Since 2006, the Jewish Learning Network (JNet) has enabled Jews of all backgrounds to study Torah by pairing knowledgeable Jewish volunteers with those seeking to deepen their understanding of their heritage (men with men, women with women).

The program was spearheaded by Rabbi Yudi Dukes a”h, who devoted himself to expanding the project and making more chavrusos, until his passing in 2021.

JNet interviewed three different “couples” to hear their story:

Chana Gittel Goldstein of Crown Heights and Bruni Penina Castro Mandracchia of Victorville, CA.

Hadassah Aber of Cleveland, OH, and Shoshanah Findling of New York.

Shaina Stolik of South Palm Beach, FL, and Natalya Ziff of London, England.

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Chana Gittel Goldstein

Chana Gittel Goldstein of Crown Heights, a volunteer for JNet, studies Torah on a weekly basis with Bruni Penina Castro Mandracchia of Victorville, CA.

JN: What inspired you to volunteer with JNet?
CGG: I was inspired to become a JNet volunteer because I have always enjoyed one-on-one learning and meeting new people through Torah study.

Was there a moment in your learning together that made you think, “This is why I do this”?
There have been many such moments in my learning with Penina over almost 20 years since JNet was founded. I often find myself saying, “I enjoy learning with you so much!”

Penina is an enthusiastic chavrusa who loves learning new things and always expresses her excitement. Her energy gives me a renewed sense of joy and curiosity. Our study sessions are an oasis of peace and connection to Hashem and His Torah. I treat that time as sacred and avoid distractions.

How has the chavrusa partnership deepened your own connection to Torah and mitzvos?
Our learning covers many topics—parshah, davening, and the lives of the Rebbeim and Rebbetzins on special Chabad days. This has made me more thoughtful and detail-oriented in my own study and research.

I often pause during our learning so we can both absorb a new concept. We are not afraid of moments of silence on the phone; they give us space to think and internalize.

This experience has helped me see Torah concepts through the eyes of someone encountering them for the first time, whether in halachah or Chassidus. It has made me reflect more deeply on how and why I serve Hashem.

What’s one teaching or idea that you’ve seen really light up your partner?
Penina loves the Rebbe’s sichos and even maamarim. She doesn’t shy away from deep Chassidic ideas. Sometimes we admit that we don’t fully understand, and that’s okay. We know our neshamos understand, and with Hashem’s help, our minds will eventually catch up.

What do you feel is the most rewarding part of being a JNet volunteer?
Without a doubt, it’s the warm friendship I share with Penina. We can speak openly about our lives, our families.

One cherished memory is when Penina and her daughter Rivka flew from the West Coast to New York for our youngest son’s bar mitzvah. Their presence meant so much to me. We are soul sisters and care for each other deeply.

In what ways do you see your JNet volunteering as part of your personal shlichus?
Chavrusa learning through JNet is absolutely a shlichus! It brings together talmud Torah and ahavas Yisroel.

I’m grateful that JNet provides such strong support and guidance. Before JNet, I had other phone chavrusas, but it was more challenging because there were fewer resources, especially in English. There has never been a better time to learn with a chavrusa.

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Bruni Penina Castro Mandracchia

Bruni Penina Castro Mandracchia speaks to us about her JNet partnership.

JN: Can you tell us how your JNet journey began?
BPCM: My journey began over 20 years ago when I was a nanny for Rabbi Shmuel and Tzippy Fuss and their family in California. While there I met a Chabad student on vacation named Rochel Ginsburg, who encouraged me to join JNet to learn about the Rebbe and deepen my connection to Yiddishkeit.

How has learning with Chana affected your personal journey?
Through studying and sharing my Yiddishkeit with Chana, I found myself changing in a natural way. The more I learned, the more I wanted to live it. Chana’s patience and dedication speak volumes.

We are not just teacher and student; we have become sisters, part of the great family of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin.

How has your weekly study session impacted your life?
The impact has been deep. I try to take everything I learn to heart. For Pesach, I buy cases of shmurah matzah, grape juice, and wine and give them to every Jewish person I can find, hoping to bring others closer just as I was brought close. When Chana calls me a shlucha, it moves me deeply.

Chana sends me beautiful scarves, treats, and learning materials, especially for the Rebbe’s special days.

How has learning each week influenced the way you feel about your own Jewish identity?
My connection to Torah has grown stronger than ever. JNet and my chavrusa have supported me through the hardest times of my life. Even during my crises over the past 20 years, Chana has prayed for me and gone to the Ohel on my behalf.

After all these years, we finally met in person at her son Zalmy’s bar mitzvah. Her boys used to learn with me when they were little. When I was widowed four years ago, during COVID, Chana guided me through shivah and surrounded me with love—the Rebbe’s love. I even wrote a journal to the Rebbe, which I shared with her, and she still keeps it.

Has your JNet learning encouraged you to get more involved in your local community?
Yes. JNet and my chavrusa have encouraged me to get involved and inspire others to connect. I tell people the Rebbe is waiting for them like a father welcoming his children home.

Is there a mitzvah or practice you’ve started doing because of your chavrusa partnership?
Yes, many. I give out Shabbos candles with the printed blessings. I share what I learn each week, recommend others to connect, and started wearing a wig.

We pray for each other, stay patient when we miss a session, and attend online learning events together. Chana and I are sisters forever. I have the deepest respect and love for her. Her wisdom and kindness have helped transform me into a baalas teshuva.

May the Rebbe continue to shower blessings upon her and her family.

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Hadassah Aber

Hadassah Aber of Cleveland, OH, a volunteer for JNet, studies Torah on a weekly basis with Shoshanah Findling of New York.

JN: What inspired you to volunteer with JNet?
HA: One Shabbos afternoon, a friend of mine told me that Chabad has a program of weekly study, and I should look into it. Baruch Hashem I did!

Was there a moment in your partnership that made you think, “This is why I do this”?
Since I have been learning with Shoshana for over ten years, there were many times when I had that thought. I have been able to find things to learn that have been new to both of us and we explore it together. In this way, I have gained in my learning.

Also, over the years, we have become friends and are comfortable discussing the ups and downs of what we are going through. I feel that I have been a source of strength and emunah for my partner and she has been that for me as well.

How has the chavrusa partnership deepened your own connection to Torah and mitzvos?
We learned Tanya, Chovos Halevavos (The Gates of Trust), as well as Mishlei and Koheles. All of these sefarim have been a source of inspiration and reinforcement for my own commitment to Torah and mitzvos.

What do you feel is the most rewarding part of being a JNet volunteer?
I value the feeling that I can take one hour of my week and have an impact on another Yid. We connect through our learning as well as our conversations.

In what ways do you see your JNet volunteering as part of your personal shlichus?
I work at a Chabad-run daycare center, so I teach Torah to children on a daily basis. JNet is another avenue for me to carry out the Rebbe’s goal of making sure all Yidden learn Torah. The fact that we study together on a weekly basis adds to the impact of our encounter. I am in awe of my partner’s thirst for learning and that we have stayed connected for so long, bli ayin hara.

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Shoshanah Findling

Shoshanah Findling speaks to us about her JNet partnership.

JN: Can you tell us how your JNet journey began?
SF: My husband heard about the program and knew that I was interested in learning more. I then spoke with a JNet coordinator who matched me up with Hadassah Aber.

Can you share a story or moment when you felt your Jewish learning come alive?
Right from the first session, we decided to go through the Chumash, parshah by parshah, and I saw so many practical applications from that. Also, when we studied Chovot Halevavot Shaar Habitachon—it really helped me bring in more parnassah.

What’s something new you’ve discovered about Judaism that surprised you?
Right now, we are studying Perek Shirah, written by King David. Each section just brings me a sense of wonder and awe at all of Hashem’s creations and how each plays a role in our lives.

How has your volunteer impacted your life outside of the study sessions?
Hadassah is very compassionate and not judgmental. I can ask her anything and she really is there for me. It really meant a lot to me that she was there for me when I was grieving the losses of my mother and sister.

How has learning each week influenced the way you feel about your own Jewish identity?
I thought my learning would stop when I finished high school. Today, as an adult, celebrating holidays, giving charity, and volunteering is part of my life. Studying with JNet is like going to the gym for your soul.

Has your JNet learning encouraged you to get more involved in your local community?
Yes. I began teaching classes once a month for the Jewish women’s club, Hadassah. Each month we study a different country and learn about their history, customs, and cuisine. It keeps our story about resilience and pride rather than victimhood.

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Shaina Stolik

Shaina Stolik of South Palm Beach, FL, a volunteer for JNet, studies Torah on a weekly basis with Natalya Ziff of London, England.

JN: What inspired you to volunteer with JNet?
SS: Five years ago, Rabbi Yudi Dukes, the founder of JNet, was very ill with COVID… After his passing I decided to volunteer for JNet to help his legacy survive and grow.

Sixteen months ago, on the way to my grandmother’s burial, I received a call from JNet asking if I could take on a chavrusa. I immediately saw the hashgachah pratis—a way to do something meaningful in her zechus.

And how did that work out for you?
Learning with Natalya has become much more than a chavrusa; it’s a relationship that I treasure. Her sincerity and emunah inspire me.

What topics do you cover?
We study Shulchan Shabbat and review halachos and minhagim, especially before Yom Tov.

What’s one idea that resonated with your partner?
“The perfect is the enemy of the good.” It helped her overcome perfectionism in Yiddishkeit.

What is the most rewarding part?
Seeing the hashgachah pratis in our connection and feeling genuine joy in our weekly learning.

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Natalya Ziff

Natalya Ziff speaks about her JNet journey.

JN: Can you tell us how your JNet journey began?
NZ: For something to begin, something must end… I felt lost and began searching for a way to get closer to Hashem. That’s how my JNet journey began.

Can you share a moment when your learning came alive?
I began to understand why we celebrate, what simchah is, and what the laws mean. It started to make sense.

How has your chavrusa impacted your life?
Today, I keep Shabbat, fast on fast days, and have a fully kosher kitchen. Learning with Shaina is the highlight of my week.

Has your JNet learning affected your involvement in Jewish life?
I moved closer to the Jewish community in London and actively seek out Chabad wherever I go.

What inspired you most?
Judaism is not just observance—it’s a way of life. It shapes how you speak, think, and grow. It’s about choosing the harder, meaningful path.

If you have 30 minutes a week to study with your fellow Jew, please visit jnet.org or email [email protected]. You’ll be glad you did!