For Immediate Release
May 19, 2008

Three Graduation Ceremonies Celebrated In One Week

 The season for graduation ceremonies has begun throughout America. On Chabad's Campus for Living Judaism in Boynton, no less than three different graduation ceremonies are being celebrated this week. Three independent institutions of learning will proudly recognize this year's great accomplishments.

In its first year, The Jewish Early Childhood Education Center will show off its gorgeous little children's vast accomplishments and pay tribute to its first year in the community. Head of School, Mrs. Dinie Ciment will express gratitude to the community for its overwhelming response to this brand new early childhood education center.

"It is unfathomable that a school in its first year, should be in such high demand. Registration for next year is already full and provisions to facilitate the waiting list of applicants are in full swing," said Mrs. Ciment.

While a school usually needs to build a reputation over years, before this type of community response is realized, this volume of interest is overwhelming and heartwarming, and speaks volumes of the quality of our school's standards of education synthesized with love and warmth, wonderfully appreciated by our parent body," said Ms Cooper, School Director.

Director Shainy Raichik of Chabad's Hebrew School has broken the mold of monotonous, normative Hebrew School instruction and through innovative, fun, and a loving environment has attracted the highest attendance to its program by the community, to date. Graduation ceremonies will celebrate accomplishments such as, black belt champion readers of Hebrew, Big brother/sister mentoring accomplishments and other unique accolades, well deserved by the students.

"These children and their parents have joined excitedly due to its energy and fun-loving learning environment and the graduation will be no less exciting in paying tribute to these families and their dear children," said Mrs. Raichik.

"Their exposure to their Jewish heritage, and thorough educational experience in all areas of their Judaic life is what our school is all about. But we need to do it on a level which will be attractive to the realities and imaginations of today's youth. Thank G‑d, this year has shown that we can be successful in accomplishing this critically needed challenge," said Mrs. Raichik.

A record number of Bar and Bat Mitzvah milestones were celebrated this year. Mr. Sol Krislow, a seasoned teacher of these children together with the Rabbi, excels in preparing children who never had exposure to Judaism. They are placed on a special fast track designed by The Chabad Hebrew School inculcating their Jewish heritage, history, holiday awareness, and Jewish reading courses and then crowning their learning with their bar and bat mitzvah milestone ceremonies.

It certainly helps enrollment when the Hebrew School Scholarship committee will turn no Jewish child away because of a lack of funds. The Pre-School, as well, is not connected to any membership or building fees of The Temple and therefore is somewhat unique to the community.

This year of firsts, was joined by another grand first in Palm Beach County; A special institute dubbed the "Mini Rabbi" program where a dedicated staff of five practicing Rabbis from throughout South Florida, taught ten, 13-14 year old boys, all children of other area South Florida Rabbis.

From 7:30 AM until 6:30 PM these teenagers studied an entire day, six days a week, under the professional guidance of the practicing Rabbinical staff. Their curriculum was the ancient texts of the Talmud, Jewish codified law, and the esoteric teachings of Chassidut. Their graduation ceremony will be special, as each will prepare a sermon, as a part of their "hands on training" as the future Rabbis of tomorrow the parents and community members look forward to this very special commencement exercises.

Rabbi Sholom Ciment, Director of Chabad-Lubavitch commented, "this year was especially gratifying for our Judaic Center. Daily, one could walk through our buildings and hear, from the mouths of babes and sucklings in the pre-school, the school age children, and the pre-Rabbinic students, the voice of our tradition, so vibrantly alive.

While others would call it noise, to me it was sheer music. The beautiful music of Ldor' - V' dor - the music of "Am Yisroel Chai"

Due to these three pillars of institutions, our next generation of Jews, who are being inculcated by the finest professionals, in luxurious settings, create an ambiance of a very special citadel of Judaism, developed over thirteen years, burning bright in the heart of Boynton Beach."

Ciment also commented that special recognition must be paid to the center's Boynton Torah Institute, another first, under the leadership of Rabbi Yosef Raichik.

This institution has as its flagship course; a winter, spring, fall Jewish Learning Institute - JLI division. Currently in its second week of a six week course of Jewish ethics. These classes are attended by some 70 participants per class.

"JLI augments an entire roster of adult classes from Hebrew Reading, Judaism 101, Talmud, Jewish law, Torah portion of the week and is truly making a difference in the participants lives as their aspirations and search for Jewish learning, on all levels, are brought to reality," said Rabbi Raichik.

Never to rest on it's laurels, Chabad plans to double its facilities size on its adjacent, recently purchased property. This will bring the splendid campus to a full six acres.

"The Rebbe taught us that challenges are there just to test us and make us stronger. Although the current economic environment is not conducive to a $10 million capital campaign," Ciment remains undaunted. "The waiting lists for the pre-school grows, the 600 seat sanctuary is too small, and social events have no home, how can we wait?" Ciment says, as he reports that Chabad's "three year expansion program" is running on schedule.

Rabbi Bentzion Singer and his wife Chaya are in the process of opening a satellite office in the area of Lyons and Hypoluxo, in West Lake Worth. The Western Chabad satellite center will be located between Lyons and the turnpike near Boynton Beach Blvd. and the Central Chabad's Headquarters will be constructed to a total of 55,000 square feet, all within the next three years. All in all this "ain't just another temple," said Ciment.

"What we are experiencing is nothing short of the open hand of G‑d and his continued miracles and blessings in helping us stretch out our hands and welcome in every Jew of this community," said Ciment.

For more information on The Pre-School, Hebrew School, regular programing and upcoming special events please call the Shul office at (561) 732-4633 or visit the website at www.ChabadBoynton.com.