Empowering Jewish identity: How Olami Souled shapes women’s lives

Behavioral therapist Chana Ben Shabat of Staten Island works full-time with children with autism and is a mentor in Olami’s Souled program. She is part of Olami’s vast mentorship network that spans multiple countries and dozens of cities.

Through its expansive reach, the organization is able to reach young women from almost every conceivable Jewish background. Ben Shabat, who mentors a dozen women across the United States, says that she has connected with women who grew up going to church, women who had no affiliation to Judaism, those who wanted to simply explore their Jewish heritage or come from a Reform or Conservative background and wanted to know more.

“I come from a Russian family that goes back many years. Members of my family were thrown into camps and stripped of their Jewish culture, religion and heritage,” she says. “My parents were actually the first people who instilled this love for a Jewish way of life in me. They see it, and I see it, as our revenge against Stalin.”

Olami, an organization focused on building Jewish identity and ensuring Jewish continuity serves students and young professionals globally. Souled took off during the global Covid pandemic. To date, 2,000 students and young professionals between the ages of 18-30 have joined, and, currently, more than 700 young women regularly meet with a Souled coach.

The program offers free-of-charge guided Jewish learning with a coach, along with the opportunity to go on trips, meet-ups and retreats across North America and Israel, and is rapidly growing as more young people seek growth.

Part of Souled’s popularity can be attributed to the larger trend of professionals seeking out coaching. According to the International Coaching Federation, the number of personal coaches increased by 54% between 2019 and 2022. The entire profession expanded as it “embraced Zoom during the pandemic and never looked back”, writes Daniel Duane for The New York Times. While therapy focuses mainly on personal and emotional issues, coaching and mentorship focus on personal growth, but also take into account the effects of this on individuals and their emotions.

Souled differs from other coaching programs in that it concentrates on Jewish identity and faith. “Souled coaches really want to support Jewish women in the 21st century,” says Robyn Cohen, director of operations at Olami. “They are giving them direction and a sense of community. Through Souled, we try to strengthen Jewish women, boost their pride, encourage spiritual growth, and give women the best tools they need to represent the Jewish people. This is why our tagline is: Don’t go through life—grow through life”.

Ben Shabat says, “I learn with a wonderful young woman named Jena, who grew up going to church but was proud to be Jewish because of the connection she had with her grandmother who is a Holocaust survivor. We connected because she wanted to learn more about her Jewish roots and wants to have a Jewish home one day. Similarly, I learn with an Indian-born young professional named Natalie, who grew up in Mumbai but moved to America to be closer to a bigger Jewish community where she could grow more. Natalie has been learning about emunah, Jewish faith, with me, and we learn so much from one another.”

The program is fulfilling to the coaches, as well as to women like Jena and Natalie, as both are straddling the Jewish world and the professional secular world. Participants also have access to a vast online library of videos that address various topics such as anxiety, relationships, spirituality, antisemitism and personal growth. Featured speakers include Michal Oshman, head of company culture at TikTok; Beatie Deutsch, national Israeli marathon champion; Ken Spiro, bestselling author and historian; and many more.

Ben Shabat says that being a coach through Souled is a unique experience, and it is inspiring for her to be part of a program that “gives women from vastly different backgrounds the opportunity to explore their Judaism while having a full-time job. I mentor women who are students in college or working corporate jobs. I have a student who works full time at a hospital but still manages to meet with me for a few hours in between shifts.”

“Mentoring gives me so much purpose and meaning in my professional life,” Ben Shabat says. “Each girl comes from a vastly different background and their desire to grow inspires me. They inspire me to be a better person, a better wife, and a better Jew.”

To learn more about Olami Souled, visit: souled.olami.org.