Huge Victory for Tzivos Hashem Chidon

We won! And what a huge victory!

The Chidon launch video describes the incredible fight our chayolim have faced and how they have won a huge victory.

It’s been a challenging year for everyone.

Chidon was one of the first to get hit. Rabbi Yerachmiel Benjaminson, executive director of Tzivos Hashem, recalls the situation last Purim, telling the schools that as long as the airlines are flying and Madison Square Gardens was open Chidon would go on. How would it have been possible to hold Chidon any other way? But then the announcement came from the president.

Chidon fought on and made sure every child got their sweaters. We made the Chidon final online and then went on to produce an incredible virtual event. Afterwards, we followed up to ensure that every child got their awards.

Headquarters was still hoping to make the Grand Shabbaton, but as the year came to an end it became clear that that would not be possible, at which point they offered refunds to the parents.

While parents were very grateful, the children were discouraged. Of course, they understood the situation, but they had been promised a reward and did not get it.

Parents were contacting HQ and asking for help because their children were not interested in learning for the Chidon anymore. The Yetzer Hora was fighting hard.

Rabbi Shimmy Weinbaum, general of the Chayolei Tzivos Hashem Brigade, appealed to the chayolim of Tzivos Hashem to be real soldiers, to be resilient, and to bounce back and focus on the mission. He promised them that this year we would not let them down.

And indeed, the chayolim acted like real soldiers and over 5000 signed up.

But Headquarters’ promise became hard to fulfill. Time was moving on and there was no sign of the coronavirus clearing up. Even the option of making regional Chidons appeared impossible.

The plot thickened when all the sweaters and awards made in China got delayed due to the coronavirus and could not make it in time.

The children and Base Commanders kept asking what would happen this year. All Headquarters could say in response was that the Yetzer Hora was fighting hard.

Despite not knowing how they would be rewarded, the children kept on learning. This year, a record number of 4,320 chayolim passed all four qualifying tests.

Finally, this past Thursday, the Chidon launch video unveiled the master plan for Chidon 5781.

The children came home with such excitement. One child who did not end up signing up said, “I wish I would have known how amazing this year’s Chidon would be. I would have for sure signed up.”

“The children truly deserve this special reward,” says Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch. “These children have collectively learned for over 300,000 hours in their spare time. It’s incredible to think how much nachas the Rebbe is getting from this program.”

The Chidon is dedicated by Mr. George Rohr in honor of his mother, Mrs. Sara (Charlotte) Rohr.

The Chidon Experience 5781 Launch Video: