Sunday, May 18, 2025
Student representatives from Chabads across Long Island participated in the annual JewQ Championship on Feb. 9.
Students in grades three to eight tackled questions about customs, Jewish holidays, rituals and values in a high-energy spelling bee-style competition.
The quiz showcased months of dedicated studying by the young scholars that reflect the program’s emphasis on cultivating confidence, knowledge and Jewish pride through a community-oriented experience.
Chabad of Port Washington hosted the competition, on Feb. 9. Fifteen Chabads participated in this quiz, including Chabad of the Beaches - Aleph Academy, Chabad of Brookville, Chabad of the East End, Chabad of Great Neck, Chabad of Hewlett, Lake Success Chabad and Chabad of Oceanside.
“In today’s environment, it’s critical to empower our youth with the confidence that comes from deep-rooted knowledge and understanding of their heritage,” Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky of Chabad World Headquarters wrote in an email. “Everyone in the packed audience watching these impressive children had a feeling of strong positivity and hopefulness for a bright Jewish future.”
Long Beach had quite the representation, sending 10 students to compete. The students — Max Singer, Shane Siegel, Leo Kushner, Nachman Colish, Ryan Glasser, Brandon Elgudin, Dean Kamenitz, Megan Wein, Meyer Weintraub and Avery Goldfaden — all chose to join the optional program, studying on their own.
“It is an unbelievable program,” Beila Goodman, co-director of Chabad of the Beaches, said. “This is in addition to what they’re learning at our after-school enrichment program. The program kicked off in October, and every week they would learn a little bit more and do a little bit more.”
The Chabad offered tests for each student throughout the months before the championship, and the students who earned the highest scores were invited to participate. Competing not only allows student to represent their Chabads and communities, but also showcase their knowledge of Judaism and their heritage.
“If they want to be ‘super Jews’ and know their stuff really, really well,” Rabbi Eli Goodman, of Chabad of the Beaches, said, “this is something that they’re taking on, and it’s done in a very unique and fun way. They prepare for many months, and they really know their stuff, like miniature rabbis.”
The event was organized by CKids Long Island, part of the Lubavitch Hasidic Jewish movement educational network.
Rivkie Tenenboim, wife of Rabbi Nochem Tenenboim of the Chabad of Hewlett, was impressed by the array of Jewish knowledge the kids demonstrated and how they worked well with their peers from other Hebrew schools across Long Island.
“The Jewish Kids Club of Hewlett made a splash at the Long Island JewQ Competition,” Tenenboim wrote in an email. “The trip began with an engaging, interactive, followed by a thrilling visit to Dave & Buster’s. This adventure embodied the spirit of our Chabad House: blending Judaism with joy!”
She believes that their outstanding achievement is a testament to the success of their Jewish Kids Club Program.
According to Tenenboim, the program strives to provide a fun, interactive and meaningful Jewish education to children from all backgrounds.
“Our program’s focus on hands-on learning, exciting activities and building a sense of community has clearly inspired a love of Judaism in our young Jewish participants,” she wrote. “We couldn’t be prouder of our Jewish Kids Club and look forward to continuing to inspire the next generation of Jewish leaders!”
The top scorers from each grade received a prize and those who scored over 70 percent on all three tests are eligible for a grand trip and go to the International Shabbaton in New York City.
The top finalists will advance to an international competition in March, where finalists from 250 cities in 25 countries worldwide attend.
