Boys Emcee Their School’s Dinner

An enthusiastic crowd of parents and community members filled the 770 Chabad Gate hall in Toronto for an evening of “Live, Love, Laugh and Learn: A Paradigm Shift in the Way We Approach Chinuch,” on Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Bo.

The occasion was the annual Melave Malka of Shmuel Zahavy Cheder Chabad. The artistic décor designed by the school’s Mothers’ Association and the delicious and plentiful menu set the stage for a most enjoyable event.

The entire evening was emceed by students Dov Adler and Avremel Nachlas.

It featured veteran mechanech and speaker, Rabbi Yossi Paltiel who shared practical advice that was clearly culled from years of experience in the trenches, educating and counselling Chabad youth and parents.

He spoke of the need to present Yiddishkeit in a joyful and palatable way so that children who are blessed with so much B’Gashmius, can relate to and integrate it into their lives naturally and happily.

A highlight of the evening was the talented Cheder Chabad Choir led in niggunim and song by choirmaster and principal, Rabbi Baruch Zaltzman. The boys’ faces shone as they sang with pride and delight. “Orchestrating the choir is my yearly treat to connect with my students through music and song,” said Rabbi Baruch Zaltzman.

A soulful rendition of the niggun “Yedid Nefesh” was dedicated in loving memory to HaChosid Reb Chaim Shneur Zalman Shur OBM, the father of Rabbi Yona Shur, executive director of the school.

An audio-visual presentation of the stories on Ahavas Yisroel, which the Rebbe related in his first maamar was also shown.

Rabbi Tzali Borenstein, a parent and the Shliach in Whitby, Ontario, shared the trials of his daily hour plus travel time each way for his son’s chinuch. He represented 3 Shluchim who face a long and grueling daily commute to bring their children to Cheder.

Rabbi Borenstein described how after being stuck for well over an hour in morning traffic during a heavy snowfall, he had no choice but to turn around and go back home.

His son’s teacher, Rabbi Levi Rosenfeld, skyped during recess and taught him the shiur he had missed. Parents were inspired by the glimpse into the mesirus nefesh for chinuch these young shluchim face and the care of the rebbeim for each child as an individual.

The evening was partly sponsored by the community stalwarts and baalei tsedakah, Mr. Oren and Neely Antebi in loving memory of their father and father-in-law, Reb Chaim Ben Yosef OBM.

The mood at the culmination of the evening was one of gratitude to be part of the warm and wonderful Shmuel Zahavy Cheder Chabad of Toronto family. It was one of appreciation for all the efforts of the devoted staff inside and outside of the classroom to ensure that each talmid is a resounding success story.