Seminary Honors Principal’s Father

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Shmulik Sofer

This past Thursday, the Pnimiyut Seminary in Tel Aviv for Chabad girls put on its annual “Production,” a theatrical show which the students write, compose and direct in both Hebrew and English.

A personal tragedy loomed over the play when Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Chitrik, father of Pnimiyut’s principal Mrs. Esther Piekarski, passed away in Crown Heights at the age of 84.

While Mrs. Piekarski traveled to New York for the levaya and shiva, the girls were told to continue with the production, and they decided to dedicate it in his honor – the first Shliach the Rebbe sent in this generation.

The theme of the show, titled “Breaking Free: Overcoming Obstacles and Breaking Free of One’s Boundaries,” tells the story of a young boy counting sheep trying to fall asleep at night and finds out how each sheep chooses to go over the fence.

Each sheep was played out through drama, dance or song, bringing out the different ways Chassidus teaches us to overcome challenges – be it by Mesirus Nefesh, ‘Lechatchila Ariber’, team work and other themes.

With this year having a second year program at the seminary (Shana Beis), all the girls worked together and used their specific talents (song, dance, writing, or directing) to grow, learn and gain from each other’s experience.

To conclude the production, a Sicha from the Rebbe about Hei Teves – Didan Notzach was played. In it, the Rebbe brings out these ideas of overcoming challenges and us being able to reach a higher level thereafter.

“This production is the culmination of the first semester of Seminary and encompasses our girls’ very essence,” the Seminary told COLlive. ‘It speaks loud and clear for a Lubavitch Seminary girl in 5772, her trials and challenges – trying to make sure the Torah and the Rebbe guide her everyday life.”