At the “Beit Zindlicht” Children’s Educational Center, the leading early childhood institution of the Dnipro Jewish Community, a special educational program took place as part of the preparations for Pesach – a children’s matzah bakery, where the students were able to go through all the stages of matzah-making on their own.
Prior to this session, the children had visited the renowned Dnipro matzah bakery “Tiferet Matzot” for an excursion, where they were introduced to the process of baking matzah shmurah. However, an important part of the preparation was not merely observation but also hands-on participation – a play matzah bakery was set up right at Beit Zindlicht, where the children could try their hand at making matzah themselves.
During the session, the children independently mixed dough from flour and water, divided it into portions, rolled it into thin circles, and perforated it, sequentially going through all the main stages of matzah preparation. This format allowed them not only to see the process but to understand it more deeply through personal involvement and practical experience.
Such sessions are an important part of the Pesach preparation at Beit Zindlicht. The students study the history of the holiday, become acquainted with its traditions, learn songs, and prepare to participate in the Seder, gradually internalizing the significance of the Exodus from Egypt and the idea of Freedom in Jewish tradition.
“For our students, this was not merely an introduction to the process of matzah-making, but a genuine immersion in the preparation for Pesach,” noted Naomi Chaya Yavorska, an educator at Beit Zindlicht. “The opportunity to go through all the stages independently helps the children understand the tradition more deeply and feel their own personal connection. Such sessions become an important part of the educational process, implemented with the support of the united and cohesive Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
