One of the most significant concluding events of the “Bar/Bat Mitzvah UPGRADE 5786” program, implemented by the Jewish youth movement EnerJew Ukraine with the support of the charitable organization JRNU, was a large off-site Shabbaton held in June in Western Ukraine.
The graduation Shabbaton is an important part of the educational program, helping children properly mark their coming of age in accordance with Jewish tradition and transition to participation in other JRNU teen programs. It was therefore fitting that two EnerJew educational projects took place simultaneously at the same location – the “Bar/Bat Mitzvah” Shabbaton for this year’s program graduates and the “Code of a Hero” program for participants of the EnerJew projects who have already reached Jewish adulthood. The delegation from Dnipro included ten teenagers from the Dnipro Jewish Community, students of the Levi Yitzchak Schneerson Jewish Lyceum No. 144, who had completed the course of preparation for Jewish adulthood, as well as the Weber and Tereshkevich families.
The Shabbaton program was rich and varied – the children attended lessons and prayers, participated in workshops, educational activities, quests, and excursions. This full program made it possible to combine meaningful recreation, interaction with peers from other cities, exposure to new aspects of Jewish tradition, and vivid impressions of time spent together.
A special place in the program was occupied by the ceremonial graduation ceremony for the “Bar/Bat Mitzvah” project graduates. During the ceremony, participants received commemorative gifts symbolizing their entry into a new stage of Jewish life. The boys from Dnipro – Amir Arsenyuk, Matvii Salanzhiy, and Tamir Shaulov – were presented with tefillin, while the girls – Maya Riabukha, Rivekka Saienko, Sara Morozova, Ksenia Mykhailusova, and Kira Bondar – received silver candlesticks. Several other program graduates who were unable to participate in the Shabbaton will receive their gifts later in Dnipro.
“The Shabbaton was a very important part of concluding the ‘Bar/Bat Mitzvah UPGRADE 5786’ program, which for many months had been helping teenagers prepare for their entry into adult Jewish life,” noted Beila Letychevska, Coordinator of the EnerJew club in Dnipro and Project Director. “For the children, it was an opportunity not only to mark the completion of the course and receive their well-deserved gifts but also to spend several days in a rich Jewish atmosphere filled with interaction, new knowledge, and vivid impressions. We sincerely thank EnerJew Ukraine and the Jewish Relief Network Ukraine for supporting such important projects for Jewish children and teenagers, and for the opportunity to organize meaningful kosher recreation that helps strengthen Jewish identity and connection to tradition. Such programs are an important part of educating the new generation of our united and cohesive Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
