During the days of Chol HaMoed Sukkot, a large-scale festive event was held for the students of the Levi Yitzchak Schneerson Jewish Lyceum No. 144, a leading educational institution of the Dnipro Jewish Community, and their parents on the grounds of the world’s largest Jewish center, “Menorah.”
The event was organized by the lyceum together with the “DJCY – STL kids – JFuture” program, with the support of the Dnipro Jewish Community, and took place simultaneously across four locations. After a joint gathering, welcoming words, and a brief explanation of the upcoming activities, the parents headed to the sukkah of the MHPI “Beit Chana,” where they performed the holiday commandments under the guidance of the deputy director of the Jewish Lyceum, Aliza Rabinovich, and the head of STL children’s programs, Adina Seldina. This was followed by a team-based entertainment program in a competitive format under the slogan “Zman Simchateinu” – to enhance the joy of the holiday.
The lyceum students were divided into three age groups, and each group sequentially visited three thematic stations. In the sukkah of the “Menorah” center, the children not only performed the commandments of “Netilat Lulav” and “Leishev BaSukkah” but also enjoyed kosher holiday treats like hot dogs, desserts, and various teas, reciting the appropriate blessings. Practical help in performing the commandments was provided to the children by students from the “Beit LeBanim” boys’ boarding school, while lyceum teachers explained the spiritual meaning of the commandments and their importance for both each individual and the Jewish people as a whole.
At the second station, held in the informal education space of the Dnipro Jewish Community on the eighth floor of the “Menorah” center, a mini-quest was conducted for each group, with tasks symbolizing the Four Species. “The Chassidic tradition likens the Four Species to four groups of Jews, and only together do they constitute the Jewish people,” explains Adina Seldina. “We created a game that emphasizes this aspect of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s teaching: to show how important every Jew is, we created an ‘Aravah’ station where the result could only be achieved when everyone acted in harmony, where success depended even on the smallest movement of each participant. Other stations symbolized the Etrog, Lulav, and Hadas – representing Torah study, good deeds, and their synthesis. Therefore, for correct answers in the quiz, children received money designated for Tzedakah – knowledge was transformed into good deeds. Furthermore, there was a station where one could do good even without knowledge – by transforming a white canvas into a bright painting with a wise saying. Three such paintings from each group will be donated to the “Beit Baruch” Home for the Elderly at the end of October, further emphasizing the integration and collaboration within our united and close-knit Dnipro Jewish Community.”
The third station was dedicated to the joy of the Sukkot holiday – a caramel-making workshop. The children tried to create a “sweet lulav” from four types of candies symbolizing the Four Species. Not everyone succeeded, but it brought much joy and satisfaction.
“Our event turned out to be very vibrant and demonstrated the unity of our community and the collaboration of its various institutions,” noted Aliza Rabinovich. “The main organizational work was undertaken by the lyceum and STL, but we received great help from MHPI ‘Beit Chana,’ the ‘Beit LeBanim’ boarding school, the ‘Menorah’ center, and our friends. And the wonderful paintings created by the children will be solemnly presented by a lyceum delegation to the residents of ‘Beit Baruch’ on October 29th. We are immensely grateful for this to our wonderful Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
