Young Boy’s Wish for Stories Inspires New “Klimovitch” Website

Looking to satisfy his son’s insatiable thirst for stories, Akiva Goodman has created “Klimovitch”, a new website that offers free downloads of captivating “chassidishe maises” by Rabbi Eli Silberstein.

Five-year-old Menachem Goodman has round cheeks, mischievous green-blue eyes, and an insatiable thirst for stories. When he’s not dressing up like a superhero-fireman-construction worker or building elaborate lego skyscrapers, he can be found mesmerized by a book or a story. And invariably, the tale is followed by “can you tell me another one?”

Watching the way narrative captures his son’s imagination, Akiva Goodman recognized an opportunity. A good story is magic; it has the power to teach and transform in the way no school lesson can. It has the ability to distill profound ideas and morals into a form that even a child can grasp. It’s a tool which has a long history in our tradition: Chazal conveyed their greatest wisdom through aggadita; Rashi often teaches the ben chamesh l’mikra through the medium of mashal; and, to cite a more modern application, no farbrengen would be complete without a “chassidishe maise”.

So when Akiva found there was a dearth of authentic “chassidishe maises” in child-friendly form, he set out to find a resource himself. It started with a few Whatsapp recordings from Menachem’s grandfather, Rabbi Eli Silberstein, telling little known chassidic tales. When Akiva found himself forwarding these messages to more and more interested friends, he decided to launch an online platform — and so “Klimovitch” was born. Klimovitch, a Russian village tiny in geographical size but large on the Chabad cultural map, is where Rabbi Silberstein’s mother, Batsheva Kaminetzky Silberstein, grew up. Through Rabbi Silberstein’s talented storytelling and wealth of knowledge, he conveys the values and the vibrance of his Klimovitcher roots to children around the world.

Are you looking for wholesome entertainment for your child? Media that will not just engage, but educate? Join the dozens of families listening to Klimovitch. You can stream them on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or download – for free! – at Klimovitch.org. Check it out, and experience the magic.

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