Lamplighters Marks Yud Tes Kislev

Every holiday at Lamplighters is an amazing opportunity to educate children on the quintessential values in Chassidus and instill a sense of pride in being a Lubavitcher. Lamplighters looks to incorporate intentional activities that help make the day more meaningful and personable to each student. Through encouraging teamwork and taking ownership of their Yom Tov experience, we inturn make the day that much more significant to each and every child.

In the preschool classes, children participated in impressionistic lessons, where teachers took a deep Chassidic concept and encapsulated it into a personable analogy. Yud Tes Kislev’s impressionistic lesson was based around the famous Chassidic teaching that every Jew has the same unique spark of G-dliness within. Students were asked to identify the differences in the candles exemplified below, being varying colors, textures and sizes. They then lit the candles, dimmed the lights and asked what similarities were now apparent. With candles lit, students were able to recognize how each candle had the exact same flame, which is analogous to each flame within every Jew.

In the elementary classes, students listened to niggunim while painting a beautiful mural, signifying the important messages of Yud Tes Kislev, and what the Yom Tov means to them.

The upper and lower elementary girls joined forces with our “big sisters”, Bnos Chumash students to create a meaningful and impactful program in honor of Yud Tes Kislev! Girls participated in small chavrusa learning groups, where they discussed the inspirational stories of the Alter Rebbe during his imprisonment. After exploring the rich wisdom of Yud Tes Kislev, students created children picture books based on these stories, with practical explanations as to what important lessons we as Chassidim can derive from them. The elementary boys made their own Barbeque Fleishig lunch for their beautiful Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen.

Though Lamplighters girls started the day as being recipients in their learning with the Bnos Chumash high school girls, they soon became the leaders for the younger classes. Dressed in their festive Yom Tov bows and accessories, elementary students constructed a play and song which they performed for the lower grades.

At Lamplighters, it’s not just about imparting knowledge. It’s about cultivating real change in our perspective and contribution to the world around us. This combined learning program delved deep into the historic knowledge of the chassidic movement, and emphasized each child’s unique relationship to the Rebbe, by igniting their spark with the teachings of Chassidus. In our efforts to build a conscious and whole environment, we are building a generation of thinking and breathing Lamplighters, that are empowered and equipped to create meaningful change. And through offering opportunities for deep engagement and actualizing chassidic ideals, we pray this will precipitate the final era of the coming of Mashiach!