The students of the “Bais LeBanos” girls’ boarding school, a unique social institution of the Dnipro Jewish Community, spent the holiday of Sukkot combining the observance of Jewish traditions, the fulfillment of mitzvos, and participation in mivtzoim with a full program of recreation and entertainment. The girls spent the first days of the holiday at the “Kohavi Forest Club” countryside retreat, located on the banks of the Samara River, and during Chol HaMoed, new and exciting activities awaited them. The festive program concluded with a return to Dnipro and participation in the Hoshana Rabbah prayer in the synagogue on the eve of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
At the “Kohavi Forest Club,” wonderful conditions were arranged for the boarding school students to rest and celebrate Sukkot. The girls took part in various sports games, swam in the pool, walked in the fresh air, and enjoyed spending time together. A special place in the program was occupied by festive meals in the sukkah, which allowed the girls to fulfill one of the primary mitzvos of Sukkot and experience the joy of the holiday in an atmosphere of friendship and unity.
During Chol HaMoed, the program continued with new entertainment. The students visited amusement rides and bowling, gained many vivid impressions, and took part in various mivtzoim, thanks to which the festive days became for them not only a time of rest but also an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to Jewish traditions and share with those around them the joy of fulfilling mitzvos.
An important conclusion to this part of the festive program was the return of the boarding school students to Dnipro. The girls came to the synagogue for the Hoshana Rabbah prayer to prepare, together with the Jewish community, for the final holidays of the month of Tishrei – Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Thus, the full days of rest, festive meals, and entertainment found their natural continuation in prayer and spiritual preparation for the special days of the Jewish calendar.
“It is very important for our girls that the holidays be filled not only with joy and vivid impressions, but also with a deep sense of their belonging to the Jewish people, its traditions, and spiritual life,” noted Rinah Averbuch, madrichah of the “Bais LeBanos” boarding school. “The holiday of Sukkot gave the students the opportunity to spend wonderful time together, fulfill mitzvos, participate in mivtzoim, and then return to Dnipro and, together with the community, welcome the final holidays of the month of Tishrei. It is precisely thanks to the constant care and comprehensive support of the unified and cohesive Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki, that our students can grow in an atmosphere of Yiddishkeit, surrounded by attention, warmth, and love, experiencing the joy of Jewish life in all its manifestations.”
