Seven months of diligent study came full circle last month for siblings Mina and Mendel Tiechtel at the final round of the annual International Chidon HaMitzvos, a competition on the teachings of Maimonides, in Brooklyn, New York.
Of nearly 3,000 children from 80 schools worldwide who participated in this year’s competition, both Mina and Mendel earned the highest scores on three rigorous exams and flew to Brooklyn to participate in the final tournament. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson OBM, encouraged children to thoroughly study all of the Torah’s 613 commandments as enumerated and elucidated by Maimonides in his Sefer HaMitzvot. His followers have taken to his words, hosting an annual chidon (contest) that challenges children to study large volumes of detailed texts delving into the intricacies of each mitzvah and competing for trophies, medals and prizes.
Organized by Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, together with Tzivos Hashem, its children’s division, the Chidon saw hundreds of children ages 9-13 spending hours of their own free time studying the mitzvot and reviewing the extensive material. As one of 48 finalists in each of their groups, Mina and Mendel flew to New York, where they enjoyed three days of exciting trips, competitive games that tested their knowledge, and the final tournament, where they earned a plaque and a medal.
Mina and Mendel Teichtel are the children of Nechama and Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel. Mina studies online via the Chabad Shluchim Online School and Mendel is a fourth-grade student at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy.