Pasha and Egor Wish you a Happy Chanukah!

Five year old twins Egor and Pasha with their Chanukah boxes of candles and chocolate gelt

Words can not describe the delight in my heart when three-and-a-half year old Stasik pointed to the tallest candle in the Chanukia and said to me "It's a shamash!" Stasik is one of the students at the Minsk Jewish Campus Mazel Tov children's program. I've had the privilege of teaching him, as well as twenty other Mazel Tov students, ages 3-5, since my arrival in Minsk. We began to prepare for Chanukah in late October because it's never too early to learn the words to what became the children's favorite song, "I'm a Little Latke."


The goal of the class that I teach together with a wonderful teacher named Tanya, is for the children to learn basic English and a bit about Jewish holidays and concepts. Each lesson, the children practice introducing themselves in English. They have learned the names of nearly all the colors and an abundance animals as well. They also love to sing songs like "Ba Ba Black Sheap."


It seems one of their favorite activities is watching the Chanukah candles as they are lit and counting them in English until they've reached eight. And when you ask them why there are eight, they know- there are eight days of Chanukah! And with great dedication and persistence, each child learned all four lines of the song "I'm a Little Latke," in preparation for yesterday's Mazel Tov Children's Chanukah Concert. Proud babushkas, dedushkas, moms, and dads sat in the audience while their children or grandchildren displayed their remarkable English skills, and extensive knowledge of Chanukah as well. Check out the video below:

These Mazel Tov tots are tiny Chanukah experts!