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Children of Dnepropetrovsk Enjoy Annual Tzivos Hashem Pesach camp

As in years past, Tzivos Hashem of the CIS, under the auspices of Rabbi Yossi Glick, organized a Pesach camp for the duration of Pesach, for children to come and celebrate Pesach in a Kosher fashion with many exciting programs.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

The camp was located along the Dneper River, just outside the city limit’s. Besides local children, others arrived from all over the Ukraine. (Zhitomer, Charkov, donetzk and even far away city’s like Sevastopol) A large number of children come from the Tzivos hashem orphanages in Dnepropetrovsk.

The camp began in the morning of the 13th of Nissan. This gave the children enough time learn, prepare and carry out the Baking of Matzos, searching for the Chometz, Birchos Hachamah and to burn all the Chometz. Although Erev Yom Tov was a very busy day with many thing’s to do, the entire camp went on a special trip (of Ice skating), so that the spirit and excitement was very high as Pesach began.

The dining room was set-up beautifully, in the theme of “EXODUS”, pyramids and a throne room, and even a throne was built by the staff. Counsellors dressed up like Egyptians and the campers dressed up like the Yidden who left Egypt.

A very special Bar Mitzvah was celebrated during Chol Hamoed for one of the campers whose mother was murdered a little over a year ago. The joy was boundless with music and dancing going late into the night. For this special occasion, director of Dnepropetrovsk Jewish Community Mr. Zelig Brez camp to speak to the camp and to honor the Bar Mitzvah boy. “Much much excitement and happiness can be felt in the air” commented Mr Brez.

Moshiach Seudah, signalling the end of camp, went on for many hours, long after the Yom Tov ended. Many campers burst out crying while singing the songs they had learnt over Pesach, and accepted upon themselves Hachlotos, to further and better their Yiddishkeit with Torah and Mitzvos.

Camp had not only an affect on the campers, but the staff and camp workers too. A 25 year-old non-religious man from the city of Dnepropetrovsk, came to work in the kitchen, decided to have a Bris in camp and took the name Yaakov. He put on Teffilin for the first time in his life. Now he visit’s the local shul to continue putting on Teffilin and is looking to join a yeshiva.

A Very big thank you to the chief Rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, and Raphael Rutman who helped out tremendously to make this camp as successful as possible.

“All year long the children look forward to when the Counsellors will arrive and camp can begin” says the principle of the Jewish day school.

The camp was organized by the Tmimim, Efraim Carlbach, Moshe Rendler, Rabbi Dovid Bush and Aharon Matusov.

Tzivos Hashem of the CIS is a project of Tzivos Hashem NY.

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