A New Pair of Tzitzis for Ben
If you’re a CGI camper in Northridge, CA, Billings, MT, or Raleigh, NC, your Jewish education can’t be taken for granted. Hebrew School might compete with Little League practice, a big test might be given on a Jewish holiday, and you’d be surrounded by other kids who have never seen anyone in a kippah before.
But it’s CGI campers like these, in small towns and big cities all across the world, that are getting inspired and transforming their lives this summer—even from as young as 8 years old.
In honor of Gimmel Tammuz, CKids Tzivos Hashem produced an interactive Gimmel Tammuz rally for thousands of kids around the world to join in. “Every shliach was able to make this day meaningful for kids who had never heard of the Rebbe before,” says Risa Bursk, CKids Tzivos Hashem director.
Over 12,000 Gan Israel campers united to watch the live stream. The fast-paced program, led by the dynamic Avremi Rappaport, included pesukim, raffles, and entertainment. When it ended, head counselors passed around hachlata pledge cards, designed at CKids headquarters, to all the campers.
At Camp Gan Israel of Northridge, CA, camp director Tzippy Rivkin asked her niece, Raizel Rivkin, to stand up.
“Does everyone know Raizel?” she asked. “Her father is going to take all of your mitzvah pledges and fly to New York to bring them to the Rebbe’s Ohel.”
Campers were fascinated, especially one child, Ben. “He’s flying all the way to New York just to visit the Rebbe’s Ohel?” Ben asked. “Wow. Then I’m going to do a really big mitzvah pledge!”
Ben pledged to start wearing tzitzis to camp every day. On the spot, he was gifted a pair of colorful CKids tzitzis and honored at the camp’s weekly Shabbos party. “Since then, he’s been wearing them every day,” says Tzippy.
“The summer is a chance for kids who may not feel connected to Judaism all year long to plug in for an immersive experience of authentic Yiddishkeit,” says Rabbi Zalmy Loewenthal, CKids director.
With the encouragement of shluchim around the world using high-quality resources from CKids headquarters, kids are getting a richer experience than ever, allowing them to grow in their commitment to Torah.
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302 shared, “CKids campers are lighting up the world one mitzvah at a time.”
Missed the rally? Catch the lives team at Chabad.org/CKidsLive
