Counting Toward Sinai Speakers

Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman is the founding director of the OU Women’s Initiative. She is a community leader with over three decades of teaching experience in New York, Alabama and Pennsylvania. She received a PhD in Educational Psychology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, MS in School Psychology from Queens College and MA in Jewish Education and a Certificate in Educational Technology from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University.  She received a Teacher’s Certificate from Beth Jacob Seminary (BJJ).  She is the rebbetzin of the Lower Merion Synagogue as well as the co-chair of the Lower Merion Community Mikvah in Bala Cynwyd, PA.  She is a kallah teacher and mikvah attendant.  She and her husband, Rabbi Avraham Shmidman, live in Bala Cynwyd, PA and are the parents of four sons. 

Michal Horowitz delivers weekly shiurim in her community of the Five Towns, NY, while her zoom shiurim reach audiences around the world. She has been a scholar in residence in schools and communities, nationally and internationally. In September 2023, Michal was a keynote speaker at Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis’ Pre-Yamim Noraim Conference, for the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. At the OU Women’s Initiative, she inaugurated the Torat Imecha Parsha program presenting weekly shiurim on Sefer Bereishit. Michal taught Yehoshua, Tehillim 36-41, and Divrei Hayamim II to over 5,000 women across the globe as part of the Torat Imecha Nach Yomi cycle I. She taught Tehillim 1-41, and Mishlei for cycle II.  Michal presented Rosh Chodesh, Selichot Night and Nach Yomi Siyum shiurim and taught in-depth courses at the ALIT Virtual Summer Learning Programs of 2020, ’21, ’22, and ’23.  Michal’s weekly OU Parsha shiur can be found on the AllParsha App. She has thousands of audio and video shiurim online.  Her writings have been published in YU’s Torah-To-Go, HaMizrachi, the OU’s Jewish Action magazine, and most recently in “Reclaiming Dignity: A Guide to Tzniut”.  Her story can be found on all major streaming platforms on the “Rolling With the Punches” Podcast, Episode 14, Sounds of Silence. Michal lives in Woodmere, NY with her husband and family. 

Rebbetzin Tzipora Weinberg is an acclaimed lecturer, educator and consultant, serving museums and educational institutions in the US and abroad, with specialization in the fields of Tanakh and Holocaust Education. She has received numerous fellowships and awards for her historical work, including the Dr. Sophie Bookhalter Fellowship at the Center for Jewish History. She is currently a Fellow at the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. Rebbetzin Weinberg is creator and host of Veiled Reference, a podcast that focuses on Jewish women’s histories. She is the founding Director of The WELL, a groundbreaking daytime women’s learning center in Brooklyn, and is Rebbetzin of Kahal Lev Avos in North Woodmere. At the OU Women’s Initiative, Rebbetzin Weinberg presented has given multiple shiurim including: Rosh Chodesh Lunch ‘n Learn shiur, Counting Toward Sinai Tefillah Series, Nach Shabbat Scholar-in-Residence Program, and Sefer Tehillim 42-89 for Torat Imecha Nach Yomi.