safety of the 500 people who gathered at themenorah lighting, 25 security guards werepresent. The event attracted a great deal ofpositive publicity. The Consular from theIsraeli embassy flew down from Stockholm toattend, and one of the largest newspapers insouthern Sweden covered it.In a community that includes Holocaust sur-vivors as well as Jews who were forced out ofPoland in the 1960's, such a public display ofJewish pride and Jewish continuity wasextremely powerful, bringing tears as well asa renewed sense of strength.

That sense of strength, Jewish pride, and afeeling of unityare some of theprimary, if lesstangible, goalsthat motivatethe many proj-ects theKesselmans areinvolved in,which vary fromteaching in thecommunity'safternoon Hebrewschool to organizing their own day camps,social events, and adult education classes.

The community is comprised of two distinctgroups- the older Swedish community andthePolishimmi-grantcom-munity,and the

Kesselmans work to bridge the gap betweenthe two while reaching out to those who are

isolated from both groups,including those who arejust becoming aware thatthey are Jewish.

They work one on onewith individuals, introduc-ing the mitzvah of tefillin,or teaching adults alephbeis so they can pray inHebrew. Often, thesesmall steps lead to tremen-

dous growth in Yiddishkeit.Kesselman recalls one young woman whomthey met in their second week in Malmo. At

the time, she was dating a non-Jew, andtoday she is studying at a women's yeshiva in

Israel. Intermarriage is a wide-spread problem in Sweden, andto combat that the ChabadHouse recently hosted DoronKornbluth, author of Why MarryJewish, as their first guest lectur-er.

When the Kesselmans firstarrived , the community hadbeen without a rabbi for morethan a year, so while setting up

their Chabad House, Rabbi Kesselmanstepped into that role as well, placing him, ashe put it, right in the heart of the communi-ty. The position was temporary, yet two yearslater, while expanding their activities asshluchim, he is still unofficially filling thisofficial post.

"Small communities like this are used to rab-bis coming for a couple of years and movingon, but we're not here just to fill a few yearsin a resume. What makes Chabad different isthat when we come to a place, we come tostay."

And that's proving to be just fine with thecommunity of Malmo. n

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What’s Inside?

WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR

Page 1

WORD FROM THEDIRECTOR

Page 2

MITZVAH CONTESTDOUBLES LEARNING

EXCITEMENT

CHEDER IN ACTION

Page 3

VINTAGE PHOTO

ALUMNI IN FOCUS

oon we will begin the countdown to what is surely the favorite holiday of every Jewish child.Costumes, candy, parties, and orders to make the loudest possible noises whenever a certain name

is read out loud- what's not to love? To be honest, we adults owe them this holiday that is tailor made fora child's tastes.

Our Sages have taught that when the Jews were condemned to annihilation in the days of Mordechaiand Esther, Mordechai gathered together 22,000 Jewish children and taught them Torah. Not neces-sarily the course of action you would expect from a promi-nent community leader living in the capitol city of the onlyworld superpower. Yet Mordechai understood that this wasmore powerful than lobbying ministers or otherwise engag-ing in politics. It was a direct appeal to G-d, and its powerlay in the inherent purity of children. Free not only of sinbut of cynicism as well, they are naturally closer to G-d.They engage in learning Torah and performing mitzvoswith the complete faith that adults struggle to achieve- andthe merit and protection they provide for all of the Jewishpeople is enormous.

Even Haman himself had to acquiesce to this fact. Afterbeing informed by Achashverosh that he must paradeMordechai around the city proclaiming "such is done tothe one the King wishes to honor", he knew his own down-fall had begun. He stopped by Mordechai's cheder andtold the children that their Torah learning had cancelled out his decree. Likewise, the LubavitcherRebbe, of righteous memory, often emphasized the power of Cheder students in nullifying, or atleast subduing, the terrible suffering that we see in the world today.

Perhaps the only thing equal in power to the merit of a child's learning is the merit of those whoinvest themselves in educating that child, and do so in a way that ensures the child will grow to livean ethically and morally sound life. If we want our children to live committed Jewish lives, to careabout one another, about the broader community, and the world at large, we must provide themwith an education that encompasses more than the acquisition of skills and facts. We must educatethem to know that they have a vast power to effect this world in a positive way, and that they havea responsibility to G-d to use that power and to use it wisely.

Rabbi Bentzion Stein

Alumni in Focus, cont. from page 3

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PURIM IN MALMO

The 12th annual MitzvahContest competition isunder way, and boys from theCheder have joined thousands ofstudents in America, Canada,Australia, and South Africa in an in-depth study of the 613 mitzvahs.The Mitzvah Contest was initiatedby Tzivos Hashem, a worldwideJewish children's organization runby Chabad Lubavitch, as a way toencourage a broad knowledge ofJewish law among grade-school chil-dren, and has become a highlight ofthe school year.

Schools receive special learning

materials carefully designed to makecomplex material accessible to chil-dren of varying ages and back-grounds, allowing boys from bothHebrew Day schools and Cheders tocompete together. Through work-books and creative worksheets, stu-dents come to understand the reasonbehind each mitzvah, its source inthe Torah, and its practical applica-tion. Posters, progress charts, and thechance to travel to the internationalcompetition keep the learning fun.

Participating schools give their stu-dents three tests, and students withthe highest scores go on to competein the international tournament,

which this year will be held inBrooklyn, New York. Shabbos par-ties, field trips, live music perform-ances, and meeting other Jewishboys from around the world maketournament weekends a successeven for those who don't take homeprizes.

Both the boys' and girls' schools areconducting their own learn-a-thon aswell, which everyone is excitedabout. The learn-a-thon began at thestart of the school year with anoverview of the mitzvahs of knowingand loving G-d, studying Torah, andrelated topics. After learning thesemitzvahs, students asked for the

chance to tackle additional topics.Of course, teachers were more thanhappy to go along with their request.By the end of the school year, wehope to have studied the laws ofTefillah, Mezuzahs, Torah scrolls,and the cycle of the Jewish year.Unlike the Mitzvah Contest, whereonly a few of the finalists receiveprizes, in the learn-a-thon studentsearn prizes based on points, givingevery child a chance to win.

Without a doubt the best prize,which everyone has already secured,is the increased enthusiasm forlearning that these two programshave brought to the Cheder. n

"For many Jews in Malmo it was anunbelievable idea, a 3 meter highChanukah menorah being lit in thetown's main square. People wereworried about possible reactions,some were afraid."

Chabad shli-ach ShneurKesselman,who wasborn andraised in thevibrantJewish com-munity ofOak Park(MI), hasseen bigchanges in the two years since heand his wife first moved to Malmo,Sweden. Jewish awareness and com-munity participation have risen dra-matically. People who had neverpreviously affiliated themselves with

the commu-nity are nowactive mem-bers, they aremore awareof theirJewish iden-tity and ofwhatJudaism hasto offer. Last

year's Purimparty drew more than 200 people-one out of every 8 Jews living in thecity. The Shavuos celebration drew150. Yet, these successes didn't quiteprepare anyone, the Kesselmans ortheir congregants, for the enormous

success of Malmo's first ever publicmenorah lighting this pastChanukah- or its effect on those whocame.

Jews in Malmo have always kept alow-profile. Rabbi Kesselman is theonly one who publicly wears akippa- and the anti-Semitic com-ments he hears as he goes throughhis day remind him why others don'tfeel comfortable doing so. Malmohas a high percentage of Muslimimmigrants-25% of the population of250,000 people. It definitely affectsthe Jewish community. Malmo's shul has security guardsevery Shabbos, and to ensure the

The Cheder strives to inspire every

student to complete their personal

Jewishness by using their education

in the service of other Jews, wherever

they may be found around the world.

In Alumni in Focus, we'd like to

highlight stories of alumni who have

made that commitment.

CHEDER NEWS

Alumni in Focus SHLIACH: SHNEUR KESSELMAN

CITY: MALMO, SWEDEN

3

Continued on page 4

In Suspense: At the monthly assembly,

students hear a story from Rabbi Stein.

Mitzvah Millionaires: Students earn Chederdollars for good behavior, and once a month they

have a chance to purchase prizes with their savings.The campaign is a quick lesson in economy, too- forthe largest prizes, students need to save more than

one month before they go "shopping".

Spreading a Little Light: It's hard to say

what was more welcome to residents at the senior

citizens home we visited- the menorahs our stu-

dents handed out, or the smiles on their faces.

Taking a Spin: Students enjoy a breakfrom learning by playing dreidel.

Chanukah Fun: Proving once and forall that trucks aren't just for boys, students

from our girls' school had a blast climbing onthis fire truck. Wonder how it would look with

a menorah on top…

2

PUBLIC MENORAH LIGHTING IN MALMO

From seven boys in one classroom to 6 communities in5 states! This photo, from 1971, is one of the Cheder'svery first classes. Today, these students are serving asleaders and educators in Jewish communities through-out the country. (Below left, we've listed each student'snew community next to his name).

(From left to right) Top row: Yossi Shemtov, Toledo, OhioChaim Block, St. Antonio, Texas Yossi Polter, Acton, Massachusetts

Bottom row: Gedalyah Shemtov, Brooklyn, New YorkDovid A. Polter, Brooklyn, New YorkDovid Shraga Polter, Oak Park, MichiganMoshe Silver, Brooklyn, NY

Mitzvah Contest Doubles Learning Excitement