Rabbi takes life lessons to classroom

Students at Cayman Prep and High School recently received a real–life demonstration to complement what they are learning in their religious education class.

To commemorate Benjamin Stoner’s Bar Mitzvah, the Jewish rite of passage into adulthood and responsibility when a boy turns 13, the rabbi, who performed the ceremony Saturday, 4 February, became the religious education teacher Friday morning.

Part of the class curriculum revolves around rites of passage in various religions so the students were already familiar with the idea of a Bar Mitzvah.

Rabbi Zalman Shneur and Benjamin gave the students a lesson in several aspects of Judaism.

Benjamin put on the tefillin, small boxes which contain passages from the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament.

Rabbi Shneur then explained the significance of the tefillin, one of which is placed on the head and one on the upper arm. The placement signifies both the mind – how we think – and the heart – how we feel, he said.

“It is on the arm also to show that not only should our thoughts and speech be good but our actions as well,” Rabbi Shneur said.

Many Jewish men put on the tefillin every day before morning prayers.

The tefillin is made of leather which requires a lot of hard work to make it soft, he added.

“It’s just like us. We have to work very hard on ourselves to try to be better,” he said.

Rabbi Shneur explained that being 13 confers certain responsibilities on Benjamin.

“Now Benjamin is an adult and can lead the services and read from the Torah,” he said.

He taught the class about the kippah (also known as a yarmulke), which is the skullcap Jewish men wear to show that God is above them. The rabbi also gave them a quick lesson in Hebrew and the meaning of Kosher, where food is prepared according to Jewish law.

The students in Benjamin’s class asked the rabbi questions and proved to be a lively audience.

Classmate Kyle Farrington, 12, found the lesson very interesting.

“It was cool to learn about all the different things – the tefillin, the kippah and the words in Hebrew. And the whole thing about someone who’s 13 and someone who’s 27 being equal now that Ben’s considered an adult,” Kyle said.

Nicola Sowerby, the students’ religious education teacher, has been explaining to them about Jewish customs and the Bar Mitzvah.

“I think it’s been great for Ben’s friends to share such an important experience for him. In such a small Jewish community, I think it’s important for his friends to understand Ben’s background and who he is,” she said.

School principal Jean Bahadur was equally enthusiastic.

“It has been a very wonderful and moving experience for all of us. I congratulate Ben on his Bar Mitzvah and on behalf of all of us at Cayman Prep and High School we wish him a blessed day and a wonderful life ahead,” she said.

Before the impromptu class was over, the rabbi left the students with some meaningful words.

“Value the moment. Every time you do something good, do it because that is the right thing to do. Don’t calculate if I do something for someone will I get something back.

“We’re all equal. Just think, at this moment, I’m meant to help this person. If we have integrity, we will do the right thing and do good and make the world a better place,” Rabbi Shneur said.