A BRIDE FUTURE:
Modern Orthodox Kallah Classes
Dvir and Shalhevet Cahana
Modern Orthodox Leaders and Community Builders
Dvir and Shalhevet Cahana are Torah educators and leaders in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.
Shalhevet has been teaching Torah for over a decade and is shifting her focus to teaching Taharat HaMishpacha to couples. Shalhevet Cahana is a certified Kallah teacher through The Eden Center based in Israel.
Being a Kallah teacher is the coalescence of the things she most cherishes: teaching Torah and mitzvot, celebrating a life cycle event, and bringing meaning and purpose to life's most profound and important relationship -- all while empowering someone to be the best person they can be.
Shalhevet teaches Talmud and Halacha at Manhattan Day School and serves as Community Scholar at Beth Jacob Congregation in Oakland, California. To date, she has taught Torah in over 60 synagogues and campuses across the United States.
Shalhevet previously studied in Maimonides School, Migdal Oz, Stern College for Women and their advanced Gemara program called the Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies (GPATS). Dvir Cahana is in his 4th year of smicha rabbinical training.
Dvir follows a rich lineage of 9 generations of rabbis -- Sanzer Chassidim from Tzfat.
Dvir received Jewish Week’s "36 Under 36" award for launching The Amen Institute, an international space where professional artists and rabbis unite to inspire each other in the creation of Torah-art. Recently, The Amen Institute has launched programs for lay artists and high school students.
Himself a hip hop and rap artist, Dvir is the rabbinic educator for the Jewish rap collective Rappers and Rabbis. Under his guidance, the group has made a Hip Hop Haggadah and Dvir has led teen programs like Hip Hop Tefillah.
Dvir's 10 studio albums show a love of Yiddishkeit and wordplay (see here and here). Dvir has performed and competed on stages across North America including Sababa Fest and rap battles like End of the Weak World MC Challenge.
Dvir previously learned in Hebrew Academy of Montreal, Concordia University, McGill University, and now Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.
Dvir and Shalhevet can teach either individually or together. They can teach just the bride or the bride and groom together.
CLASS TOPICS
Halacha/Jewish Law
(1) We Niddah Talk: Becoming Menstruant
(2) I'll be your Stain-ographer: Deciphering between Ketamim (=Stains and Spots)
(3) Under Seperate Covers: Touching Base on Harchakot (Harchakot/Physical Separations During Niddah)
(4) I'll Go To Bath For You: Everything You Need To Know About Preparing For The Mikvah -- Hefsek Tehara, Sheva Nekiim, Chafifa/ Internal Checks and Thorough Bathing
(5) The First Time You'll Biah-lone: The Ones Stop Shop on the Halachot of the Wedding Night -- Dam Betulim and Biah Rishonah/The Wedding Night
(6) It's A Blood Bath: Do You Need To Go To The Mikvah If You Have An Unfortunately Placed Cut?Dam Makah/Blood from a Wound
(7) Veset Meant To Be? Anticipated Cycles Vestot/Predictable Cycles
(8) Shy 'Till She's Behind Closed Doors: This Is Where I Cover Kisui Rosh Kisui Rosh/ Hair Covering
Hashkafa/Jewish Philosophy
(9) Putting The Kid in Kiddushin: Your Beliefs on Raising a Family
(10) Putting The Douche in Kiddushin: A Philosophy on Mikvah/Jewish Ritual Bath
(11) It Takes Two To Hora: Thinking About Your Joint Jewish Sexual Ethic
The Wedding
(12) Finding The "Nes" in Wed-Nes-Day: How To Bring Meaning, Purpose and Joy Into Your Wedding
(13) You Don't Need To Be Rich To Do A Rich-ual and You Don't Need To Have Money To Have A Cere-money
(14) Removing More Agun-y: The Halachic Prenup
Sexual Health and Wellness
(15) Intimate Dating Doesn't Need To Be Intimidating: Sex and Pleasure In Your Marriage
(16) Every Body Needs Some Body: Reproductive Anatomy and the Menstrual Cycle
(17) Baby, Baby, Baby, No: Contemplating Contraception
Other
(18) All Shalom, No Bias: Maintaining Harmony In The Home
(19) Love Is Priceless, Prices Are Loveless: A Discussion On Finances
(20) What Knot To Wear: Tying Mitpachot, And Caring For a Sheitel
(21) The World Wide Wed: Navigating The Internet Of Post-Marital Ressources
About Me.
Education
2015-2017
Degree
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2011-2014
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2007-2010
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this going to be a halacha based shiur or premarital Counceling?
I have expertise in both sides and I can certainly put more emphasis on one side or the other depending what I'm hearing from you in our initial in-take. I want to stress, however that both halacha and premarital counseling involve taking into consideration all the commitments you will now be taking on in your life and my class will help give you an appreciation and insight into what those commitments may look like.
How many premarital counseling sessions are recommended, and what is the duration of each session?
I usually recommend meeting 5-7 times, in order to have time to cover enough of the essential topics. Each class is an hour in length. I'm happy to do more, but given that you will likely have a lot going on, 5-7 classes is often the most reasonable sweet spot.
Do you offer both in-person and online premarital counseling options for Jewish couples?
Certainly. I live in New York City, so as long as the commute is in reasonable distance, I am happy to show up in-person, otherwise I am more than happy to meet online.
How far in advance should we begin premarital counseling before our wedding date?
Though I don't deny my own bias, I can't stress how it is never too early to be learning about this stuff. Of course the reality on the ground is that it is only recommended to take pre-marital counseling once the wedding bandwagon is already in full blown effect. That being said, meeting weekly or bi-weekly 2-3 months before the wedding should be plenty sufficient for the purposes of knowledge integration.
Can Kallah Classes work as couple's therapy?
Though I have plenty of experience having deeply challenging conversations and our sessions often arrive at really deep places, I am not a trained therapist and if I see that things are getting to a place beyond my training, I will happily refer out to help you get the care you desire.
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