This is the day that Hashem has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  The young children of the "Nechamat Zion" Talmud Torah under the leadership of Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit”a, celebrated an uplifting and magnificent Chumash celebration held by "Shuvu Banim" institutions.

Last week, on Tuesday, Parashat Shelach, parents of the students from the first grade of the Nechamat Zion Talmud Torah, along with their grandparents and family members, gathered for a holy event, the "Chumash Party." During this event, their sons and grandsons began to study the holy Torah with a prayer to Hashem that the Torah will not depart from their mouths or from the mouths of their descendants forever. The exalted event was held with grandeur and splendor befitting a place where the Divine Presence rests, a place where the holy young flock begin to receive and learn the Torah. The event took place at the Sanhedrin Community Center on Menachem Yitzchak Street in Jerusalem, which was decorated festively and impressively for the occasion. A professional decoration company was hired to drape elegant curtains on the students' stage and the stage of honor, enhancing the importance of the time and place.  Beautiful booklets filled with words of Torah about the importance of the day and, likewise, the order of events, were produced to help parents follow the proceedings. One parent, who observed the meticulous preparations before the event, enthusiastically remarked that just as Hashem adorned Mount Sinai with flowers for the giving of the Torah, now you are beautifying the place for our children's receiving of the Torah. At twelve noon, the precious students entered one by one, crowned with royal crowns and dressed in luxurious vests under an impressive canopy, carrying a Torah scroll to the sound of singing and praise. The children walked gracefully to their places on the beautiful stage, with immense excitement about reaching this moment which they looked forward to for long weeks. They were welcomed with blessings by their dedicated teachers, Rabbi Mordechai Perush, Rabbi Eliyahu Roda, and Rabbi Aharon Bik. The pure children broke out with rousing niggunim of joy and longing, asking our Compassionate Father to merit to learn and teach, observe and fulfill the Torah. Throughout the event, many of the community's rabbis participated and took part in leading the ceremony, including Rabbi Moshe Tzanani, Rabbi Michael Gol, Rabbi Eliyahu Sukkot, Rabbi Meir Malka, the Dayan Rabbi Nachman Cohen, the head of the community's Kollel Hora’ah, and, likewise, many elders and important members of the community such as Rabbi Avraham Chanania, Rabbi Menachem Azulai, Rabbi Nachman Horowitz, Rabbi Avraham Chajbi, Rabbi Emanuel Goldblum, Rabbi Shlomo Gabai, Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Richter, Rabbi Meir Nes, Rabbi Binyamin Schiff, Rabbi Pinchas Bik, a member of the institution's administration, and Rabbi Nachman Edri, the director of the "Breslov Chochmah V’Daat" Yeshiva. Until the last moment, there was hope that Moreinu HaRav shlit”a would appear, as he has done in recent years to come and participate in the joy of Torah, to instill a love of the holy Torah in the young children, the holy flock, and to get nachat from his students like his own children – the dear children who learn in his institutions. Every year, the Rav studies the first verses with the children and distributes the Chumashim to them. This year, the organizing team prepared especially for his arrival, and a special stage was set up. The young children, who never tasted sin, prepared and signed a personal and special invitation for Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, which was delivered to him in the days leading up to the event. However, unfortunately, due to his medical state, the Rav shlit”a was prevented from participating in this year's beautiful Chumash celebration. The event was opened by Rabbi Moshe Tzanani shlit”a, one of the community's important rabbis. Rav Tzanani spoke at length about the importance of the day and the significance of the time when young children begin studying the Chumash. He also praised the "Nechamat Zion" Talmud Torah and expressed his great amazement at the rapid and continuous growth of the community's institutions. During the party, Rabbi Yitzchak Lebel, the educational advisor of the Talmud Torah, spoke about the education of the young and holy children. Rabbi Lebel described the process each child undergoes from entering the kindergarten class, developing in learning, socializing, and acquiring reading skills until they are ready on this day to begin studying the Chumash. He noted that as an educational advisor to other Talmud Torah’s, he is amazed every time anew by the tremendous dedication and effort of the staff of the Talmud Torah for the success of the children. Afterwards, Rabbi Avigdor Levi, the supervisor of the kindergartens, spoke. He recounted a story from the Jerusalem Talmud (Sanhedrin 66a) about the great Sages of Israel who went to Rome and found children playing in the sand, discussing "this is the first tithe and this is the second tithe." From this, they knew the children were Jewish and found a place to stay.  The Gemara continues about everything that happened in the merit of this. This story emphasizes the importance of investing in students so that all their development is according to the Torah. Rabbi Levi praised the efforts and vision of the diligent institution's director, Rabbi Natan Chanania, who envisions the "Nechamat Zion" Talmud Torah as the top Talmud Torah in Jerusalem in every aspect.  To achieve this, special classes and individual tutors were established for struggling children, all conducted in a holy, Jewish manner according to the values of the holy Torah. He also praised and commended the dedication of the teachers throughout the year in teaching reading, ensuring that every student knows how to read the holy letters and words, and for their countless hours dedicated to the success of the event. Speaking on behalf of the parents, the teacher Rabbi Natan Chajbi, who knows up close the significant investment made in the Talmud Torah for the success of each and every student, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the principal and staff for their dedication to the precious students. It was wonderful to see the excited children sitting like kings on the stage, adorned with crowns of "Na’aseh V’Nishma," ready to receive the Torah. Tears of joy filled the eyes of the parents as they watched the scene, and even the community rabbis, who were seated on the stage of honor, were seen following the entire ceremony with the help of the special booklet produced for the event. The heavens rejoiced and the earth exulted when the young children - the stars of the event - began learning with their teachers, word by word, the first three verses of Parashat Vayikra about sacrifices - "Adam Ki Yakriv Mikhem" - hearts were moved and prayers were offered from the depths of their hearts that this holy learning in a moment of joy would be engraved in their bones, causing them to offer before Hashem their desires and yearnings and to cling to Him all their lives, and may this Torah never depart from their mouths and the mouths of their descendants, Amen. At the conclusion of the word-by-word learning, the holy crowd broke into the song "Fortunate are you, Talmidei Chachamim, for the words of Torah are most dear to you." "How I love Your Torah, all day it is my conversation." The young children were quickly lifted high, and enthusiastic dancing erupted in the hall with all hearts rejoicing in the joy of the Torah. The community rabbis joined the dance, coming down from the stage of honor and dancing with the stars of the event on their fathers' shoulders, bestowing their blessings upon the children. Words cannot describe the boundless joy as the children were lifted high and carried on their parents' shoulders with affection, joining in the dance of the righteous with immense excitement and pure joy in an enthusiastic dance.

Ashrei Ha’Am SheKaKha Lo!

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