Testimonials

What people have said about the Transforming the High Holy Days Workshops:

“After taking a couple of Shmuel Shalom’s Transforming the High Holy Day workshops, when I walked into services erev Rosh haShana, I felt as though I was gliding in a straight line hrough air as I approached the rows of seats.  I’ve never experienced this before.  It set the tone for the whole high holidays.  I became ‘unstuck’. and I experienced dimensions unknown to me previously.

Sh’mini Atzeret was a golden, holy day, in which I treasured each breath of life as I simply lived in the present, in a holy place throughout the day.

Shmuel Shalom presented these classes in a holy way that allows each individual to connect in a way best serving that person.  It is a wonderful connection.” – Yona Ash

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“I highly recommend Shmuel Shalom’s classes.  The High Holiday/Sukkot/Elul series of classes I took were especially unique and inspiring.  I liked how each class helped me find a personal connection to its respective holiday and also added layers of meaning to it.  His use of guided meditations in his classes was unusual to me, since I’d never had a class like that.  But, I soon saw how fluidly it tied in the themes of the holidays, by allowing for greater reflection and personal involvement.  I look forward to taking more of his classes in the future. ” -Esther Kostin-Conley

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“I will miss these workshops! A note to everyone- these are transformative- not to be missed!”  -Julie Portnoy


What people have said about the Overcoming Your Inner Pharaoh Workshop:

I loved the workshop because it was practical and beneficial. I now understand the exodus I must take on a daily/weekly basis from the Pharaoh in me as I search for freedom from personal slavery. Even better I now have practical tools to do so. Thanks Shmuel.

Phillip
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This spring I went to Shmuel HaKohen’s classes preparing for Pesach by going through the 10 Plagues.  I enjoyed that a lot and I feel it really helped to understand how our inner Pharaoh (ego-blockaged) work, and how we can break through them with HaShem’s help. Shmuel every week gave deep and helpful insights based on Torah. And the exercises, visualizations and homework he designed for this course were really working in a strong way to support my process. Also the way he presented the workshop was great: he really created a place of love and trust and support, from him and from each other. He always managed to keep it light and joyful. He also had a good balance between letting us say what we wanted and keeping us focused on the ‘lesson’. I feel this process has helped me experience the Pesach Seder in a deeper way than before. Also I feel my ‘inner Pharaoh’ is much less powerful, and I have many more tools to handle him. HaShem hasn’t freed me from him completely, yet, but I guess that will have its good, deeper reasons that I cannot understand (now). I have certainly made big steps forward! Thank you Shmuel, and thank you HaShem!

Shira Sarah
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” Coming out of Mitzrayim” I thought it was profound because so many people are dwelling in their own personal “Mitzrayim” and don’t know how to step out. I also felt stuck in every way. The course was fun, meaningful and original and the goal was to step out of it with your personal dream (partially) realized. I can just tell you that my dream started coming true from the getgo and is still developing with great measurable results, two of the three most important goals are realized b”h by now which were living in the Old City of Jerusalem and getting married and this in no less then 4.5 months after finishing the course. So it really worked for me b”h. I you can imagine highly recommend the course also because I really enjoyed it. Shmuel Shalom proved himself to be an excellent course developer and course leader and I wish him great success and all the blessings in his life!

Edith Rivkah Levitt


What people have said about Learning the Shma as a Meditation Practice

“Shmuel Shalom’s presentation (of “The Shma as a Meditation” workshop) was refreshing and inspiring in the way he spoke of male/female (or masculine/feminine) aspects of G-d,  non-duality, etc.  In addition, his presentation and actual presence gave me a real sense that he is able to embody equanimity through his use of the shema.

I felt a true peace within him, and that was great to witness.

Practicing the Shma with more mindfulness has definitely helped me cope with this week of drama.”  – Lynne Schwartz


What people have said about the Introduction to Talmud Class

“I thoroughly enjoyed Shmuel Shalom Cohen’s Introductory Talmud Class. Not only was it informative, but Shmuel made learning Talmud a fun experience. Most importantly, his presentation provided a framework or format to understanding the discussion and arguments in Gemara that enabled me, for the first time, to actually follow and make sense of the thread of dialogue in the Talmud. I heartily recommend this class!” – Carolyn Schiek