Organizers
"Our Shabbaton with Neria was an absolute hit! Neria created a beautiful, spiritual atmosphere that was felt throughout the entire event. The candle lighting meditation was a lovely start to Shabbos putting the women in the right mood. Neria's personal story of returning to her roots was very inspirational. The interactive workshop "Journey Inn" led into many lively discussions as the women delved into themselves, and shared personal thoughts and experiences. The KabbalahDance workshop was a great way to end off the entire weekend. It was a lot of fun as the women let loose, and danced the night away. All in all, it was an incredible weekend and I would highly recommend it!"- Sharonne Zippel, Chabad of Salt Lake City, Utah
"This workshop is full of content; intense yet relaxing and nurturing. Neria speaks to all the women as a group while simultaneously connecting with them as individuals. As Neria skillfully shifts the audience to right brain mode, the women's minds begin to flow with creativity and self-expression. This workshop is like a spa for both body and soul." - Sarah Shemtov, Chabad of Riverdale, NY
"I just wanted to thank you for a most wonderful, meaningful and inspiring evening. All the women who were there enjoyed themselves immensely and were quite touched." - Nechamy Simon, Chabad of Tea Neck, NJ
"Last night's workshop provided an atmosphere of joy, reflection, introspection and camaraderie. This event brought the women of our community together like nothing before since Katrina. And as the Rebbe said in his answer about this event, each woman represents a complete home and family. The broad spectrum of women participating, the many women whom we met for the first time, has given us a boost for the coming year." - Chani Nemes, Chabad of New Orleans (a year after Hurricane Katrina).
"Yesterday was a wonderful evening. You had the crowd interested for a solid two hours and they loved every minute. I've been getting fantastic comments. I thought that you presented the world of kabbalistic/mystical teachings in a very palatable (can I say beautiful?!?) way. 5 stars!!!" - Dinie Mangel, Chabad of Cherry Hill, NJ
"The workshop was very well attended and mostly by new people who generally don't come to the average Chabad programs. They all enjoyed the presentation and participated in the interactive discussion. The event was interesting, informative, inspiring, engaging and fun." - Devorah Alevsky, Chabad Women of Cleveland, OH
"People got a real emotional (spiritual) benefit from accessing their deeper more essential selves. Everyone seemed so pleased to be given the opportunity for self-expression. The wealth of individual responses, the uniqueness of each person's painting and offering of their insights was quite astounding and very moving." - Clara Simon, Chabad of Albany (Delmar), NY
"Thank you so much for the wonderful evening. Your presentation was terrific. The girls really enjoyed it and were deeply touched and moved. I really appreciate all that you did. I would gladly recommend you." - Sarah Deitsch, Chabad of Ohio State University, Columbus OH
Participants
"Several of the women who attended the Shabbaton got together the following week to experience another Shabbat on their own. They are not practicing Jews (regarding this mitzvah) .. but were deeply influenced to keep Shabbat since attending your workshop. Isn't that beautiful? Your light ignited our light to a brighter glow here in Salt Lake City valley. I know that what I was seeking filled my cup to overflowing." - Paula Akimsu
"Thank you so so much for the workshop. It was very powerful. I put my neshama (soul) flame painting right near my bed so I can see it and reflect on the safe, whole, protected and precious image of it I had in the kodesh kadoshim (holy of holies). I try to reconnect with that and not let myself get squished and trampled in the every day shtuss." - Miriam, Cincinnati, OH
"Last night's program was a treasure. I just wanted to tell you again how v.v.v. much I enjoyed the class. Kol ha kavod! It was fabulous!!!" --Susan, San Mateo, CA
"Last night at the painting workshop I did the watery "emotions washed in the mikvah" picture. I am going to hang my painting in my daughter's room - the three year old that I seem to have engaged in a battle of the wills with - as a reminder that she has the same struggle between the baser instincts and the divine, just as I do. I need to give her room to have her struggles, not always trying to "wash" her clean on the outside. That is what I took from last night. (Now, if I could just remember that when we are in the throes of it!)" - Rebecca, Connecticut
"The way you structured the guided imagery was such that it was the first time I was able to follow a meditation. The safety of your voice and person, the clarity of your explanation, and the flexibility of following your "guidance" made it a deep inner exploration. I cried my way through the whole thing, it was wonderful. Thanks a million" - Yikara, Newton, MA
"I can't tell you what a transformative experience your workshop was. I have talked with several women at Shul over the years who feel that we have so much to give one another but that whenever we get together the interactions often remain on the surface and this time we went under the surface. Thank you so much for coming to us. What a gift!" - Helene, Atlanta, GA
"Your meditation workshop has inspired me to do some planting in my very neglected garden at home and helped me remember my father's love of gardening and sharing the bounty, may he rest in peace. Thank you for bringing me to a very peaceful place!" - Cynthia, NY
"I felt the presence of something special tonight. It was so intense ... when we entered the Holy of Holies, it was as if I had been greeted by my best friend who I hadn't seen in such a long while .. love and light feelings went through my body ...it felt all encompassing .. so magnificent!" - Caitlin, Coram, NY
(Partial) Client List
Neria Cohen's workshops have received great reviews from 200 Chabad Houses, JCC's, and private events in the past four years. Below is a partial list of Chabad Houses in the US and Canada that have hosted the workshop:
East Coast:
New York: Goldie Baumgarten - East Hampton; Chana Burston - Orange County; Chaya Lieberman - Long Island; Soshie Gurkov - Oceanside; Rochel Goldberg, Coram; Devorah Leah Laine - Williamsburg; Chaya Ehrenreich - Chestnut Ridge; Chani Konikov - Roslyn; Clara Simon - Albany; Chani Wolowic - Five Towns; Chani Gerstan - Stoneybrook; Sarah Shemtov - Riverdale; Rochel Hassine - Huntington; Baila Goodman - Long Beach; Hinda Silverman - Westchester; Chaya Kirchenbaum - Prospect Heights; Sara Wolf - Bedford; Shula Winner - Manhattan Beach; Masha Fogel - Rochester; Devorah Ganz - Suffern;
New Jersey: Nechamy Simon - Teaneck; Tova Chazanov - Manalapan; Chani Gerkof - Wayne; Nechama Rappaport - Vineland; Lieba Konikov - Fort Lee; Hindi Drizin - Woodcliff Lake; Zeesy Grossbaum - Paramus; Chanie Shapiro - Chabad of the Shore; Mimi Kaplan; Dinie Mangel - Cherry Hill, Malka Shein - Tenafly; Ora Malka Goodman - East Brunswick;
Connecticut: Maryasha Deren - Greenwich; Leah Shemtov - Stamford; Yehudis Wolvovsky, Glastonbury; Mina Eisenbach - Northwest; Miriam Gopin - West Hartford;
Florida: Rivka Denburg - Boca Routon; Chani Posner - Plantation; Ettie Zaklos - Naples; Louisa Frankforter - Miami Beach; Chani Forta - Aventura; Devorah Kaplan - Fort Lauderdale; Nechama Harlig - Kendal; Rivka Caroline - Key Biscayne; Rivka Korf - Delray Beach; Ahuva New - Boca Routon; Nina Neparstik - Fort Lauderdale; Chani Brooke - Coral Springs;
Other: Miriam Shemtov - Bucks county, PA; Leah Goldman - Philadelphia, PA; Chaya Wolvovsky - Silver Spring, MD; Sara Bluming, Potomac, MD; Reizel Shusterman - Peabody, MA; Shifra Shwartz - Brookline, MA; Rashi Brashevitsky - Norfolk, VA; Geni Bleich - Wellesley, MA; Faigy Bronstein - Merrimack Valley, MA; Chani Baron - Columbia, MD;
California:
South: Sarah Cunin - Malibu; Dvonye Korf - Los Feliz; Frumi Marozov - Valencia; Zisi Cunin - Palisades; Tzippy Rivkin - North Ridge; Matty Bryski - Agoura Hills; Nechama Spritzer - Chatsworth; Runya Wagner - University of Southern California; Rochi Megalnic - Palo Verdi; Debbie Green; Tzippy Rav-Noy; Tzippy Fuss - Riverside; Sarah Mintz - Redondo Beach; Kreinie Paltiel - La Guna Niguel; Chani Mintz - Newport Beach; Elkie Abend - North Hollywood; Shternie Lipskier - Sherman Oaks; Sarale Fratkin - San Diego; Devorah Raskin - Rancho S. Fe;
North: Altie Wolvovsky - Sonoma County; Shternie Kagan - Chestnut Ridge; Fruma Resnick -Tri-Valley; Esty Marcus - San Mateo; Hinda Lange - San Francisco;
Mid-West and South:
Rashi Minkowitz - Atlanta, GA; Dassie New - Atlanta, GA; Dena Schusterman - Atlanta, GA; Miriam Lipskier - Emory University, GA; Devorah Alevsky - Cleveland, OH; Sarah Deitsch - Ohio State University; Devorah Leah Mangel - Dayton, OH; Chana Mangel - Cincinatti, OH; Chaya Epstein - Chicago, IL; Sara Benjaminson - Chicago, IL; Shterna Deitch - Arizona; Sarah Cunin - Reno, Nevada; Nini Grossbaum - Indianapolis; Chanie Zalmanov - North West Indiana; Rivkie Block - Plano, TX; R' Zvi Drizin - Downtown Dallas, TX; Chavi Epstein - Columbia, SC; Chanala Rubenfeld - Chesterfield, MO; Chana Lew - Glendale, AZ; Devorah Schmukler - Albuquerque, NM; Shayna Borenstein - Longmont, CO; Hindy Mintz - Denver, CO; Lieba Mintz - Aspen, CO;
Canada
Goldy Plotkin - Toronto; Rochel Landa - Toronto; Nechama Dina Jacobson - Toronto; Dena Blum - Ottawa; Dina Kraznianski - Montreal;
Universities:
Sarah Deitsch - Ohio State University; Miriam Lipskier - Emory University, GA; Rachel Greenberg - Stanford University, CA; Runya Wagner - Chabad of USC, CA; Reizi Rubin Albany, NY; Sarah Meretzky - Penn State University, PA; Mendel Laufer - Brown University, Rhode Island;