1,400 people gathered in The School of the Deaf Auditorium in Crown Heights Sunday to watch the boys finalists compete in the International Sefer Hamitzvos tournament.
Months of studying paid off this Sunday: Chidon finalists tested their skills at the grand Sefer Hamitzvos tournament in Crown Heights.
Over 1,400 people gathered today in the School of the Deaf Auditorium to watch contestants display the knowledge they have accumulated over months of intensive studying and test-taking. The stage was set with a huge 20-foot LED screen, colored lighting and surround sound, and a game show created specially for the Chidon event, making each contestant feel like a celebrity.
The program began with a video of the Rebbe elaborating on the importance of limud haRambam, and then progressed to the competition rounds. Divided into six teams named after volumes of Rambam, the boys used buzzers to answer a rapid-fire stream of questions from the master of ceremonies, Rabbi Yehoshua Lustig, principal of Oholei Torah. Their answers were judged by Rabbi Zalman Glick, Rabbi Sholom Laine, and Rabbi Ginsberg Editor-in-Chief and Senior Editor of the Yahadus Living Lessons Curriculum. As well as brothers Rabbis Levi and Yosef Zirkind who also took responsibility for the Chidon tests and final gameshow, creating questions and grading them. They are keeping the legacy of their beloved father Rabbi Yitzchok Zirkind a”h—a pioneer of the original Chidon Sefer Hamitzvos—alive. Sister Mushka Zirkind participated as well, writing a song about Hakhel that was performed by Eli Marcus with music by Chony Milecki and Special surprise guests Avi and Yehudah Piamenta.
“The energy in the room was electric,” says Rabbi Shimmy Weinbaum, executive director of Chayolei Tzivos Hashem. “It was unbelievable to see how much information these chayolim have absorbed,” adds Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch.
Animated debates over the correct responses took place at each table on stage, while the judges carefully considered the answers. “How many mitzvos do we learn from Shema?” “For which mitzva is there no limit?” “What three mitzvos have to do with a Novi?” Each team presented their impressive knowledge with chayus; the final scores were close.
The medal ceremony wrapped up the exhilarating event. Individual winners of the bronze, silver, and gold medals in each grade were announced by Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum, Principal of Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, and handed out by Rabbi Sholom Ber Buamgarten, Director of Tzivos Hashem international. The proud champions were rewarded with sets of Rambam, and of course the resounding applause and cheers of the audience.
“We could not be more proud of each and every finalist,” says Rabbi Yerachmiel Benjaminson, executive director of Tzivos Hashem. “We are sure the Rebbe received much nachas from this event.”
Winners:
BRONZE
4th Grade
Lubavitch Educational Center Florida – Shneur Zalman Steinberg
Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch Montreal – Menachem Mendel Plotkin
Cheder Lubavitch Morristown – Menachem Mendel Blesofsky
Cheder Chabad Toronto – Yisroel Plotkin
Lubavitch Boys School London – Shmuel Citron
5th Grade
Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburg – Avraham Dovid Rosenblum
Cheder Menachem LA – Mendel Fischer
Cheder Menachem Monsey – Eliyahu Teitelbaum
6th Grade
Cheder Chabad Toronto – Levi Kamman
Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch Montreal – Avrohom Menachem Nelken
7th Grade
Cheder Chabad Toronto – Mendel Kamman
8th Grade
Cheder Chabad Monsey – Menachem Mendel Teitelbaum
Cheder Lubavitch Chicago – Nochum Baron
SILVER
4th Grade
Cheder Chabad Toronto – Mendy Steiner
5th Grade
Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburg – Sholom Dovber Shur
6th Grade
MyShliach – Yosef Yitzchok Volfman
7th Grade
Cheder Menachem Wilkes-Barre – Tzvi Levitin
8th Grade
Cheder Chabad Toronto – Yehoshua Slavin
Lubavitch Educational Center Florida – Mendy Rubinstein
GOLD
4th Grade
Cheder Menachem L.A. – Yossie Heidingsfeld
5th Grade
Cheder Chabad Toronto – Mendel Slavin
6th Grade
Oholei Torah – Sholom Dovber Hendel
My Shliach – Chaim Yehuda Pewzner
7th Grade
MyShliach – Nochum Labkovsky
MyShliach – Yechiel Zirkind
8th Grade
Cheder Chabad L.A. – Zali Raichik
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i spy Avi and Yeuda Piamenta you guys rock
yashar koach annapolis maryland
this program is for those who can do everything quick – learn, expound, think, act, speak – all quickly. That’s just the nature of such a public event. It’s not for everyone, and no, there are not programs for everyone at all. It’s for those who are quick and have a certain kind of smarts. that’s it. Welcome to the world of education, where the majority lose.
Yay! Cheder Menachem Los Angeles 3 Winners! Best Cheder !
Amazing event! Yasher Koach to all – the boys, their families, and all the organizers who worked so hard to put together a truly amazing program! As a former professional educator I do respectfully request of the organizers to consider changing the rules for round #2 to determine the winning team. Many young people can answer the open-ended questions you ask as regarding “how many” but don’t have the necessary physical skill to write the answer as quickly. The important thing is that they correctly answer the question, not that they have mastered writing. Please consider for the sake of… Read more »
yashar koach annapolis maryland
Such sweet faces ka”h!! May the light of all their Torah learning serve to bring Brocha to them, their families, our community and Klal Yisroel
Keeps rocking! 6 winners out of 26. You take the cake with the cherry on top. Mazal tov to all of the winners.
yashar koach annapolis maryland
מזל טוב לזוכים.הרבה נחת.חג כשר ושמח..
Go avramel and yehuda lieb
To shimmy and Zelda Weinbaum for putting together such a tremendous event for our children the boys and the girls giving so much nachas to the parents and grandparents may you be blessed for all your efforts wishing you revealed goodness in your lives continued health and the ability to bring so much nachas to our Rebbe! In the zechus of all the learning may we have moshiach now!!!