‘Seforim Gala’ Makes Hei Teves Exciting for Students

Not satisfied with making a traditional book fair for Hei Teves, the administration at Lubavitch Hebrew Academy in Margate, Florida, decided to go all out with a Hei Teves extravaganza, including a hachana program, vouchers for children to buy seforim, and more.

Since before Chanukah the excitement about Hei Teves has been building at Lubavitch Hebrew Academy in Margate, Florida. Signs adorned the hallways promising a seforim sale and a kovetz limmud with the story of Hei Teves, made possible by the Derher Magazine, had been given out. But it was nothing compared to excitement that students had when they walked into the Gym Thursday morning.

For a few weeks before, Morah Margie Denburg, Program Director at LHA and Mrs. Goldie Rodman, Director of Early Childhood at LHA had been thinking: how could they bring the Rebbe’s call to celebrate this special Yom Tov with purchasing seforim to every student?

Traditionally book fairs are only exciting for children whose parents have sent in with money, while other students feel left out and unable to participate. Furthermore what about the youngest students at LHA, how would they join in this incredible opportunity?

The answer was a Hei Teves extravaganza, a project that was never done before.

Starting several weeks ago, each of the Early Childhood classes wrote and illustrated their very own book with each class picking one mitzva as their theme. All the parents were invited in this morning to join their children in receiving their very own bound copy with the opportunity to purchase other books as well.

Moving onto elementary school. Thanks to several generous donors every student received a twenty dollar voucher allowing them to shop and ensure that each student walked out with at least one sefer today! The older grades had the opportunity to earn an additional ten dollars towards their shopping spree by answering the questions attached to learning booklet they received. 

Each class first watched a clip of the Rebbe personally distributing dollars as a participation in the purchase of seforim for Hey Teves in Tof Shin Mem Ches) and then they were able to peruse the various tables and stands. Every book there was carefully chosen and there was even a display based on the Rebbes instructions what a “Cheder Tzivos Hashem” should look like with many students purchasing their very own first chitas.

“It felt like I was going to a seforim gala. It was beautiful and emphasized the importance and holiness of the day in the most wonderful way” said Mrs. Minsky, Assistant Principal. All in all, the spirit of Didan Notzach of the seforim was felt through the building and will surely be remembered by the students for a very long time