A Meaningful Month for the Shinshinim

The time period from Passover to Shavuot is a busy time in Israel and it was no different for the Shinshinim here in Baltimore with many events occurring during this time.

For Yom HaZikaron, the Shinshinim participated in ceremonies at KSDS and OCA, and together with the Baltimore Jewish Council and other Baltimore shlichim, they planned a meaningful community event where they shared personal stories about fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks who are close to their hearts. This was the first year the Associated hosted a Yom HaZikaron event, with 30 people in attendance.

In addition, the Shinshinim organized the “Running in Memory” initiative, in which community members signed up to receive a sticker honoring a fallen soldier. Participants ran in their memory and shared photos using the hashtag #RunningInMemory on Instagram. Many middle school students at OCA and KSDS participated in this initiative through their PE classes, in addition to host parents, and community members.

For Yom HaAtzmaut, the KSDS Shinshinim planned a school-wide celebration, while the OCA Shinshinim taught students Daglanot, a traditional Israeli flag dance, and led a performance for parents. One Shinshinit led Rikudia (dance) at the Rosenbloom Religious School with some of the Shinshinim serving as judges in the final competition, which took place on Yom HaAtzmaut. And together with the Pearlstone Shalich, the Shinshinim planned and led a Yom HaAtzmaut celebration for families at Pearlstone, which was attended by 43 community members.

And finally, for Lag BaOmer, the Shinshinim organized a community-wide event, Israeli-style, in nature. The weather was gorgeous, the vibe was great, and 85 community members attended, with several being first-timers at an Associated and/or Shinshinim event!