Bnei Akiva Detroit

We are doing everything we can to support our brothers and sisters in Israel during this terrible time. Not only must we assist our friends and family who are currently in physical danger, we must also do whatever we can to comfort and console those here in Detroit who are under constant stress and worry about their family members in Israel who are fighting for our safety.
Today we gathered together our elementary school children to bake chocolatey Challot and write beautiful, heartfelt letters to our fellow Detroit families who have family serving in the IDF.
We are davening non stop for this war to end and for all of Acheinu Bnei Yisrael to return home safely.
Am Yisrael Chai!!

Last Sunday Eidah Hey had their end of the year event. Everyone met at Booth Park for an adventurous scavenger hunt - boys vs. girls. After the girls declared victory, we all celebrated with a delicious pizza lunch. What an amazing year and we can’t wait to see you all in Eidah Vav next year!!!

Last Sunday Bnei Akiva of Detroit had an amazing outing to Cedar Point. After davening all together we boarded the buses and set out to Sandusky, Ohio. Despite the park being a bit crowded, everyone had an amazing time going on roller coasters and many other attractions as well. What an amazing end-of-the-year event for our Middle school and High school and we can’t for another phenomenal year in a few months!!

This past weekend Bnei Akiva Detroit joined with Bnei Akiva across the continent at the annual IDP Shabbaton at Moshava IO. After arriving at camp Thursday night, we enjoyed many fun and enlightening Peulot over the weekend discussing Israel, Religious Zionism, and the importance to view and actively make Israel our homeland. A spirited, Ruach-filled Shabbat led us into the Celebrate Israel Parade on Sunday where we marched down 5th Ave in Manhattan amongst thousands of other supporters of the State of Israel. What a powerful and important experience that we were Zocheh to be a part of and we look forwards to next year’s Shabbaton as well!!!

**Open to all Middle school and High school!!!
Don't forget to sign up!! One week from today!!
Registration closes tomorrow or when all seats are taken! Open to Grades 6-12!!!
https://form.jotform.com/231264961112449

On Tuesday night Bnei Akiva Detroit teamed up with Farber and NCSY to host a delicious and spirited high school Lag BaOmer event. After enjoying lots of wings and salami, the group sat in a circle and accompanied by a guitar, sang beautifully and heard Divrei Torah. The evening ended by celebrating a Tzevet member's birthday and of course, Maariv.

On Sunday Bnei Akiva Detroit had their end of the year event for Eidah Vav. After about a half hour in an arcade, the Chanichim proceeded next door to the main event: Top Golf. A mixed group of beginners and pros enjoyed teeing off and trying to hit targets or at least to hit the ball. Everyone had a blast and can't wait to continue enjoying BA events next year!!

This past Shabbat Bnei Akiva Detroit hosted the midwest Zach Shabbaton. An amazing Shabbat full of Divrei Torah, good food, and lots of fun was enjoyed thanks to our amazing Tzevet and Bogrim who put together and ran the Shabbaton. On Motzash everyone headed over to Dave and Busters for an arcade night, and the Shabbaton finished off with a special cereal & milk and ice cream breakfast Sunday morning.
Thank you so much to all the YIS families who so graciously hosted our guests and to the shul itself for allowing us to use the building for the weekend. The weekend was a huge success and we can't wait for the next Shabbaton!!

While many families have been celebrating Pesach this year as usual, some have unfortunately been struck by tragedy. A family of British Olim from Efrat who had previously been on Shlichut were gunned down by an Arab terrorist in the Jordan Valley on their way to a Chol HaMoed Tiyul on Friday. The 2 daughters, Rina and Maya Hy"d, were killed instantly, while their mother Leah (Lucy) Hy"d was hospitalized in critical condition and succumbed to her wounds this morning. At a time when we are supposed to be focusing on the Mitzvah of happiness of Yom Tov, Am Yisrael is instead in mourning, crying over the loss of 3 beautiful Neshamot, a mother and her two daughters, taken away from the world way too early.
Let us all take a moment to be thankful to Hashem for everything we have at a time like this.

On Sunday, Eidah Hey went out to celebrate the end of winter at the Royal Oak Ice Rink. The girls had a blast ice skating with their Rosh Maayan Vanderhoek and Roni and Ravid. This event was so much fun and we can't wait for the next one!!

Eidah Vav enjoyed an exciting, competitive Chopped Jr. event at the Davis's house. After receiving their special ingredients, the kids set off preparing their chicken and sides in the allotted time. While the chicken was cooking in the oven, they moved on to the second round of competition: dessert. When all was ready to eat, the judges tasted and graded the prepared meal and B"H most of the food was delicious! Everyone had a ton of fun preparing and eating the food and can't wait for the next event. Thank you to Rosh Ruty Aron for preparing the event and to Tzevet Nava Feldman and Ariella Lieb and Roni and Ravid for coming as well!

On Sunday, Eidah Aleph gathered at Young Israel of Southfield for a fun-filled afternoon. They started off by designing their own crayon art, continued by making their own slime, and finished off making capsules of colored salt. At the end, everyone enjoyed ice cream sundaes and heard a Dvar Torah from Gideon Lopatin. Thank you to the Madrichim Ariella Leib, Avi Selesny, Benji Gardin, Alyssa Skoczylas, and Alexander Khodorkovsky for coming and running such an amazing event! We can’t wait for the next one!

The Farber High School had a special celebration of Shushan Purim for the first time this year! The first program was an auction with all the money going to Lev LaChayal, an organization that houses and takes care of lone soldiers in Tzahal. The prizes were special activities hosted by and paid for by the Farber staff including lots of food, escape rooms, nail salons, and much more!! The bidding was intense and most importantly, over $2,000 was raised for Tzedakah!! Following the auction the students broke up into groups for round one of a Chidon on Megillat Esther where the winners moved on to the championship round to face each other. After 100 questions on Megillat Esther, we finally had our winner Eli Kanner and our second place finishers Ariella Lieb, Benji Gardin, and Jonas Singer. The winners received gift cards to the local Sefarim store and Dunkin Donuts. What a fun-filled experience and amazing way to celebrate the special day of Shushan Purim!!

Just before the night of Purim began, there was a special kids Megillah reading with prizes and Mishloach Manot at the Young Israel of Southfield. Our Shaliach R' Moshe Davis led an abridged Megillah reading with lots of Hamans and some shtick to entertain the children while Rabbi Morris asked many questions about Purim and the Megillah. Thank you to Morah Libi for organizing such an amazing event! The night continued with an inspiring and humorous rendition of Megillat Esther complete with costumes and voices for the different characters in the Megillah. There was entertainment and shtick appropriate for all ages 0-120 as we started off Purim with a bang!

This past Sunday Bnei Akiva Detroit teamed up with Young Israel of Southfield to run an exciting Purim Carnival! Filled with awesome stations like toss the clown, blindfolded cotton ball picking, and a photo booth, the carnival was a great success! This was accompanied by an indoor bouncehouse, a hot dog station, and a prize station where everyone was a winner! Thank you Morah Libi for all your hard work! Everyone had a fantastic time and we can't wait for the next event!

This past weekend Bnei Akiva Detroit joined together with other Snifim across the US and Canada for the annual Shvatim Shabbaton. Our high schoolers had a blast throughout the weekend hanging out with camp friends from other cities and enjoying the Ruach of the Shabbaton. On Motzei Shabbat there was an amazing lineup planned with an illusionist accompanying the Melaveh Malkah followed by a trip to the amazing Splash Lagoon where everyone had time to enjoy the indoor water park as well as the arcade with tons of prizes. Thank you to the Bnei Akiva National Tzevet who worked tirelessly for months to plan such an unbelievable Shabbaton. We can't wait for the next one!!!

On Sunday Bnei Akiva Detroit got ready for Tu BeShvat at Young Israel of Southfield. Over 50 preschool and elementary age kids came to participate in many activities including flower planting, cupcake decorating, fruit kabob making, and other games related to Tu BeShvat. Everyone had such an amazing time celebrating the trees and we can't wait for the next event!!

On Motzei Shabbat Bnei Akiva Detroit had an amazing High School Melaveh Malkah at the Davises house. The students were greeted with 6 flavors of ice cream, belgian waffles, waffle bowls, brownies, and milkshakes!!! Everyone had an awesome time and thank you to Alex Khodorkovsky for providing a Dvar Torah. We can't wait for the next event!!

On Sunday, Eidah Vav took a trip to Universal Nonstop - a hidden gem here in Detroit. Everyone had a blast over 3 hours of unlimited laser tag, go karts, mini golf, virtual reality rollercoasters, rock climbing, and arcade games. What an amazing event planned by Rosh Ruty Aron and joined by Madricha Nava Feldman and the Banot. We can't wait for the next event!!

On Sunday, Eidah Hey went bowling at Bowlero Lanes. Thanks to Rosh Maayan Vanderhoek for putting together a really fun and entertaining event. We can't wait for the next one!!

This past Thursday marked a somber but special day in our calendar: the birthday of Gil'ad Shaer, one of the 3 boys who were killed by terrorists in the summer of 2014. Something Gil'ad was very fond of was making chocolate chip cookies, which has turned into a movement in his memory called "Matok BaLev - Sweetheart". In Farber the elementary school students baked their own cookies with the help of Roni and Ravid and the Davises and wrote notes to bring home a special package of cookies and messages to their families. We were able to commemorate the tragedy of Gil'ad's death by spreading care and love to our special community and we hope his Neshama has an Aliyah.

Yesterday Eidot Zach met at Perfect Game arcade. Everyone had a great time playing the arcade games, challenging each other to basketball shootouts, car races, bowling and more! After all the fun, everyone was able to buy awesome prizes with all the tickets they won from the games. Can't wait for the next event!!

Yesterday Eidah Aleph met at Lindell Skating Rink for an amazing time free skating on the ice. It was amazing to see all of the kids enjoy as well as many families who came to join their children and siblings to have a great time. Can't wait for the next event!

Snif is back🥳🥳
Can't wait to see everyone!!

On Monday night, students from middle school and high school each came to the Davis's house to have a Chanukah party and delicious dinner of schnitzel, fries, and a beautiful salad bar. Everyone had a great time eating, hanging out, and of course playing a Chanukah Kahoot.

BA Detroit got into the Chanukah action this past Sunday afternoon, right before the first night. Over 40 families came to enjoy the Chanukah carnival: building Chanukiyot, decorating Sufganiyot, eating dreidel waffles, winning cool prizes, and of course playing tons of fun games. Thank you so much to our amazing Mazkirim, Ariella Lieb, Benji Gardin, and Avi Selesny and Roni and Ravid for coming very early to help set up and of course running stations as well as our awesome Madrichim Alexander Khodorkovsky, Abie Gardin, Matthew Shamayev, Ziv Digadker, Benny Kleid, Aviel Siegel, Gideon Lopatin, Maayan Vanderhoek, Eli Gorin, and special shout-out to non-Madrichim David Shamayev, Amos Aron, Eliya Digadker, and Ira Gardin for coming to help and run all the stations for the super successful Chanukah carnival. Everyone had an incredible time celebrating and playing games and are so excited to continue the Chanukah celebration throughout the whole week.

This past Shabbat the high school girls of Detroit enjoyed a fabulous Shabbaton at the home of the Davis's. Joined by Roni and Ravid and our Bogeret, Shoshi Fogelman, the girls had a blast at meals, davening, and Peulot, all capped off with a cozy, snack filled, movie night on Motzei Shabbat. Throughout the Shabbaton, we focused on the theme of the importance of individuality but of course that as a group we can accomplish so much more. What a fun Shabbaton; we can't wait for the next one!!