Baltimore Cheder First Grade Receives First Chumash

Cheder Chabad of Baltimore celebrated a momentous milestone this week as its first-grade talmidim received their very first Chumash at the annual Chumash Party—a cherished event marking the formal beginning of Torah learning.

The celebration opened with warm words of welcome from the school’s principal, Rabbi Ephraim Sorkin, who spoke about the joy and pride of seeing young children take their first steps into Torah study. The program was led by the class Rebbi, Rabbi Shmulik Raices, whose enthusiasm and dedication were reflected in every part of the presentation.

From the onset, the boys displayed tremendous chayus and eagerness for this special occasion. In keeping with Cheder Chabad tradition, they participated actively, with several students serving as MCs. The class sang a joyful song about “Ki Heim Chayeinu”—expressing that the Torah is their life—and then recited the Rebbe’s kapitel with heartfelt song.

Maryland’s head shliach, Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, shared an inspiring message, emphasizing that real learning begins now. He explained that everything the children have learned until this point served only as preparation for the depth and beauty of beginning Chumash—making this day the true start of their lifelong connection to Torah.

The boys then impressed the audience as they reviewed the shoroshim, a foundational skill essential for learning Chumash. They were addressed by Rabbi Elchonon Lisbon, founder of Cheder Chabad and the shliach to Park Heights, who lovingly engaged directly with the students’ developing ability to identify shoroshim. He challenged them to find the shoresh of the word “Chumash” and explain its meaning. The boys rose to the challenge masterfully, demonstrating a solid grasp of the concept and showing that they understand they are beginning the first of the five seforim of the Torah.

The program continued with the class proudly reciting the opening pesukim of Chumash and later featured an incredibly cute video presentation that highlighted their commitment to being soldiers in Tzivos Hashem, bringing smiles to parents and students alike.

The celebration concluded with the highlight of the event: each boy stepping forward to receive his very own Chumash, marking the official start of his journey in Torah learning. After all the boys received their Chumash, they all grabbed their fathers and broke out into a joyous dance.

Cheder Chabad extends a special thank-you to Levik Pewzner and Rabbi Mendel Chazan for providing the music and sound, which added greatly to the simcha. A special thank you to Mrs. Chomie Raices, Associate General Studies Principal, and Mr. Neal Gerstman, Facilities Director for the setup and decor.

For more information about Cheder Chabad of Baltimore, visit mycheder.com.