New Website Offers 200 Free Chassidishe Videos for Kids

A new website is giving Chabad children a way to learn Tanya, the Rebbe’s sichos, and stories of the Rebbeim through short animated videos, all free of charge.

ChabadKidsVideos.com was started by Rabbi Mendel Perlow, a melamed in New York who teaches boys in grades six through eight. What began as material for his own class has grown, in a short time, into a library of about 200 videos aimed at children roughly 9 to 14.

“The entire Tanya, sichos, the Rebbe’s stories, pure Chassidic content, brought to life and brought down practically,” Rabbi Perlow said of the project’s goal. “It’s something that’s never been done before. It’s amazing for parents, and amazing for teachers.”

The largest series is Tanya. Each perek of Likkutei Amarim has its own episode, usually in two short parts, explaining the ideas step by step with a story and a lesson. Perakim 1 through 50 are already online, together with an introduction series and summary episodes. The series continues through perek 53, followed by Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah and Igeres HaTeshuvah.

This week the site launched “Today in Chabad,” a daily show. Each episode covers the day’s Hayom Yom and Sefer HaMitzvos, a short segment on Moshiach and Geulah, a “Maaseh Rav,” a story the Rebbe told, and a look at the day in Chabad history.

Other series include “Stories the Rebbe Told,” 20 episodes so far; Likkutei Sichos on the weekly parsha; a five-part series on the Rebbe Rashab; a new series on the Rebbe’s life, starting next week; “The Frierdiker Rebbe’s Memoirs”; “Tales of Tzaddikim” from Chazal; 20 short clips on Inyonei Moshiach u’Geulah; and a “Special Days in Chabad” section with videos for days such as Chof Cheshvan and Rosh Chodesh Kislev.

For teachers, many videos come with printable review booklets in student and teacher editions, so a class can watch an episode and then go over it together. Parents can use the daily show as a few minutes of Chassidishe learning at home.

Under every video is a feedback box where viewers can type a note or record a short voice message, and corrections are made quickly. When a teacher pointed out that one scene showed a teddy bear, noting that the Rebbe encouraged using only kosher animals, the shot was replaced within the hour.

The early response has been warm, with many messages of praise from parents and teachers. That same teacher, a mechanech who teaches third grade, wrote through the site: “This website is incredible. I would love to watch these and play these for my 3rd grade students.” After his notes were addressed, he wrote again: “I am extremely impressed by your high-quality work and commitment to make it as best as possible. As well as the speed of your work.”

The videos are free for every child. Families can dedicate a video l’iluy nishmas, for a refuah shleimah, or in honor of a simcha, and can sign up to receive an email when new videos come out.

The videos can be watched at ChabadKidsVideos.com. Questions and suggestions can be sent to [email protected].