Friday Night Dinner 5/6/11

This past Friday night, May 6, a beautiful Shabbat dinner was held at the new premises of Neshama-Chabad Lubavitch of Manhattan Beach on Westend Avenue. There was a full house, including adults and children.

The dinner was sponsored by Michael and Dorina Gottlieb, in memory of Michael's father. Michael spoke about his father Kalman and said, "My father was from a small shtetl, where the shul was destroyed. He felt it was important for Jews to have a place to congregate and pray, so he arranged for people to come together in his home." Michael explained that this is why a communal Friday night dinner is important to him.

The dinner featured delicious food, singing, and a warm and close-knit atmosphere.

Rabbi Avrohom Winner co-director of Neshama-Chabad Lubavitch of Manhattan Beach said that he hoped this Friday night dinner would serve as the kickoff for communal Friday night dinners on a consistent basis.

Thank you to everyone who attended, and to Michael and Dorina for sponsoring.

Pesach 2011

This year's Pesach Seders' held on April 18 and 19, also coincided with the grand opening of Neshama-Chabad Lubavitch of Manhattan Beach's new synagogue and center on Westend Avenue.

The seders were attended by families with children, couples, singles, as well as by the elderly. The seders were inspiring and all the guests got the chance to be involved. It was an especially beautiful moment when all the women went to the door to greet Elijah the prophet, towards the end of the seder.

"Rabbi you already outgrew your new space," one woman told Rabbi Avrohom Winner, co-director of Neshama-Chabad Lubavitch of Manhattan Beach, when she saw the crowd.

The seders included discussions, singing, and a lovely gourmet dinner.

Seder Plate Factory 2011

On April 10, 2011 the Chabad Manhattan Beach Hebrew School had a Seder Plate Factory. The goal was for the children to learn about the different foods found on the seder plate in a educational, fun and hand-on way. Each student received their very own seder plate.

There were a number of tables with different activities. The booths included grating horseradish (with goggles to protect their eyes, of course), peeling and slicing eggs and potatoes and dipping into salt water, roasting their own shankbones, and making deliciously sweet charoset.

Each student got to taste a bit of their creation, and then put some on their seder plate. Parents were amazed at the beautiful seder plates and box of crunchy matza their children went home with.

Model Matza Bakery 2011

An exciting and delicious Model Matza Bakery Program was held at the Chabad Neshama Center on April 3, 2011. Hebrew School children and parents, as well as other children and parents from the community were invited to learn about the unique process of baking matzah. The children got the chance to grind wheat into flour, separate the grains from the chaff, and roll and bake their very own matzahs. The bakers learned the different reasons we eat matzah on Passover, and got to enjoy an interactive Exodus show, which took them back to the times of the exile and exodus in Egypt.

Rabbi Avrohom Winner, co-director of Neshama-Chabad of Manhattan Beach and chief baker said, "The Model Matza Bakery is a creative and fun way for children to learn the meaning and history behind the Passover holiday and its main food-matzah."

Each child went home with their very own tasty and crunchy matzah.

Michelle Stern Wins Performance Award!

On Sunday March 27, over 2,100 people filled the Howard Gillman Opera House in Brooklyn for a concert and the finale of the 'Jewish Kids Got Talent competition.' The competition gave Jewish kids from all over the country the opportunity to showcase their talents. Chabad Lubavitch of Manhattan Beach brought Michelle Stern, a young prodigy violinist from our community, into the competition. There were finalists in three categories Achievement, Chessed (kindness), and Performance.

The winner of the Performance category was our very own Michelle Stern, who moved the audience with her violin playing. Michelle was accompanied by her mother on piano.

Read what others are writing:
Michelle Stern, the young violinist, astounded the crowd with her violin skills. Accompanied by her mother on the piano, she had the audience on the edge of their seats and wide mouthed in awe as she played her piece. The crowd rose to their feet as she finished and applauded loudly, she was a clear winner in the performance category.

We are so proud of you Michelle!

Kosher Mini Chefs Pre Purim Baking 3/13

After a huge success on President’s Week, the Kosher Mini Chefs program was back on March 13, at Neshama-Chabad of Manhattan Beach in preparation for the upcoming holiday of Purim. Shula Winner, co-director of Neshama-Chabad of Manhattan Beach taught the chefs how to make delicious hamentashen from scratch. They worked in pairs, following the recipe and taking turns mixing and pouring. Tens of children came to learn how to bake beautiful hamentashen for Purim. Each chef went home with a tray of home-made strawberry hamentashen.

Stay tuned for more Kosher Mini Chefs programs!

Hebrew School Happenings