MITZVAH CONTEST DOUBLES LEARNING EXCITEMENT
The 12th annual Mitzvah Contest competition is under way, and boys from the Cheder have joined thousands of students in America, Canada, Australia, and South Africa in an in-depth study of the 613 
mitzvahs. The Mitzvah Contest was initiated by Tzivos Hashem, a worldwide Jewish children’s organization run by Chabad Lubavitch, as a way to encourage a broad knowledge of Jewish law among grade-school children, and has become a highlight of the school year.
Schools receive special learning materials carefully designed to make complex material accessible to children of varying ages and backgrounds, allowing boys from both Hebrew Day schools and Cheders to compete together. Through workbooks and creative worksheets, students come to understand the reason behind each mitzvah, its source in the Torah, and its practical application. Posters, progress charts, and the chance to travel to the international competition keep the learning fun.
Participating schools give their students three tests, and students with the highest scores go on to compete in the international tournament, which this year will be held in Brooklyn, New York. Shabbos parties, field trips, live music performances, and meeting other Jewish boys from around the world make tournament weekends a success even for those who don’t take home prizes.
Both the boys’ and girls’ schools are conducting their own learn-a-thon as well, which everyone is excited about. The learn-a-thon began at the start of the school year with an overview of the mitzvahs of knowing and loving G‑d, studying Torah, and related 
topics. After learning these mitzvahs, students asked for the chance to tackle additional topics. Of course, teachers were more than happy to go along with their request. By the end of the school year, we hope to have studied the laws of Tefillah, Mezuzahs, Torah scrolls, and the cycle of the Jewish year. Unlike the Mitzvah Contest, where only a few of the finalists receive prizes, in the learn-a-thon students earn prizes based on points, giving every child a chance to win.
Without a doubt the best prize, which everyone has already secured, is the increased enthusiasm for learning that these two programs have brought to the Cheder.
