Shalom Story Time
By Michele Dargan
Palm Beach Daily News
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015
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Rebbetzin Hindel Levitin of Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island believes educating children about their Jewish heritage in a fun and entertaining way is an important component to Judaism.
“The way to bring authentic Judaism into people’s homes and the community is through our kids,” Levitin said. “When the kids get excited about their own Judaism, they bring it home and get their parents excited. It makes the holiday season come alive in practical terms.”
Shiny Shots: Celebrating Rosh Hashanah
With the High Holidays beginning Sunday at sundown, Levitin conducted a Shalom storytime for babies and toddlers Thursday at The Society of the Four Arts Children’s Library. About a dozen children and parents attended. The children ranged from 6 months to 4 years. The storytime, followed by crafts and snacks, concentrated on Rosh Hashana.
The High Holidays are the holiest days in the Jewish calendar. Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is a time for reflection. The period between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is known as the Ten Days of Repentance. Yom Kippur, the solemn Day of Atonement, begins at sundown Sept. 22 and ends at nightfall Sept. 23.
The one-hour storytime will continue every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. through October. It is open to the public and hosted by The Chabad House in cooperation with the Commission for Jewish Education’s PJ Library.
Books read during storytime are bought by the Chabad or provided by the PJ Library and, after each session, those books are donated to the Four Arts Library.
Deitsch wrote that Mirel taught her a lesson: “G‑d really can do anything, and we only have to turn to him and ask.