A Chabad Cheder Comes to Life in Dallas

It used to be that after the morning minyan at Chabad of Dallas, attendees would wrap up their tallis and tefillin and head out to begin their day. But these days, something keeps Michael Winton, a longtime member of Chabad of Dallas, sticking around for a few extra minutes.

As Shachris draws to a close, the hall outside the sanctuary begins to swell with the clamor of twenty-five children arriving for another day of Cheder. As unremarkable as the start of a school day may seem, the presence of this school is a novelty. For the first time ever, there is a Chabad Cheder in Dallas, Texas, which, until this year, was one of the largest cities in America without a Chabad school.

“I’m around the school every day,” Winton shared, “and the spirit that happens organically is just incredible. These teachers are amazing and take such pride in, and truly care about the students. At recess, I see how inclusive these kids are, how happy they are to be there. And that is something that is just rare to find in a school.”

The upstart school’s students are drawn from the dozens of Shluchim families in DFW, as well as several Anash families who have made Dallas their home in recent years.

Moshe and Chana Esther Lewis moved from Crown Heights to Dallas in June 2021. The opening of the new Cheder was the final development that cemented their decision. “Having the Cheder here in Dallas is really a cherry on the top,” Mrs. Lewis explained, “we get to have the beautiful lifestyle of the suburbs without compromising a Chassidishe education for our children. Knowing that our children are in a chabad Cheder gives us comfort knowing they will grow up with the same values, and chayos for chassidishkeit that we grew up with.”

Cheder Lubavitch of Dallas was brought to life by the initiative of several young shluchim in the area, but the reins were quickly handed over to the newly appointed Head of School, Rabbi Aharon Simon.

Rabbi Simon brings a fresh, bright, youthful energy to the young school. He begins every day with an assembly where students lead each other with the Twelve Pesukim. Simon offers a short thought for the day, highlighting an exciting upcoming date on the calendar, and the children run off to their separate classes.

What stands out to outsider observers and parents alike is the aura of the school. The devoted staff, intimate class size and setting, and enthusiastic students combine to create an authentically warm and inviting environment.

Rabbi Mendy Kessleman, Shliach to Frisco, Texas and a parent of two Cheder boys, echoes this sentiment: “I never anticipated having my kids excited to go to school. But that’s exactly what happens. They wake up in the morning and simply love going to school.The Cheder gives the students a real chayus in the chassidishe yomim tovim, bringing them to life in the students’ lives.”

In recent weeks, separate Melava Malkas have been held for fathers and sons and mothers and daughters. The boys performed reenactments of the events of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the girls made their own artistic bookmarks for Hei Teves. But more importantly, a distinct Cheder community is coalescing around these events.

The new Cheder has a startup feeling to it. The small student body and small staff are fertile conditions for constant feedback and quick adjustments. The Chabad community is close-knit yet growing, and that gives the families a sense of ownership over the school, a feeling that they are building something together.

At a recent Chanukah event put on by the Cheder PTA, Rabbi Simon shared that though the usual refrain is “all beginnings are hard,” this didn’t seem to apply to the Cheder which was running relatively smoothly. He attributed the success of the inaugural year to the school community —  teachers and parents alike —  who were invested in its excellence and willing to make sacrifices to ensure the health of the school.

Guy Rephael, another longtime member of Chabad of Dallas, delights in the buzz the school creates in the building, and in the community writ large: “The Cheder brings the most beautiful dimension to life at the Shul. It is the next generation of Jewish life. They are the laughter, the joy, and the wonder that fulfills the words Am Yisroel Chai!  I could not imagine my Chabad without seeing children learning to love and carry that mantle.”

With the halfway point of the year behind him, Simon is looking toward building on the success of the new Cheder. He has visions of students engaging with the wider Dallas community in the context of mivtzoim, of expanding extracurricular offerings in the school, and establishing the school as a desirable destination for anash families looking for a quality Chabad education outside of the Tri-state area.

“The spirit that pervades this school is something I would encourage anyone leading a day-school to come explore,” Michael Winton said, “This is a school that is really preparing the next generation of leaders in accordance with the values of the Rebbe, and that is something I am proud to see growing before my eyes.”

Cheder Lubavitch Dallas is having a 36 hour, $100,000 matching campaign on Tuesday and Wednesday. Visit their campaign page at Chederlubavitchdallas.com