Whirlwind Chai Elul for Cheder Chabad of Baltimore

Chai Elul at the Cheder Chabad of Baltimore saw a whirlwind of activities and inspiration. The boys division and many fathers gathered for a multi sectional event and farbrengen.

The Menahel, Rabbi Ephraim Sorkin, welcomed the boys and the parents. He introduced Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, Head Shliach to the State of Maryland and Rabbi Elchonon Lisbon the founder of the Cheder and the Rabbi Congregation Ohel Levi Yitzchok. Rabbis Kaplan and Lisbon shared words and stories on the importance of learning Torah and doing Teshuva. All the talmidim were given grape juice to say Lechaim, and everyone joined in to sing along in singing some of the niggunim of the Alter Rebbe played by Rabbi Mendel Chazan.

The highlight of the event was the distributing of the seforim for those that had participated in the Torah Baal Peh program. In the center of the room were stacked hundreds of seforim as prizes for last years winners. This past year, Cheder Chabad piloted a six-month program where talmidim were encouraged to learn a range of Torah by heart. Coordinated by Rabbi Dovid Wilansky, many talmidim learned Tanya, Mishnayos, Gemara and various other fundamentals by heart.

The Baal Peh program ran from 19 Kislev until Lag B’Omer and was met with resounding success. A special thank you to Rabbi Levi Raichik for his dedication to this project.

The Girls division, too, was filled with Chai Elul energy. Organized by Mrs. Shterna Nemni, each class of the elementary school was given a special farbrengen bag which included stories and games connected with Chai Elul. Each student received some grape juice to say Lechaim and participate in their class farbrengen.

The middle school all gathered together for a school wide program arranged by Bnos Chabad coordinator, Mrs. Chana Kaplan. The girls sat for a round table farbrengen focusing on the unique revolution brought about by the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe. The girls then performed improv skits acting out the elements of what had been discussed at the farbrengen. They then all made a beautiful candle making art project with a personalized takeaway call to action.

In our preschool, each class had farbrengens with stories and special treats. Every child made a craft about Chai Elul, necklaces and crowns to name a few. Some classes even baked a birthday cake in honor of the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe.

Chaya Bracha Rubin flew in from Albany, NY to sing for the Nshei Chabad of Baltimore Chai Elul women’s event, and sang her original kids’ songs for Cheder Chabad the next morning.

For more information about Cheder Chabad of Baltimore visit mycheder.com. For sponsorship and donation opportunities please email rechaikin@mycheder.com.