824 girls were called to stage today at the Chidon Sefer Hamitzvos. The award ceremony, which immediately followed the Chidon final game show competition, celebrated the accomplishments of chayolim from around the world.
“Each of these kids is here because they devoted all of their free time over the past six months to learning Sefer Hamitzvos,” announced Rabbi Yehoshua Lustig, event MC and principal of Oholei Torah.
Three different awards were presented: 333 plaques were awarded to any chayol who earned at least a 70% on Thursday’s final test. The 191 finalists who earned at least an 85% received a medal. The highest honor, coveted trophies,were handed out to the highest-scoring chayolim in each grade: a total of 16 honored chayolim.
“There is no doubt that their efforts this year in learning Rambam are giving the Rebbe much nachas,” says Rabbi Zalman Glick, director of Living Lessons foundation, publisher of the Yahadus curriculum. “We could not be more proud of each and every finalist,” adds Rabbi Yerachmiel Benjaminson, executive director of Tzivos Hashem.
Gold Trophy Winners
Grade 4- Mirel Brook, Bais Rivkah, Crown Heights
Grade 5- Yehudis Heller, Bnos Menachem, Crown Heights
Grade 6- Esther Haddassah Pewzner, Myshliach, Pennsylvania
Grade 7- Goldie Shemtov, Bais RIvkah, Crown Heights
Grade 8- Chaya Mushka Altein, Bais Chaya Mushka, Toronto
Silver Trophy Winners
Grade 4- RIva Skoblo, Bais Rivkah, Crown Heights
Grade 5- Batsheva Dubov, Myshliach, England
Grade 6- Hadassah Altein, Bais Chaya Mushka, Toronto
Grade 7- Chana Rodel Karpilovsky, Bais Chaya Mushka, Toronto
Grade 8- Yehudis Korf, Lubavitch Educational Center, Florida
Bronze Trophy Winners
Grade 4- Esther Gurevitz, Cheder Chabad, Philadelphia
Grade 5- Tzivia Osdoba, Bnos Menachem, Crown Heights
Grade 5- Nechama Schochet, Bais Chaya Mushka, Los Angeles
Grade 6- Chaya Mushka Moscowitz, Cheder Lubavitch Chicago Girls, Illinois
Grade 7- Mushka Altein, Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Grade 8- Sara Rochel Hertzel, Bais Chaya Mushka, Crown Heights
Credits
Executive Producer: Shimmy Weinbaum
Show Producer: Mendy Boaron
Lighting and stage design: Master Lighting Productions
Music Producer: Chony Milecki
Techinical Director: Shamai Chein
Video: Yanky Teitelbaum
Sound: Yoli Stern
Chidon Coordinator: Mushka Greene
Shabbaton Heads: Shana Shemtov, Goldie Itkin
Communications: Esther Zucker, Mirel Zirkind
Creative Team: Chava Witkes, Rivkie Itkin
Tickets: Rachel Bernstein
Logistics: Malka Eisenbach, Mushky Rivkin, Sara Kupfer
Setup: Peretz Lazarof, Zalman Simon, Shimon Partouche
Design: Chana Cohen, Chaya Mushka Raskin
The Rebbe has taught us women to maximize our talents, so we are all “feminists” in the sense that we do not minimize women’s abilities; but has been happening lately is that everything that happens is viewed by some as a fight between the genders. I’m not sure there are many women who have the time to learn all the material necessary to judge the chidon if they are taking care of families, working, and preparing for Pesach. The judges already know this material. It’s not an insult to women to let them judge the answers. Of course there are… Read more »
Go Rochel!mazel tov!great work!
From:sara
How long did you you study the book?I’m in 8th grade and my sisters in 4th.at first it was a little confusing but then we got the hang of it.Although its very understandable I don’t think its for everyone.
The unspoken is often the loudest message. Who do we wish to present to our daughters to be their role models? Do we want our girls to grow beards? Do we want our girls to feel comfortable and happy and valued with their birth gender? The world is a confusing place. No one is immune to the confusion. We need to send messages that show that Torah values a woman and her learning in it’s own merit, not just via a man’s view. Chabad houses all over the world deal with this issue. The chidon is so incredible. Please take… Read more »
The yahadus curriculum is available for free on audio, the link is online
The incredible girl power in the hall was PALPABLE! Celebrating the Torah learning of all these little girls! Had tears in my eyes!
And these comments are quibbling about the 10 men (judges who WROTE THE BOOK) that were there, instead off the over 2000 girls and women?!!?!
Talk about looking at a glass as half full!!
is there any link to watch a video of the chidon?
I agree with number 26. Want my kid to learn the mitzvos but she has ADHD and can’t sit for long.
as a chidon finalist myself i laughed when i read these posts this chidon was created for us girls and i enjoyed it tremendously.it really doesn’t matter what gender the judges are!I want to give a big yoshar koach to all those that organized the shabbaton and event,THANK YOU!!!!!
Thank you for all that you have done for almost 60 years for our children. TzH has grown and flourished into so many beautiful programs recently. How can we be inclusive of all yiddishe kinder, each one a gem, a foundation within the Jewish nation? How can we be inclusive of all learners, even those who get turned off when they see many different colors, fonts, and letter sizes on a single page. The yahafus book is beautiful but it is evident that a mumcheh was not involved in it’s design to ensure that this program is truly accessible to… Read more »
Mendel Sorkin thank you for always being there!
You helped make this a wrap! Yasher Koach for being such a talented and devoted boy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6LztKmC6F4 “This also sheds light on the fact that in this day and age, women and girls — even very little girls — study parts of the Torah which in the past they’d rely on their husbands or brothers to know. It used to be enough for women and girls, when they had Torah questions, to ask their brothers or husbands. But we have merited that as more of the Torah has become revealed, the Jewish custom has also become for women to study much more Torah as well — to the point that it even happens that a husband… Read more »
The Chidon is an incredible experience, as well as a learning experience for all of our children! Why are there always those who need to find something to criticize?!? Lets just say thank you to all those who organize and give over themselves to this program created for us and our children! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Great event, amazing job, tzivos Hashem and Rabbi Shimmy & Co. However…what’s with all the MEN? Too many men there, really. This is a women’s event. Should have women’s MC, women entertainers and preferably women judges. It’s not a Beis Din, its a Game Show for crying aloud. Call it moderators, whatever. Secondly, let’s see some credit given to the kids who don’t come in first, second or third place. Must be some way to publicly acknowledge those girls as well. Some of my students did so amazing, but are not even mentioned. It’s not right. Conclusion: Really impressive event.… Read more »
they really and truly are
they have put in time and effort
and made this world and their lives more holy by learning Hashems Torah
As a former contestant/finalist I can tell you that even though we’re not told our marks, we know full well which answers we got right or wrong. As soon as we finished our tests, we’d all discuss our answers with each other. We knew the material so well, that when someone pointed out a point we may have not considered in our answer, we right away realize which answer(s) we got wrong on the test.
The judges are the people who wrote the curriculum.
That is the most fair way to do it.
There are women who know this stuff. Mrs Gluckowsky from Bais Rivka, for one. And there are more.
This should be publicized in all Jewish media. A great Kiddush Hashem!
Important so girls have who to look up to if we want them to educated.
We have very special women in the community and I am sure there is 4-5 knowledgeable enough women that could have been the judge. What’s the message to these girls, your learning is good up to a certain point but not needed too much because no adult women knows this anyway?!! Bh there are knowledgeable women out there! And by the way you can give the judges the answers to the questions asked just in case you are concern they can’t handle too much knowledge!
We are so proud of you!! Love, Your Yerushalayim Fans
As a feminist, I find your comments highly objectionable. How would being a woman disqualify someone from having exceptional knowledge? Some of the most knowledgeable people out there are women. If the chidon wanted female judges, they need to merely encourage some women to thoroughly study the material. Whether that is necessary when there are already men with that knowledge, is a valid question but to disqualify all women on basis of gender is ignorant and offensive.
Did you miss the point? Thats the whole idea! Train the girls… Very soon, after a couple more years of this girls chidon, they will have enough girls who’ve mastered this material that they would be able to appoint female judges.
You rock
or add it to this chidon
this is amazing!
As IF a woman would know even half of these answers to these extremely complicated questions.. nice try though.
What an incredibly run program! The entire shabbaton was the most amazinf experience for the girls. Thank you so much Esther Zucker and Mushka greene for all your hard work. So worth it!!!
Mina, we’re so proud of you!
Love, your aunt and uncle in CA
B”H
Mazel tov winners! To the others, too, even if you aren’t a finalist, you’re still a winner for all the hard learning you put in. May you all continue making the Rebbe proud of you by continuing the daily learning of the sefer hamitzvos according to the learning schedule each day. May this unity in learning Rambam bring the geulah now!
Please find one female that is knowledgeable enough to be a judge
Being a judge is quite complicated. I don’t know if you watched the chidon, but these are the writers behind the curriculum, etc. The girls know the info inside out, and the judges need to know it just a little better, and even then- they manage to sometimes say something the judges hadn’t thought of.
Being a judge of such a type of contest is no simple matter.
Firstly – Great job! Our children learn so much because of it! Secondly, isn’t time to have more transparency? Why can’t the kids know what’s their mark, why the 4th place shouldn’t know and that he reached 4th? – even if he doesn’t receive a trophy…
go mushka bluming!!you made us all so proud!!!we love you and enjoyed your party with all the cousins
I think it’s time for female judges. This is ridiculous.