth and inner life valued over surface impressions?”
This led us to the decision to hold a gathering on the
Jewish holiday of Tu BiShvat, on February 2. A meeting where connection is
alive and genuine, intellectual and warm. Where the focus is on conversation,
shared interests, attentiveness to age and life experience, to a person’s inner
world, and to the sense of closeness that comes from shared values and
perspectives.
There is an Eastern saying: attraction of the mind gives
rise to respect, attraction of the soul gives rise to friendship, and
attraction of the body gives rise to desire. This wisdom beautifully captures
the sequence that feels right to us. We believe that authentic relationships
begin with respect and an inner response – with interest in the person
themselves: in their words, thoughts, and worldview. This is where we place our
emphasis: on conversation, attentiveness, and that first subtle point of
contact from which something truly meaningful can grow.
For us, this is neither an experiment nor a tribute to
passing trends. It is a natural continuation of the work we have been doing for
many years – connecting people, offering support, and strengthening family
bonds through the pages of our magazine, within the life of the community, and
in personal conversations.
Dear readers and members of our community, if what you
seek is not simply to “try,” but to genuinely meet another person; if the idea
of a thoughtful introduction, real conversation, and a calm, respectful
atmosphere resonates with you – we would be happy to welcome you as
participants in this evening. Not as guests, but as people open to dialogue and
to the possibility of a new, authentic connection.
We invite you on February 2 to Millennium Hall (Rego
Park) for the very first Unique Evening of NewConnections – a gathering without haste, with conversation and
presence, among people who share the same values.
We would be honored to create this evening together with
you.
And perhaps, for someone, it will become the beginning of an important story.
Read more about the Unique Evening of New Connections here.
Dr. Zoya Maksumova, Editor-in-Chief
(January 2026, "Ladies' World" №295)
