One of the many benefits of having several rabbis in the CJDS community is that from time to time they visit and share additional knowledge and insight with our ever-curious students. On Thursday three rabbis visited all students in all grades to teach about the Jewish ritual of Bedikat Chametz, Search for Chametz: Rabbi Aaron Finkelstein of Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation (Yara, JK); Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann of Mishkan Chicago (Judah, Grade 1), Adira (JK); and Rabbi Milton Wakschlag, grandfather of Maerav (Grade 6) and Bella (Grade 1).

Each rabbi led discussions about the significance of this ritual performed the night before the Passover when residents symbolically place ten pieces of bread in obvious places and search for the pieces with a candle (or flashlight) and a feather. Once found, each bread piece and its crumbs are swept into a paper bag to burn the next day during the Biur Chametz (burning of the bread) ritual. On Friday, all students participated in this ritual outside on the driveway and, now, in the upcoming days before the start of Passover, they can apply their knowledge from their recent experiences to lend a hand in the cleaning process at their own households.