How a Young Girl in Moscow Made it All the Way to the Chidon

“Every child, every mitzvah.”

For over a decade, this slogan has been the mission statement of the Chidon Sefer HaMitzvos.

The Chidon, sponsored in loving memory of the late Mrs. Sara Rohr by her son, Mr. George Rohr, has enabled children from around the globe to learn and master all 613 mitzvos, as taught by the Rambam. What first began as a small initiative with only 45 children has now grown into a worldwide movement, with more than 340 participating schools in 42 countries and numerous cities sending representatives to participate in the Grand Sefer HaMitzvos Game Show, which was broadcast live on Thursday, March 12th.

For the past five years, fourteen-year-old Nechama Wilansky, on shlichus with her family in Moscow, Russia and the oldest child of six siblings, has dedicated hours of her free time to studying all 613 mitzvos. She even made it all the way to KHK (Kol Hatorah Kula), which is the highest level and final stage of the Chidon program. Due to language barriers, Nechama was the only girl in the entire country to achieve this feat!

When a child initially enrolls into the Chidon program, they get to choose their own study track and commit to learning for a specified number of hours. According to this method, the average child should be challenged at their own level and rewarded based on their efforts. Along with many fun prizes, participants who pass at least three out of the four study track levels also get to join a special Chidon regional trip. Unfortunately, due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which makes international travel long and difficult, Nechama was never able to participate in these excursions, despite all her hard work. And at first, it seemed like this year was going to be no different.

That is, until about six weeks ago, when Rabbi Shimmy Weinbaum—the general of Tzivos Hashem—reached out to Nechama’s father with some exciting news: Nechama had earned one of the highest averages in the world for her age group, and she was invited to compete live on stage at the Chidon Game Show! “We had never thought about this option for a second,” shares Nechama’s mother, Mrs. Rivky Wilansky. “It was never our goal to push our kids into competitions. And the last thing we wanted was for her to feel pressured. But we offered it to Nechama, and she was nervous, but also excited. And from somewhere deep inside, her neshama spoke: ‘Go for it. You really want this. You can do this.’”

Due to their son’s upcoming Bar Mitzvah celebration, the Wilansky’s had already arranged a trip to New York for this year, but very much wanting to give Nechama a chance to participate in the competition, they rescheduled and arrived earlier than previously planned. The night before they were set to travel, Mrs. Wilansky wrote to the Rebbe with Nechama’s upcoming Chidon experience on her mind, seeking assurance that this was the right move and that all would turn out well.

Empowered by this action, Mrs. Wilansky threw herself into helping Nechama prepare for the big day, going over the required material together and making sure she knew all 613 mitzvos backwards and forwards. “It was some of the most fun, special bonding times we’ve ever had,” she reflects. “I also learned so much myself, thanks to her. We didn’t have this when I was growing up!”
By the time the day of the competition rolled around, Nechama was calm and confident and enjoying every minute of her time at the Chidon, from the live musical entertainment, courtesy of Jewish stars Eli Marcus and Berel Zucker, to the spirited trivia games performed by fellow Chidon members on stage. “The energy in that room was incredible,” says her mother, who watched the show from the audience with several other family members. “It was so sweet that the whole time, all the girls were excitedly cheering for their friends and singing along with tons of heart during the musical intermissions. It was beautiful!”

Although her team might not have won at the KHK Game Show, neither Nechama nor her family took it to heart, feeling that the knowledge gained up until this point is reward enough. “I was so happy when Nechama said: ‘I really hope I will remember everything I learned,’” says Mrs. Wilansky. “I feel so grateful to the Chidon program for making the Torah so sweet for our kids—with prizes, trips, competitions, and fun with friends. And for every ounce of excitement and fire channeled into something so holy. It’s priceless!”

It’s true that the Chidon experience only lasts from fourth to eighth grade, but the Wilanskys recognize that its full impact extends far beyond that. “In our times, there are many mitzvos we cannot keep (due to the particular nature of how and when they may be performed). But when we learn them, on a certain level, it’s as if we are keeping them. The crown of Hashem’s desire is complete, just the way He wanted it. That’s why the Rebbe so strongly encouraged everyone to study all 613 mitzvos every year; there’s a huge spiritual effect just from reading or studying the daily mitzvah!”

Tune in to watch the Boys Chidon Sefer HaMitzvos Live Event on 1 Nissan (March 19) at 11:00 AM EDT at thechidon.com, and join us in celebrating the limmud haTorah these children invest in!