Core MMC Training Program

*(Mashpia~Mentor~Counselor)

Core has a rigorous two and a half year spiritual mentorship and counseling training program. Candidates are exposed to a wide range of issues and ideas as well as a broad variety of concepts, modalities, approaches and traditions so that they can effectively work with community members, lay-leaders and community professionals in spiritual, emotional and social realms.
Core MMCs operate from a halacha based Torah hashkafa. As they work, they have access to a pool of professionals: rabbonim, physicians, therapists, attorneys, psychologists and social workers to whom they may refer, and from whom they may seek guidance. In addition, they are part of an international community of practice with other Core MMCs so they may continue growing and learning from and with their peers.
Over the past year, Core MMCs have answered calls from women who seek spiritual advice or guidance in areas such as: parenting, dating, marriage, intimacy, infertility, fertility at forty, postpartum depression, parenting/relating to adult children and in-law children, respecting and caring for parents and in-law parents, managing homes with children who have left the derech, managing marriages where husbands have left the derech, managing relationships that include mental illness, understanding Jews from different communities and different hashkafos, dealing with trauma, emunas chachamim, emunah and bitachon, spiritual anchoring and spiritual growth.
Meet the MMCs (Mashpia/Mentor/Counselors)

Meet the current MMC (Mashpia/Mentor/Counselor) cohort

Core’s Inaugural MMC Cohort

FAQs

MMC stands for Mashpia/Mentor/Counselor.

Mashpia is the role model who shares her influence through the warmth of her presence.

Mentor is the guide, offering encouragement, insight and strategy for growth.

Counselor is the supportive listener and spiritual caregiver, fostering a sense of awareness of and connection to Hashem, the Torah, Klal Yisroel, one’s family and oneself.

Rolled into one package, an MMC is a hashkafically-grounded woman who can be consulted about the vicissitudes of life, who will help explore those issues through a solid Torah lens.

Though an MMC is highly trained and works with mental, emotional, and spiritual health, she is not a mental health professional and does not offer therapy. However, in many situations she may be a first responder. She is trained as a “generalist” and will refer out when the situation requires or would benefit from a “specialist”.

The ideal candidate for the MMC training program is a woman who is a role model in her community. Her Jewish education is broad, deep and ongoing, and she has decades of adult life experience. In most cases, she is between the ages of 38-68. She is a woman to whom others turn for a listening ear, advice or counsel, and she would like to deepen or broaden her capacity to give within her community.  She has a passion for helping Jewish women, Jewish families and the Jewish community grow.

Candidates should have been raised in and/or have created a frum home. They should have a broad, deep and ongoing Jewish education. They should have the ability to find answers to the Jewish/Torah questions that arise as well as access to Torah hadracha.

Here’s a peek at what to expect:
• Weekly live interactive Zoom classes, taught by a wide variety of teachers, Rabbonim and professionals
• Reading or viewing homework (books, articles, video clips, etc.)
• Weekly conversations about the classes and materials to take place on both WhatsApp and Zoom during semester dates
• Weekly small-group clinical supervision
• The creation of a community-based project each of the two years
• Participants should expect to spend a minimum of 4 hours a week during semesters, in addition to time spent working on the community-based projects.
• Three two-day, in-person conferences during the two years

There is no tuition for the two-year MMC Training Program. We are grateful to have the opportunity to practice our vision of investing in those who invest in Klal Yisrael. But participation is not free. Payment for this program takes the form of a solid commitment to high engagement and active participation in all elements of the training program, and to using the training to contribute even more to Klal Yisrael.

That being said, while Core will cover the education and program costs, participants will be expected to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses for the three in-person conferences over the two years and for any travel and expenses that may be necessary for the projects.

While the MMC Training Program is similar in work load and learning depth to a master’s degree, it is not yet accredited and does not offer a formal degree. At the graduation of the program, however, Core does confer a certificate of completion and the privilege of adding MMC to the end of your name.

We have a wide variety of Rabbonim, teachers and professionals teach classes. Some of the teachers we have had in the past were: Dr. Lisa Aiken, Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz, Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Mrs. Sara Eisemann, Mrs. Rochel Goldbaum, Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky, Rebbetzin Debbie Greenblatt, Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, Mrs. Miriam Kosman, Dr. Akiva Perlman, Dr. Tamar Perlman, Rabbi Dovid Refson, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, Rabbi Yisroel Roll, and Mrs. Faigie Zelcer.

Core’s reach is international. In the past two cohorts we have had women from: Israel, Canada, United States, Mexico, Belgium, Brazil, Panama, and England. The youngest was 30 years old, the oldest was in her 70s, with most women in their 40s and 50s. Some were Rebbitzens of shuls, some were kallah teachers, morahs, principals, mikarvos and lay leaders. Some were paid for their roles, others were volunteers. Some were seasoned communal caregivers, some were just beginning. All were women who wanted to grow and learn more so they could give more or give better to the Klal.

For Cohort Three, we hope for 40 women from around the world and from a variety of aspects within the frum community.

We believe, and work to ensure, that the cohort itself is one of the most important features of the MMC training program. The first two cohorts created strong social and professional bonds with one another. Each woman has a unique perspective, position and gift. By bringing the group together as a cohort, rather than as “classmates,” we hope to increase and strengthen the capacity of each member, tapping into the roots of “kol Yisroel areivim zeh la’zeh.”

Core seeks counsel from Rav Elya Brudny, Rav Aaron Lopiansky, Rav Yitzchak Breitowitz, and Rabbi Avraham Edelstein.

In addition, we have received divrei bracha and hadracha from (listed in alphabetical order by last name) Rabbi Moshe Bane, Rabbi Binyamin Ehrenkranz, Rabbi Yitzchak Feigenbaum, Rabbi Eli Gewirtz, Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Rabbi YY Jacobson, HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky, The Krula Rebbe, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, Rabbi Nochum Stillerman, Rabbi Michel Twerski, Rebbetzin Feigi Twerski, Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky, Rebbetzin Tzipora Heller Gottlieb, Rebbetzin Chaya Levine, and The Agudas Yisrael.

Applications close on May 31, 2024.  The cohort will be”H be announced by September 2, 2024.  Zoom program orientation sessions will be in December 2024.

The MMC program will begin with an in-person opening conference in January, 2025.  Classes are weekly until Tisha b’Av with a one-week break for Chanuka, Yeshiva week, and Purim, and three weeks for Pesach.  The full schedule will be shared upon acceptance to the program.

After each application is reviewed, we will invite qualified applicants for interviews by June 10, 2024, conduct interviews in July, and will be”H make our final selections for the program by September 2, 2024.

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Connecting Jewish Women, Strengthening Homes and Communities

Core creates warm and inspiring Jewish communities by nourishing and networking frum women. Core offers training, resources and support for women who want to strengthen their communities on an intentional and ongoing basis. It supports ongoing gatherings that help build individuals, families, communities, and the Jewish people.

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