Dear Friend, As I prepare for a Shabbat of celebration (mazal tov to the Neuhaus family and todah rabah and l'hitraot to the Tuckers), a quick note on an important speaker at CAS on Shabbat afternoon. I just returned from a visit to the Stamford Plaza where I met with Shani Stefansky. She and Breindy Halberstam are the founders of a wonderful organization, Samchainu, devoted to supporting and strengthening widows. I am inspired by their devotion to this one of a kind enterprise in America. This weekend they are hosting close to 300 women for a Shabbat of spirit, camaraderie and comfort. Rabbi Paysach Krohn, renowned author and speaker, is addressing the guests and will be joining our shul on Shabbat afternoon at 7 PM for a presentation on "Living a Joyous Life - Simcha without Stress". We are hosting him in the hopes of promoting this very worthwhile organization. One of the prime mitzvot in the Torah is to support the widows and orphans among us. Although I rarely send information about a specific organization, I believe Samchainu is an exception worth noting. Please take a moment to read about Sanmchainu in Shani's own words: As Samchainu approaches our fourth anniversary, I would like to take a moment to reflect, together with you, on the astounding development of this one-of-a-kind organization. Four years ago Samchainu was not even in our range of vision. A group of young widows got together around a dining room table to share experiences, laughter, and life. Four years later, we have a mailing list of over 900 widows across the United States. Three hundred women attended our chanuka party in Tiferes Rivka hall. One hundred and fifty members attend monthly parties in Brooklyn. Hundreds of our regular members receive flowers on their birthdays. A weekly erev Shabbos phone call goes out to close to 800 women. Hundreds of almanos participate in our five yearly overnight retreats. The list of our events and programs goes on and on, and grows as time passes. This year we added an additional chanuka party for mothers with their children, and a children's purim carnival on shushan purim. More than numbers and lists, the actual accomplishments of Samchainu cannot be quantified. Still a home based organization with no publicity, salaries or overhead costs, Samchainu has succeeded in monumentally enhancing the lives of some of the most isolated and shattered individuals in klal yisroel. Our members have been dealt a devastating blow. A married person can never fully comprehend the myriad ramifications of the loss of a spouse. Samchainu provides a balm for the widow's pain by connecting her with others who truly understand her, and by giving her opportunities to have fun and enjoy life. She begins to feel once again like a member of humanity. Our parties and retreats are a much anticipated respite from the grind of daily life. All of this has taken place only through your generosity and support. It is a testimony to the chesed of Klal Yisroel that with no public advertising whatsoever, Samchainu has continued to thrive. As our membership grows, so do our costs. Due to our tremendous growth, we now need to hire a caterer for our major events and are no longer able to home-cater. We hope to host our yearly Shabbos retreat after Pesach. Our costs approach $100,000. Please give generously so that we can continue to transform lives, one at a time. May Hashem, who is the Dayan Ha'almanos, reward you for your participation in this crucial mitzvah. Thank you in advance for your support. You can also make checks payable to Samchainu and send to the shul and we will send them directly to the organization. Wishing everyone in Stamford a wonderful Shabbat of both celebration and rest for the body and soul. Mazal tov to Marguerite & Ken on the bar-mitzvah of Remy and Matan. Please join us hear Rabbi Krohn as well at 7 PM followed by mincha and seudah shlishit in honor of the Tuckers. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Cohen | 
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