At the “Beit Zindlicht” Children’s Educational Center, the leading early childhood institution of the Dnipro Jewish Community, active and thoughtful preparation for the Pesach holiday took place, in which the children participated directly, engaging with the traditions not only through explanations but also through practical action.
In the days leading up to Pesach, a thorough cleaning took place at Beit Zindlicht, during which the children, together with their teachers, carefully tidied up the rooms, dusted books and all surfaces, striving to leave not a single crumb of chametz. This format allowed them not only to carry out preparatory tasks but also to understand their meaning as an important part of approaching the holiday.
After the cleaning was completed, a symbolic “bedikas chametz” was conducted in each group – the children used a candle to search for leftover crumbs, carefully gathered them into bags, and then performed a symbolic burning of the chametz, recreating the procedure that will be observed at home on the eve of Pesach. Throughout the process, they were given detailed explanations of how this mitzvah is performed and why it holds such significance.
The next stage of preparation was a model Seder, during which the children became acquainted with the main elements of the festive meal. The teachers explained each item on the festive ke’arah in detail, showing them and explaining the order of the Seder, so that the children could confidently and knowledgeably participate in it at home or at community events.
“Preparation for Pesach in our kindergarten involves great participation from the children,” noted kindergarten educator Naomi Chaya Yavorska. “We strive for each child not only to hear about the traditions but also to prepare to perform them in practice, to understand the sequence of actions, and to feel their connection to the life of our united and cohesive Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
