Momentum, a global movement for Jewish mothers, has launched Yomm, the first mobile app designed to bring Jewish women closer together to learn, spark conversations, and nurture connections.
Yomm — which translates to “day” in Hebrew — offers Jewish women worldwide a daily chance to reflect, learn, and “check in” individually with other Jewish women around the world.
In interactive journeys, women immerse themselves in high-value, original videos, audio, and readings from thought leaders like actor and activist Noa Tishby, Jewish educator Zohar Raviv, and psychologist and best-selling author Kelly McGonigal. Women can dive into topics that speak to them, including well-being, spiritual growth, Israel, and taking action.
By providing women with interactive journeys that touch on the communal, spiritual, and social, the app encourages Jewish women and particularly mothers to “switch off the busyness of the outside world.”
The “journeys” or tracks are centered around personal discovery and learning; connecting with a global community of Jewish sisterhood; exploring Jewish wisdom and traditions; and cultivating a sense of gratitude and meaning throughout one’s day. Women can embark on each journey solo or with others, directly messaging each other to share their takeaways and learnings and embark on this journey with others or on their own. In Yomm’s innovative Soul Full feature, users are invited to discover new facets of blessings where they can curate their personalized prayer collection and open the door to meaning, inspiration, and spiritual growth.
The App was created by Momentum, in partnership with the Mayberg Foundation, the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Debra and David Magerman, and Momentum Canada.
The app is being released at a time when the need for connection and community is at an all-time high. Jewish people around the world have emerged from a global pandemic only to witness a disturbing rise in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. Yomm provides Jewish women around the world with a way to come together. Though their languages and traditions may differ, Yomm shows that all Jewish women are connected by a common thread — and, as the organization’s tagline shares, “We’re never lost when we can find each other.”
Yomm complements Momentum’s flagship eight-day trip to Israel – the Momentum Year-Long Journey – that has engaged more than 20,000 Jewish women since 2009. Although the trip lasts for a little over a week, the programming women receive where they can connect with themselves and each other and fully tap into their Jewish heritage lasts for a year or more. With Yomm, Momentum participants can continue that journey online alongside other Jewish women, elevating their Jewish living each day.
“The magic of the Momentum journey where Jewish women from all over the world meet in Israel to uncover something deeper about themselves and their heritage is now finally available on your phone,” said Lori Palatnik, Momentum’s Founding Director. “Whether a woman has already embarked on our in-person experience or is only just getting acquainted with us, Yomm provides them with the ability to continue to grow in their individual, spiritual and communal journey while virtually connecting to other Jewish women around the globe.”
That message was underscored during a recent Momentum event on Nov. 7, where 650 participants had a chance to download the app for the very first time. The evening was a celebration of the synergy between Momentum’s immersive in-person experience and its newly-established digital world available online.
“Connecting with people is powerful. It’s what brought you all together this week here in Israel,” Jordana Cutler, Public Policy Director for Israel and the Jewish Diaspora at Meta, told the audience. “When I heard that Momentum was launching an app, I was so excited about its mission statement. It’s all about connection. Sometimes, you might be the only woman around, the only mom around, the only Jew around. Our people were connected to each other in ancient times and we’re all connected to each other today. It’s just easier because of technology, but you’ll always be able to connect to each other.”
Other notable guests from that evening included philanthropists Dr. Miriam Adelson and Terry Kassel and key members of the Momentum family including Board President, Debbie Hochberg; Founding Director, Lori Palatnik; CEO Ben Pery; Vice President Rachel Chafetz; and Board Members Cindy Zitelman, Rivka Kidron and Connie Lindenauer. The event was hosted by Momentum’s Public Council member and journalist Miri Michaeli.
Momentum has also launched a complementary website that enables Jewish women to tell their stories in their own words. The website provides an interactive spinning globe where 40 Jewish women from around the world such as Cameroon, the Czech Republic, India, El Salvador, the United States, and other countries share their Jewish journeys and everyday lives via high-quality, personal videos. Visitors are then encouraged to add to the conversation by submitting their own testimonies.
The spark of connection generated when visitors hear each other’s stories on the Yomm website will deepen on the app, uniting and inspiring a global community of Jewish women.
By working in tandem, the app and website enable women from around the world to dive into inspiring Jewish learning, spark real conversations and genuine connections, and ultimately bridge the distance between each other.
Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs handpicked Momentum to establish Yomm, understanding that Momentum’s substantial reach and network of more than 20,000 diverse Jewish women from 34 countries makes the organization the ideal partner for cultivating the global Jewish sisterhood. With its undisputed expertise in profound, Jewish learning experiences, Momentum is uniquely situated to expand into the digital space.
Founded in 2009, Momentum’s four central goals are connecting to Jewish values, engaging with Israel, taking action, and fostering unity without uniformity. The limitations on travel presented by the COVID-19 pandemic motivated the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs to tap Momentum to create a digital experience capturing the magic and wonder of the organization’s immersive trips and retreats for Jewish women, translating that experience into an ongoing digital journey.
