Euroasian Jewish News

Darkeinu’s 5779 Olympics Contest Kicks Off Bigger and Better

FJC’s Darkeinu Jewish studies curriculum kicked off its popular “Olympics” Jewish heritage contest last month in 69 educational institutions across seven FSU countries. This year the contest is also open to pre-schoolers, for whom a special “Olympics Darkeinu Kids” was launched for the first time. Overall 2060 students participated in the first round, with 1436 moving on to the next.

“The contest is increasingly popular among Jewish school students, who get a chance to participate in a fun extra-curricular activity, connect with their peers across the globe and show off their Jewish studies skills, which raises the prestige of these subjects among students, teachers, and parents alike,” said Mrs. Dina Volkova, Darkeinu mentor. “By launching the ‘Kids’ division this year we are also drawing the younger kids closer to their heritage and getting them interested and involved from an early age.”

Darkeinu Olympics consist of three rounds, the second of which was held last week. The winners of the second round among high-school grades will meet in Israel in the spring for the contest’s finals. All transportation and accommodation will be provided by Darkeinu.

46 schools an 23 kindergartens are participating in the contest this year, among them high-schools in Jerusalem and Haifa, Kyiv, Moscow, Riga, and Khabarovsk. “We wish all the participants the best of luck and can’t wait to greet the finalists in Jerusalem in a few months,” said Mrs. Sarah Vernick, Darkeinu’s extracurricular programs coordinator.

FJC’s Darkeinu is the first and only original Jewish studies curriculum developed and published in the Russian language. It creates and publishes textbooks, workbooks, study guides and teaching manuals, classroom materials; conducts seminars, webinars and extra-curriculum programs for kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools in the FSU and Israel.

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