Winner of 5786 International Chinuch Pitch Announced
After months of anticipation, rounds of judging, and thousands of mechanchim votes, the ultimate winner of this year’s Chinuch Pitch was officially chosen at the grand finale of the Kinus HaMechanchim.
Rabbi Yoel Vogel’s Mechanchim Exchange Resource Drive was announced as the winner of this year’s Chinuch Pitch, receiving an $18,000 grant at the finale of the 26th Annual International Kinus HaMechanchim on Wednesday afternoon.
The winning initiative is designed to create a centralized system where mechanchim can share and access quality classroom resources, helping educators save time, benefit from one another’s work, and bring stronger materials into their classrooms.
“The Rebbe taught us that technology and modern advancements were brought into the world for a higher, holy purpose,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, General Chairman of Merkos’s Chinuch Office. “That principle is at the heart of the Chinuch Pitch. Our job is to give mechanchim the support they need to scale their on-the-ground innovations to ensure our children’s future.”
The Chinuch Pitch was launched with a clear goal: to give mechanchim a platform to identify real needs in chinuch and propose practical, innovative solutions that can make a meaningful difference in classrooms and schools.
It began with one question: What would you do to improve Chinuch with $18,000?
Mechanchim submitted ideas addressing challenges they see firsthand. A panel of judges reviewed the proposals for their toichen, innovation, practicality, and ability to fill a real need, narrowing the submissions to a Top Ten.
The wider chinuch community was then invited to review the pitches and vote for the ideas they felt could have the greatest impact. That public vote, together with judges’ input, determined the three finalists who presented live at the Kinus.
Taking the stage were Rabbi Yoel Vogel with Mechanchim Exchange Resource Drive, Rabbi Zalmy Kudan representing The Jewish Classroom, and Rabbi Shneur Zalman Phillips with Real Life Lessons.
Moderated by Rabbi Zash Itkin, Principal Cheder Chabad Florida, the finale gave each finalist the opportunity to present the challenge behind his idea, the solution he was proposing, and how it could strengthen chinuch in practice.
The program also featured an update from last year’s Chinuch Pitch winners, Rabbi Levi Lipinski and Rabbi Shmuly Gniwisch, who shared the progress they have made in developing the Chinuch app since presenting their winning pitch.
After the presentations, Kinus attendees cast their votes live, selecting the Mechanchim Exchange Resource Drive as the winning pitch.
The $18,000 grant will now help move the initiative from concept to implementation, creating a practical way for mechanchim to exchange resources and strengthen one another’s classrooms.
photo credit: Sholem Srugo/Chinuch Office
