OYYL Students Prepare for Rosh Hashanah with Heart and Hands

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, children in Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch immersed themselves in meaningful projects that brought the spirit of crowning Hashem into real life. More than just learning about the Yom Tov in the classroom, the students took part in activities that touched all their senses – taste, sight, and heart – preparing them to celebrate with both knowledge and joy.

A Trip to the Orchard
This week we made a trip to David’s Farm, where rows of apple trees stretched across the fields. The children wandered between the trees, reaching up to pluck apples straight from the branches. Surrounded by the beauty of Hashem’s creation and the abundance of the harvest, they spoke about the symbolism of the Chakal Tapuchin Kadishin and reflected on the blessings Hashem showers upon us.

The excitement was palpable as each child filled a bag with apples to bring home. They weren’t just learning about the siman of dipping an apple in honey – they were living it, connected to the land, the orchard, and the bracha behind it.

Preparing the Fish Head
Back at school, the focus turned to another important siman – the fish head. With the generous help of Raskin’s Fish Market, who donated a fish head for every elementary student, the children participated in a hands-on workshop that turned learning into doing.

Each fish was carefully checked for worms, then prepared with carrots, onions, and a sprinkle of salt. Small hands folded foil packets, placed them in the oven, and waited proudly as their work transformed into a dish ready for the Yom Tov table. For many, it was their first time preparing such a tradition themselves – and the pride of ownership was clear when they brought their portions home to share with their families.

B”H, every child left the cheder not only with their prepared simanim, but also with a beautiful machzor, a jar of the Rebbe’s honey, a little bottle of the Rebbe’s wine, and the apple they themselves had picked. With these treasures in hand, the children returned home with everything they needed to participate meaningfully in the Yom Tov with their families.

At OYYL, this approach is central. Children are not only stimulated intellectually with Torah and Chassidus, but also trained to carry out mitzvos with joy and with the hiddurim that Chabad Chassidim cherish. By engaging both mind and action, Yiddishkeit becomes something lived, not just studied.

Mila Schneiderman, Vision Director of OYYL, noted: “When a child cuts the onion, wraps the fish, or picks the apple with their own hands, the mitzvah becomes theirs. They aren’t bystanders; they are participants in Hashem’s Will. When a child dips the apple into the Rebbe’s honey and makes Kiddush on the Rebbe’s Kos Shel Bracha, he is connecting — both mentally and with his heart — to the Nosi HaDor in a very practical and real way.”

Through these projects, the children enter Rosh Hashanah with a sense of connection and pride – prepared not only with books and lessons, but with experiences that shape their identity as Yidden and Chassidim.

As the community prepares to greet the New Year, the children of Oholei Yosef Yitzchok stand as a reminder that true chinuch is not only about book knowledge, but about Raising a Mentch: instilling values, skills, and joy that will last a lifetime.

For more information about OYYL visit www.OYYL.org or contact 646-450-4770