The Jewish Community of Dnipro gave a wonderful gift to all teachers of the Levi Yitzchak Schneerson Jewish Lyceum No. 144 at the start of the new school year—an off-site team-building retreat at the luxurious and comfortable Kohavi Forest Club complex, located in a picturesque and environmentally clean area on the banks of the Samara River.
The lyceum’s teachers, including both veterans of Jewish education and those who recently joined the team of the leading educational institution of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, spent the entire day in the enchanting atmosphere of a large, close-knit family, surrounded by beautiful nature. Delicious kosher meals, outdoor relaxation, a beach, a pool, and, of course, team-building activities—such as a painting masterclass, a humorous show that required displaying various talents and demonstrating knowledge, and plenty of friendly conversation—helped the teachers get to know each other better and sometimes even reveal themselves from an unexpected side. All of this allowed them not only to relax but also to become an even more united and cohesive team, bound by shared values.
An important part of the team-building event for the lyceum’s teaching staff was fulfilling the tradition of hearing the shofar blown every weekday of the month of Elul, a key moment of spiritual preparation for the approaching Rosh Ha-Shanah. The shofar-blowing ceremony at Kohavi Forest Club for the teachers was conducted by one of the activists of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, Naatan Lazariev, a participant of the “Stars Intensive” programs.
“Our goal was to unite the team and give our wonderful teachers a great boost of energy for the entire school year, while organizing everything in a relaxed atmosphere of carefree rest—and we succeeded wonderfully,” said Aliza Rabinovych, deputy director of the Jewish Lyceum. “This was made possible thanks to the Jewish Community of Dnipro and personally Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki, who approved this project and supported it in every way. The teachers were very pleased and sincerely thanked everyone for this wonderful day, which helped us get to know each other better and gain a tremendous charge of positive energy.”
