Kids ‘Tour’ the Beis Hamikdosh

Shluchim’s children didn’t only learn about the Beis Hamikdash this Asarah B’Teiveis, but experienced a guided tour!

Mrs. Malka Touger, world-famous educator, author and producer of children’s videos, brought her “Virtual Tour of the Beis Hamikdash” to the Shluchim Online School.

The presentation began at the gates to the Beis Hamikdash with a beautiful slideshow and proceeded inward all the way to the Kodesh Hakodoshim! Mrs. Touger led the students through the interactive tour, pointing out its hidden details and fascinating stories, and fielding questions and comments.

“Where did the Kohanim eat?” “If the Mizbeach was so big, how did it get there?” “Why didn’t the Roman guards catch the Yidden coming to the Beis Hamikdash?” Students asked these and other questions by typing them into the chatbox or speaking into their microphones. They learned about the detailed Avodah of the Beis Hamikdash, peeked into its various chambers, saw Kohanim and Leviim in action and got close-ups of the mizbeach, kiyor and other keilim.

Students enjoyed seeing kids their age playing their own role in the Beis Hamikdash by being lifted up high on pulleys to check the walls for necessary repairs or laying down to sleep on the floor of the dormitory-style Beis Hamokeid. Girls especially enjoyed seeing an action-packed Simchas Bais Hashoeva scene from high up in the exclusive women’s balcony! And throughout, students gleaned lessons in Ahavas Yisroel, Hafatza and other pertinent topics from what they learned.

This program took place for third, fourth, seventh and eighth graders, in conjunction with the school’s Yahadus curriculum. Online School students – close to five hundred in all – enjoy a full Kodesh curriculum in interactive, state of the art virtual classrooms, as well extra-curricular events, after-school clubs, G.O. and more. Rabbi Moshe Shemtov, director, and Mrs. Gitty Rosenfeld, principal, work tirelessly to ensure a quality Chassidishe school experience for their students, with Rabbi Yossi Goodman and Don Volkov developing technology and providing tech support, Toby Herman as administrator, and Mushky Junik coordinating extracurricular programs. Chanah Poltorak, director of curriculum development, arranged this virtual tour tour to bring the timely topic of the Beis Hamikdash to life.

Students reviewed what they learned in the following class and sent filled in worksheets to the school office, to receive a surprise Beis Hamikdash souvenir in return. Two students will be picked out of a raffle as well, to win a model Beis Hamikdosh kit or a set of books from the “Naftali in the Beis Hamikdosh” series.

“The Beis Hamikdosh is amazing!” students commented, and parents reported that their children were still discussing the Beis Hamikdash after the tour had ended. With our students more excited than ever, may we be treated to a live tour of the Beis Hamikdosh Hashlishi, right now!