At the “Beit Tzindlicht” children’s educational center, the leading preschool institution of the Dnipro Jewish Community, the main theme of the week was water and its amazing properties. The children became acquainted with one of the most important elements of the world created by the Almighty, learned about its significance for all living things, and through exciting experiments, observations, and creative activities, discovered for themselves the various properties of water.
During the classes, the children learned that pure water is transparent and has no smell, but can take on different colors if dye is added to it. The little researchers independently observed the transformation of clear water into colorful water, became familiar with the differences between cold and hot water, touched ice, and watched with interest as it melted under the influence of warm water. Experiments with various objects that the children lowered into water, testing which of them sink and which remain on the surface, aroused particular interest.
Another part of the themed week was classes on water purification, during which the children learned about the possibility of removing impurities from water. In addition, the children created crafts from natural materials, developing their imagination, fine motor skills, and ability to work with the gifts of the surrounding world. All these activities helped the children not only gain their first ideas about natural phenomena, but also learn to observe attentively, compare, experiment, and independently find answers to the questions that arise.
“It is very important to us that children learn from an early age to see the amazing wisdom of the Almighty in the world around them, because even such an ordinary thing as water reveals to a child a multitude of amazing phenomena and patterns,” noted kindergarten teacher Malka Averbuch. “Through such simple experiments and observations, we not only develop curiosity and a striving for knowledge, but also cultivate a caring and grateful attitude toward the world that the Almighty created for us. This is how we lay the foundations of the worldview of the new generation of Jews, combining knowledge of the surrounding world with education in an atmosphere of Yiddishkeit. For the opportunity to give our children such a comprehensive education and upbringing, we wholeheartedly thank the unified and cohesive Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
