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Miami Students Rewarded with Trip to New York

The nine winners of Lubavitch Elementary School of Miami’s Tanya B’al Peh contest earned a trip to New York, where they visited the Rebbe’s Ohel and attended the world’s largest Lag Ba’omer parade on Eastern Parkway.

The project, which stoked the enthusiasm of the entire elementary school, resulted in a total of over 15,000 lines of Sefer Tanya learned by both the boys’ and girls’ departments.  While some students were motivated by the possibility of winning a trip to New York, having never been to Lubavitch Headquarters or the Ohel, others were inspired by the challenge of learning as many lines as possible by heart.  The idea of being present at and participating in the Great Lag B’Omer Parade was an added bonus!  Either way, students were willfully giving up there recess, lunch and P.E. breaks to be able to learn as much as possible.

The Tanya B’al Peh contest was instituted in honor of the Alter Rebbe, founder of the Chabad movement and author of Sefer Tanya, which is considered the fundamental text of Chabad-Lubavitch philosophy.  The contest was also held in honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, as a gift for his 112th birthday.

Each day students in grades 1 – 6 patiently waited in line to be tested by parents, classmates and teachers.  Even preschool students, who were not officially in the contest, after witnessing the excitement of their older siblings, learned lines on their own and asked to be tested.

In the Elementary school, students from as young as first grade completed an entire chapter.  Any preconceptions one may have had of how young children are not fond of memorization, were proven false by the Tanya B’al Peh contest.  With over 90% of the student body participating, this was an effort to bring Moshaich that no child wanted to miss out on.

The goal of learning Tanya B’al Peh, as instructed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, is to help spiritually purify the world with the intention of bringing Moshiach.  Children of all ages, inspired by this objective, gave their best effort to stand by the Rebbe, with the words of Pikei Avos as their motto:  “Yogaity u’matzosi, ta’amin”—“If one says, ‘I have worked and I have succeeded,’ believe him.”

The contest winners from the Elementary boys were 3rd graders Uriel Menachem and Mendel Smith, 4th grader Mendel Zavdi, and 6thgraders Dovi Pinhas and Mendy Rubinstein.  The boys were accompanied by 6th grade teacher Rabbi Yehuda Andusier.  Special mention goes to grand prize winners Tzvi Gotkin, Yehuda Reinetz, Dovid Tennenhaus, and Zalman Steinberg for winning a $100 gift card.

A separate trip was arranged for girls, led by the Elementary school girls’ program director Chani Dalfin. Winners were Toby Marlow, Simcha Betesh and Golda Aaronson.  Special mention goes to Rivka Brody, Chana Chanowitz and Leah Lehr for winning a $100 gift card.

The trip was made possible by a generous grant from World Trade Office Solutions, and was arranged and secured through the efforts of its local associate Amir Ben-Ishay.  A tremendous debt of gratitude goes to the World Trade Office Solutions Company for its devotion in encouraging and inspiring today’s youth.

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10 Comments

  • go chani

    chani,
    we appreciate all that you do for our children!
    hashem should bless you with all the brochos!!!!!!!

  • Chani Dalfin

    Chani is a true role model. LEC is lucky to have her on their staff. Keep on inspiring the Rebbe’s children.

  • very proud

    What a special group of boys.
    What a brilliant way to learn Tanya by heart.
    What special teacher who thought of such an idea.
    I am just so proud of these boys.
    I know that the Aibershter and Rebbe are looking on you five boys and smiling.
    Continue learning and growing in Yiddishkeit.
    You are a great example to your friends.
    Mendy R your brothers have a big act to follow