Bridging Cultures: Shalom Bayit in the Russian Haredi World

Last week, we organized the third class in our Shalom Bayit (marital harmony) project for the men in our Russian-speaking Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community.  

Why are these Shalom Bayit events for Russian-speaking Jews so important?

Simply put, it's something that no-one else offers.  

Russian-speaking Haredim, whether they come from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, or elsewhere, are unique among the Israeli population. Can you imagine the stresses coming from all sides?  

They differ from other Russian speakers because they are Haredi... and they are different from other Israelis because of where they come from.  

They face obstacles that many others don't, including stress from Aliyah, learning a new language, a new culture, and sometimes even discrimination—from both sides!  

Let's be honest—that kind of strain is just not great for marriages. And we already know that worldwide, the divorce rate is unfortunately only getting higher and higher.  

With that, research also shows that the quality of our relationships impacts our job success and education in big ways, affecting not just spouses and parents, but their children too.

A lot of the resources already out there just aren't made for such a specific group of people. A lot of the standard help and advice just doesn't work.

For that reason, we started our Shalom Bayit project – to nurture our community, provide support in all the ways we can, and connect people—whether that means emotionally, or for networking!  

To get an idea of yesterday evening, picture this: a gathering of dedicated students, most of them from the Toldot Yeshurun yeshiva and Yeshivat HaRan, who have recently embarked on the journey of marriage and building their own families.

The event kicked off with Maariv. As the night unfolded, the men were treated to a captivating lesson delivered by the renowned Rav Kushnir, delving into various aspects of Shalom Bayit to equip them with the tools to navigate challenges and enhance harmony within their families. We saw lively discussions, with men sharing their own stories and practical insights, all while enjoying a light dinner that fostered a sense of friendship and connection. 

This gathering, organized by Yaakov's Dream Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Haredim in Israel with education and career opportunities, embodies core values of education, helping one another, and unity, both within the Haredi circle and beyond. 

Here are some snapshots from last night:

‍