The Beit Tsindlicht Children’s Educational Center, the leading preschool of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, held festive matinees for the middle and senior groups during the holiday of Hanukkah. These events became an important part of the center’s Hanukkah program and brought children, parents, and teachers together in a shared celebration.
The lighting of the Hanukkah candles for these holidays was led by Rabbi Levi Artyushkin in the middle group, and by Chaim Sokolsky in the senior group, along with his children, all students of Beit Tsindlicht.
The matinees were structured like a theatrical performance, with the participation of the teachers. The central plot line was a humorous skit featuring Rabbi Kalman and Chana Zelda. As the story unfolds, Rabbi Kalman asks his wife to bake Hanukkah donuts, and Chana Zelda sends him to the market each time to buy sugar, flour, and butter. This recurring motif becomes the basis for the plot’s development, as it turns out that Chana Zelda has a new motive for refusing to fulfill her husband’s request, citing “no more strength,” so Rabbi Kalman is forced to bake the donuts himself, which concludes the story with good humor.
During the morning performances, the children sang and danced, participating in various creative activities with their mothers: there were joint dances and songs, and the most touching moment was the children singing a song about how they will take care of their mothers if the house is dark. The children and their parents were also treated to a special Hanukkah presentation, which revealed the main meanings in a form understandable and accessible to preschoolers.
“It’s important to us that Chanukah at Beit Tsindlicht is a celebration that unites children, parents, and teachers,” said Beit Tsindlicht Director Risha Gurevich. “In addition to the morning performances, we had numerous Chanukah activities, games, and events. Every day, one father in each group lit a Chanukah candle with their child. We are sincerely grateful to everyone who participated in our Chanukah—the teachers, parents, our friends, and supporters. Together, we create a space of celebration, tradition, and family togetherness for the children, fulfilling the crucial mission of educating the younger generation of our united and cohesive Jewish community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezky.”
