The leaders of the Dnipro Jewish Community’s youth project “DJCY-STL-STARS Dnipro,” supported by STL, Leah Lazareva and Eliyahu Ivakhnenko, created a special game for the period of Sefirat HaOmer. Inspired by a popular Ukrainian TV show, the game — titled Field — was adapted with deep Jewish meanings.
The game is based on the ancient Jewish ritual of bringing a sheaf of barley to the Temple, expressing gratitude to the Almighty and preparing for the giving of the Torah on Shavuot. Today, in the absence of the Temple, we count the days of the Omer instead. Leah Lazareva and Eliyahu Ivakhnenko proposed a competition where teams didn’t compete for imaginary money, but for barley stalks — whoever gathered a full sheaf would be declared the winner.
Before the game’s debut, Leah Lazareva led an introductory session explaining the meaning behind the days of Sefirat HaOmer, what character traits we develop during this time, and how even a game can become a tool for spiritual growth. At the first game, team leaders were chosen, teams were formed, and members were assigned to answer different question categories — “Professions,” “Famous Personalities,” “Animals,” “Cars,” and more. When a slide from a category appeared, players had to answer as quickly as possible to earn valuable stalks.
“It was really fun and interesting, but also quite challenging,” says project leader Chaya Maltseva. “For example, players had to identify an animal from just a photo of part of its paw, or name a car’s brand from a photo. And interestingly, the girls outperformed the boys in that category!”
After the game’s success in Dnipro, many Stars clubs across Ukraine expressed interest in using this unique adaptation. They were granted permission on the condition that they acknowledge the game’s original creators — Leah Lazareva and Eliyahu Ivakhnenko.
“It’s such a joy to see this game spreading throughout the country,” Chaya Maltseva proudly notes, “Now, Stars clubs in cities all over Ukraine can hold their own ‘barley battles,’ feeling like part of one nation journeying toward Shavuot.”
