Jewish Education System! :How to raise independent child
What is the secret to success of the Jewish education? This is one of the top five questions we get asked. There are several reasons.System of learning from young age is with a lot of review, repetition and study by heart. Students are taught from a young age the different parts of Torah according to their level. As they get older they learn on a deeper level and the classical ”pair learning” system is practiced.In junior high school, they learn more and more hours in pairs- ”Chevruta” and just several hours a week, they have a formal lesson/lecture. A lot of revision time is given. The idea is to give the student the skills to be able to study independently and in depth. The teacher is in the room and always available to answer any question or issue that needs clarification. This system of learning instills self discipline and responsibility in the young students. Tzedaka and kindness is emphasized as an integral part of learning. Students are encouraged to bring a coin every morning to put in the charity box at school emphasizing the importance of helping people in need as the basis of our day. Each school has volunteer hours every week and encourages the students to use their free time to help people in the community. The idea behind this is to show our gratitude for the gifts that we were given on a daily basis and not to take for granted the good opportunities that we have. Prayer, time for connection and thankfulness is set aside each day to instill awareness of the Creator and develop a relationship with G-d Almighty on a daily basis. The students sing many parts of the prayer aloud and together, especially when they are young. The beginning is important. There is a beautiful tradition from the time of the Talmud, for the first day of school –”cheder”. When the father brings his child, the teacher puts him on his knees and asks him to read the ”Aleph” and then lick the honey that’s put on the letter for that purpose. The young child feels the love and sweetness of the study of Holy Torah.
Chanukah starts from evening of November 28th (כסליו)!!
This year, Chanukah starts from the evening of November 28th! We are providing Happy Chanukah Set -Chanukah to Go! (Box includes Menorah and Candle), for people who hopes to have before the coming Chanukah. Feel free to contact us from our e-mail! Also in the first evening of Chanukah, Japanese visitors are welcome and donut, tea, coffee, wine and many other delicious food will be provided!! For kids, Dreidel is also available! If you are visiting Chabad House of Tokyo for the first time, visitors need to fill out the visitors form beforehand. Our staff will send you after contacting us. We are looking forward for your visit!
Join us Yom Kippur 5782 with Chabad Tokyo
Tomorrow, Wednesday evening, September 15 will begin Yom Kippur. The day that the deepest and purest part of our neshama is revealed. The day of eternal forgiveness, when one stands before the Creator, as an angel. We pray and wish that each of you will be sealed in the book of life for a good and sweet year. May it be a year of revealed good in every aspect of your life. From Corona(COVID-19), we will have the Crown of King Moshiach. Now. This year in Jerusalem! We are joyously preparing for the meal before the fast and break the fast. Our generous friend Shlomi from Nagoya sent such fresh produce, large beets, special peppers and superbly sweet kabocha and many other delicious vegetables for the Holidays. Loads of Challah rolls and appetizing foods are ready for the great mitzvah of adding in meals on Erev Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur was chosen as the day of forgiveness and atonement by G-d Almighty, 3,334 years ago. When the Jewish people were forgiven for the sin of the Golden Calf. To join for Yom Kippur please RSVP. Due to Corona(COVID-19), we have to know in advance. Yom Kippur Schedule: Wednesday, Sep 15 2 PM meal before the fast 5:30 PM Candle lighting 6:30 PM KOL NIDREI Yom Kippur day: Thursday, Sep 16 10 AM Morning services 11 AM YIZKOR 4:30 PM Mincha 5:00 PM Neilah and Blowing shofar 6:30 PM MEAL AFTER THE FAST Contact us from e-mail chabadtokyo@gmail.com
Jewish Burial in Japan
Cremation in Japan is common in Japan. It wasn’t so before World war Two, people were buried. As a matter of fact, the emperor’s family do not cremate to this day. Jewish tradition prohibits cremation, since we come from earth and are destined to return to earth. The body is considered sacred as it is a loyal partner to the soul doing good deeds while it is in this physical world. Our body is given to us as a collateral to safekeep, so that after 120 years, of a full and meaningful life, the body is returned to its maker. The Torah teaches that we don’t have a right to burn what G-d has given to us as a gift. Recently, a 55 year old Jewish man in our community passed away suddenly. He lived over three decades in Japan. His family in Israel were very worried how they would be able to bury him according to Jewish law. Rabbi Edery, may he live and be well arranged all the paper work so that his body could be flown back as soon as possible to Israel. The Jewish law requires the family to bury their relative as close as possible to the time of death, as respect for the the person who passed on. Many of the local offices were closed due to corona, that did not deter Rabbi Edery from thinking of ways to overcome the challenges. The vice minister of Defense Yasuhide Nakayama, who very kindly connected us with Miyake sensei from the Ministry of Foreign affairs helped very graciously. Finally, the Jewish man was buried near his family in Tiberias, Israel. Hopefully, Moshiach will come very soon and he will be reunited with his loved ones.
A Shining Example of Bravery and Devotion: Story of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson
Today is the day of passing of the Rebbe’s father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson. He was the Chief Rabbi of Yekaterinoslav, now Dniepropetrovsk, Ukraine. His bravery and devotion to help every Jew was outstanding. He was the backbone and support to all Jewry in USSR. The Communists imprisoned him, on the basis of being a counter revolutionary. They decided to completely stop him from teaching and developing Jewish life. They sent him to exile in Chile, Kazakhstan, which was physically and mentally extremely difficult. Hunger and sickness was the norm. Swamp land, scorching heat in the summer, and extreme cold and rain in the winter made it very difficult to survive. Reb Levi Yitzchak’s wife Chana, joined him in his exile. She made ink out of leaves, enabling her husband to continue writing his Kabbalistics discourses and teachings, which we have printed today. He was released from exile and lived in Almaty, where he passed away shortly after. He is an example of self sacrifice to keep Judaism alive even under unbearable circumstances. We are here today in his merit. May Moshiach come now, we will merit to see him and his wife in person.
