Tenafly Chabad Academy celebrated Yud Tes Kislev last week. This was the day in 1798 that the founder of Chabad Chassidism, Rabbi Schneur Zalman (The Alter Rebbe) was freed from imprisonment in czarist Russia. Both the middle school and lower school enjoyed special programming in honor of the day.

The middle school started the day off with a farbrengen in honor of Yud Tes Kislev. They were treated to a delicious breakfast, followed by an amazing solo violin performance from one of their classmates.

Rabbi Lewis then told them all about the Alter Rebbe and how Hashem helped him during his imprisonment and helped to free him. He told them about how Rabbi Schneur Zalman brought the Chabad teachings to broader segments of the Jewish population of Eastern Europe. He founded the Chabad approach—a philosophy and system of study, meditation, and character refinement that made these abstract concepts rationally comprehensible and practically applicable in daily life. The Alter Rebbe was arrested because they claimed his teachings threatened the czar’s authority. He spent 53 days in jail and was interrogated by the czar’s ministers. He had to explain to them about the basic tenets of Judaism. After 53 days all the charges were dropped. Following his release on Yud Tes Kislev, the Alter Rebbe redoubled his efforts on a far broader scale. This day marks the birth of Chassidism.

Tenafly Chabad Academy’s first to fourth graders also celebrated Yud Tes Kislev with a special assembly. They were treated to stories by Rabbi Shain and Morah Devorah Lewis about the Alter Rebbe and the story of his freedom from prison. They then got a treat of grape juice and cookies in the classroom.