Seven months of diligent study came full circle last week for siblings Mina and Mendel Tiechtel and Etty and Yisroel Sosover at the final round of the annual International Chidon HaMitzvos, a competition on the teachings of Maimonides, in Brooklyn, New York. Of nearly 7,000 children from 80 schools worldwide who participated in this year’s competition, this group of local children earned the qualifying scores on three rigorous exams and flew to Brooklyn to participate in the final tournament. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson OBM, encouraged children to thoroughly study all of the Torah’s 613 commandments as enumerated and elucidated by Maimonides in his Sefer HaMitzvot. His followers have taken to his words, hosting an annual chidon (contest) that challenges children to study large volumes of detailed texts delving into the intricacies of each mitzvah and competing for trophies, medals and prizes.
Organized by Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, together with Tzivos Hashem, its children’s division, the Chidon saw thousands of children ages 9-13 spending hours of their own free time studying the mitzvot and reviewing the extensive material. As finalists in their group, Mina, Mendel, Etty and Yisroel flew into New York, where they enjoyed three days of activities and competitive games that tested their knowledge, and the final tournament, where they earned a plaque and a medal.
Mina and Mendel Tiechtel are the children of Nechama and Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel. Etty and Yisroel Sosover are the children of Chani and Rabbi Berel Sosover. Mina and Etty study online via the Chabad Online School and Mendel and Yisroel are students at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy.
