Ideas For Activities- Starting The Year And Chagei Tishrei

All ages should have a chance to: get to know their Shevet and their Madrichim, hear what the plans for the year are and have a fun event so that they will want to come back for more.

Open the Bnei Akiva year:

All ages should have a chance to: get to know their Shevet and their Madrichim, hear what the plans for the year are and have a fun event so that they will want to come back for more.

 A food based event like a BBQ, Pizza or ice cream evening can be good as the food makes it fun and leaves the Madrichim with time to discuss their plans. Doing the program in a special place like a park or camp site can add to the fun without taking away from the time.

On the first Shabbat at Snif try to make the chanichim feel at home and comfortable with the surrounding Chanichim and Tzevet. You must remember that if for any reason they are not so they might not try again. They must feel that they learned something that they can come home and report, and they have to remember a positive and fun experience.

Therefore I would suggest a skit or a scavenger hunt around the Snif.

A skit if planned well can show the chanichim that this is different then school and can teach a full message in a fun and funny way.

A scavenger hunt is good especially in a new snif or in a place where the Shevet changes location every year. This way they can get familiar with the things and the people around them in a fun way.

Chagei Tishrei

Rosh Hashanna

• A day trip to an apple or honey farm
• Handing out apple and honey to the community (door by door, or in a central location)
• Going to hand out apple and honey in a Chessed place (old aged, disabled, hospital…)
• Sending out New Year cards
• Sending out calendars

Tzom Gedalya

• Organizing a learning program at the end of the fast with a fast breaking together

Shabbat Tshuva / Shabbat after Yom Kippur

• Have a special discussion with all of Chevraya Bet about how we can improve on a community and Snif level. It’s a time for reflecting on what we believe in and would like to do on a personal and general level.

Succot:

• Build Succot for people – either for fundraising or for those who need Chessed.
• Succah hop – a visit in a few Succot in the community and have an ongoing program running in parts from one Succah to the next. Make sure to contact the families you plan to visit and ask them to host the expected number of chanichim.
• Simchat Beit Hashoeva – dancing and Ruach, if someone else is doing it already so join them.
• Aravot Sale – if you have Aravot growing in the area, pick them with the chanichim and sell them at shuls for Hoshana Raba
• Simchat torah – loads of Ruach, make sure the Chaverim bring Simcha to all, go to a shul or a community that needs some support.