Machon chana

Executive Summary

The world is undergoing a spiritual and educational awakening. Jewish women are part of this awakening. Thousands of Jewish women, having been raised in a secular manner or having become secular in their behavior, are looking for a way to better understand the meaning of life, their mission in life and how to raise their children in the important traditions while developing a meaningful life. Many of these women are Baalos Tshuva, women who are trying to return to Torah and their roots, and others are just beginning to explore the path to becoming Baalos Tshuva.

Machon Chana was established as a woman’s yeshiva thirty six years ago to educate Jewish women in how to take the path to spiritual growth. Machon Chana, where education gives tradition definition, was the only institution outside of Israel, filling this role and continues to remain only full-time Yeshiva for baalos Tshuva in the USA & Canada.

Machon Chana: An Overview

Philosophy: Educating Jewish Women Across the Spectrum of Cultural and Social Diversity

The formation of Machon Chana in 1972 was inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe envisions Jewish women as the fundamental, dynamic factor ensuring the continuity of the Jewish people and impacting the world at large. With great privilege, Machon Chana carries the name of the Rebbe's mother, Reb. Chana Schneerson, obm.

The founding principle of the school is that Torah study is crucial for the personal development of every Jewish woman as an individual and as a productive contributor to her respective community. Women of a wide range of ages, personal professional and religious backgrounds are drawn to Machon Chana as a result of its outstanding reputation for academic excellence, combined with its warm Chassidic atmosphere.
The Machon Chana student body is comprised of approximately 50% international students, including women from North America,Central and South America, Eastern and Western Europe, Russia, Australia, South Africa, and Israel. The diversity of cultural and social background of the students creates an unparalleled learning experience.

Many of the over 15,000 alumnae of Machon Chana have gone on to occupy senior professional positions in Jewish education and communal service in their communities. In addition, Machon Chana alumnae have become role models of Jewish outreach professionals, filling the need for Jewish continuity.

Vision Statement

Torah study is crucial for the personal development of every Jewish woman as an individual and as a productive contributor to her respective community. Machon Chana offers an opportunity for any Jewish woman to study in workshops, classes and in private learning the lofty mystical role of the Jewish woman and how she can make a difference in the destiny of the world.

Mission Statement
The mission of Machon Chana is threefold:
1. To provide comprehensive Torah education with high academic standards.
2. To infuse students with a strong sense of purpose and imbue them with an appreciation and understanding of Torah and Judaism through the study of Chassidic thought and lifestyle.
3. To provide the tools for lifelong personal growth and fulfillment as Jewish women in the family, society and leaders of our people.

History
In His vision of bringing Jewish education to every Jew the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson asked for seventy new institutions to be founded in honor of his 70th birthday in 1972. Sara Labkowski, a young Chassidic Seminary teacher, was inspired and suggested a school for higher learning for young women with no formal Jewish education. At that time, a Women’s Yeshiva for adults with little or no formal Jewish education was an unprecedented idea. The challenge was to create a curriculum that would successfully consolidate what should have taken in twelve years of traditional Jewish education into a two-year to four-year period. With the formation of Machon Chana, the first school of higher Jewish education outside of Israel was created.
The Rebbe monitored the school’s development and, when satisfied with the rapid growth agreed, to name it after his beloved mother, Rebbitzen Chana obm. At the Rebbe’s directive the business of education was the focus during the first year, with staff happily working voluntarily. After a successful summer partnership with Rabbi JJ Hecht of the National Committee of the Furtherance of Jewish Education, the Rebbe suggested forming a business partnership with him in effort to establish this fledgling school financially. In the agreement, signed by both parties, a Yissachar/Zevulun relationship was forged whereby all educational and operational functions became Sara Labkowski’s domain and all financial responsibilities became the domain of Rabbi Hecht. Rabbi Hecht died in 1993 and Sara Labkowski has been in charge ever since.
The school which began in a synagogue, moved to several locations throughout the years, first at 733 Eastern Parkway, then to a larger facility at 825 Eastern Parkway and later in a rented facility at 376 Crown St. In 1998 a 5000 square foot apartment house was purchased and in June 2004 thecompletion of the first phase of the building at 556 Crown St, the school moved into its permanent beautiful facilities.
An early step was the purchase of a much needed dormitory for the international student body. The purchase price, $90,000, was raised by Sara Labkowski and her committee in a fundraising dinner on Rebbitzen Chana’s yahrzeit. The entire neighborhood participated with much of the money contributed by the newly married men in the Kollel.

The building purchased at 1367 President Street (or Doctor’s Row as it was then called) was the largest and most prestigious house in the neighborhood. This became the home of over a thousand women from all over the world who came to Machon Chana and has fed and been a haven to thousands of others.

In 2000, the building was newly renovated and currently houses 40 full-time residents who are supervised by a dormitory mother and three madrichos (counselors). The building is also used for dining, social gatherings, lectures, evening partnered learning and special programs.

The first Machon Chana in the Mountains program began in Tannersville, New York in the summer of 1997. It began as a program for 30 young single women and weekend guests. Each summer the program grew and eventually became renowned worldwide as an upscale summer learning retreat for women of all ages and backgrounds and their families. In response to the growing number of adults and families in addition to students seeking a Torah education, programming expanded to accommodate teen girls, single women, couples, a full daycare program and exciting weekend programs. A charming 65 room hotel in a most beautiful mountain setting with superb programming attracted over a thousand people each summer. With the facility no longer available to us, one of the major objectives is to identify and acquire a upscale facility that can be a permanent location for the many success programs that were held at the previous location.

Many part-time programs sprung up throughout the years to cater to women who can not take off a semester to learn. The Jewish Learning Annex on Sundays and evenings attracted working women as well as students in other universities. Our famous ten day YeshivaCation which was designed to reach college students during winter and spring break, has been the gateway to the world of Torah to thousands of women. Torahspondence- a correspondence course in various courses taught at school was initiated in 19 and as well as Chevrusa on the Line which facilitated learning in any language any subject and at any time.

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