The next meeting
of the Book Club on May 30, 2023 brought together 40 women attended who had a
shared pursuit of knowledge and desire for self-improvement.
I am a college student faced with the trivial tasks of maintaining
my grades and building a resume for graduate school. It sometimes seems that
every day is one task after another until retirement. Yet, my mother, Elana
Yuabov, shows that this is far from the truth. She always seeks life
enhancement through personal growth and quality time with friends. One vital
medium for this sense of fulfillment is her book club.
Although I am not a regular attendee of the Bukharian Jewish Women
(BJW) Book Club, I felt at home when attending the meeting on May 30, 2023. A
group of 40 women attended who had a shared pursuit of knowledge and desire for
self-improvement. The controversial book, Jephte’s Daughter, by Naomi
Regan was chosen for this meeting, which carried heavy themes of domestic
abuse, generational trauma, the need for a support system, and the nature of
sacrifice.
The meeting began with Vera Borukhov’s insightful summary of the
book that drew in the main themes. She provided sharp questions that centered around
the topics at hand, allowing others to build on in their response. Despite the
large crowd, each woman was encouraged to provide her insights on the topic,
and the warm atmosphere allowed for a buzz of conversation.
The event included three speakers: Svetlana Levitin, Galit Meirov,
and myself.
Svetlana Levitin, the first guest speaker, was the head of the
non-profit organization “World of Women Immigrants” for more than thirty years.
She shared her experience, the positive impact that she has made in our
community, and the mission of her organization. The crowd was amazed by her
passion for community involvement and helping Jewish people.
Galit Meirov shared her professional opinion, as a therapist,
about the nature of abuse and how to handle abusive situations and toxic
people. With her gentle nature and visible expertise, Galit brought an aura of
calm and intellect into the room. Additionally, she taught the group a
meditative breathing technique to calm oneself, which was necessary to balance
the dark themes discussed. Her insightful tips on handling abuse can be found
on the BJW facebook.
Finally, my mother asked me to speak about an organization that I
have been a member of for the past 8 months, ORA (Organization for the
Resolution of Agunot) that helps women in situations of get-refusal, a form of
spiritual abuse. The organization also provides possible preventative measures,
such as the halachic prenup, and the group discussed what that could look like
in the Bukharian community.
Although most of these women are working mothers, they each found
the time to join together out of a sense of community and a desire for growth.
Not only do these women set aside time to read and discuss books at the club
meetings, they also devote time to subgroups of BJW, such as Tuesday Learning
Zoom Series with Elana Yuabov, BJW Hot Topics, and cultural outings.
For the Tuesday Learning, the women meet every Tuesday over zoom
from 9-9:30 pm to briefly discuss Jewish topics and how they may relate to the
Bukharian community today. Currently, this subgroup is discussing the works of
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l.
Hot Topics is dedicated to discussing relevant and controversial
issues within the Bukharian community relating to match-making, weddings,
parenting, etc.
Additionally, the group occasionally joins for cultural growth
through attending plays, paint and movie nights.
These women show that there exists a deep dedication within the
Bukharian Jewish community towards cultural, intellectual, and spiritual
growth. They serve as an inspiration to myself and, I am sure, to many
others.
Betty Yuabov
