A ceremony for the presentation of commemorative gifts was held in Dnipro for those participants of the EnerJew program, supported by JRNU – “Bar/Bat Mitzvah UPGRADE 5786” – who were unable to take part in the large final EnerJew Shabbaton in Western Ukraine, where most of the course graduates had previously been honored.
The ceremony served as a continuation of the program’s conclusion, which throughout the school year helped teenagers prepare for one of the most significant events in Jewish life – reaching Jewish adulthood. The course brought together a large number of participants from various communities across Ukraine, who studied Jewish traditions, values, and the fundamentals of fulfilling mitzvos. The culmination of this informal education program was a series of celebratory events dedicated to the graduates’ entry into a new stage of life.
Chief Rabbi of EnerJew Ukraine, Moshe Leib Weber, and his wife Shoshanna Weber came to congratulate the graduates and their families. Amidst numerous l’chaims and toasts, words of gratitude and good wishes were shared in a warm and joyful atmosphere, celebrating the children’s achievements during their studies.
The culmination of the gathering was the presentation of commemorative sets, which included tefillin, a tzedakah box, a Siddur, and detailed instructions for laying tefillin. These gifts are intended to help the young men make the daily fulfillment of one of the most important mitzvos an integral part of their Jewish life after reaching the age of bar mitzvah.
“We are very pleased that this year, so many children successfully completed the ‘Bar/Bat Mitzvah UPGRADE 5786’ course and seriously prepared for their entry into adult Jewish life,” said Beila Letychevska, Coordinator of the EnerJew club in Dnipro. “It is very important to us that every program participant not only receives the necessary knowledge but also feels the support of the community and is able to begin fulfilling the mitzvos independently, with all the necessary tools at hand. We hope that next year even more Jewish children will join the program, and we will be able to help them properly prepare for their bar and bat mitzvah. We sincerely thank EnerJew Ukraine, the Jewish Relief Network Ukraine, Rabbi Moshe Leib Weber and Rebbetzin Shoshi Weber for their constant support of the program, as well as everyone who helps educate the new generation of our united and cohesive Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
