Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Torah Show & Tell

I got a special treat yesterday.  As part of the Early Childhood's preparations for Sukkot and Simchat Torah, I got the special privilege of taking them on a "field trip" to our Boys High School Beit Midrash and showing them what the inside of a real Torah looks like.  We talked about where the Torah is kept, what it's made of, how we "turn the page," and where we put it when we want to read it.  Each of the children also got a chance to stand on a chair and look inside at the writing and how close we were to the end.  They were quick to let me know, though, that as soon as we got to the end it would be time to start all over again...

I think all of our Early Childhood students enjoyed their visit, but I have a feeling I enjoyed it even more. Thank you to Miss Katie for filling in for me as the photographer.  As you'll see below, she did a fantastic job!




Friday, September 13, 2013

CYHSB Night of Learning

The high school boys invited the community to our Beit Midrash on Wednesday night and shared inspiring words of Torah with them in preparation for Yom Kippur.

The evening's program was divided into two parts. It began with a series of group presentations from all of the 11th and 12th grade boys on various aspects of Sefer Yonah which they are currently studying with Rabbi Lubetski.  Each group seized on a different theme that emerges from the book and took us through textual sources that elucidate it and explicate it.  The second half of the program was devoted to a most impressive in-depth, gemara bi-iyyun shiur, delivered by 9th grader Chaim Gersten on the topic of tekiat shofar.  It was truly a thought provoking and uplifting experience for all, and all of the boys who presented should be very proud.

Below are some video clips from the presentations.  Pictures from the event can be found here.