Learning
Learn with Rabbi Chabot
“Every question is a good question!” Here is what kids learn in each Chabotville video, with quizzes and fun things to try at home.
What kids learn
For every age, from the Tiny Bots to the Builder Crew. Finish a quiz to earn a sticker!
Hanukkah
Hanukkah Lights
Ages 5 to 7 · 3 min
What kids learn:
- Why Hanukkah has eight nights: the story of the little jar of oil
- The shamash helper candle, and counting the candles
Try it at home: Count the candles with a grown-up! Remember, only grown-ups light real candles.
Sukkot
The Great Sukkah Rescue
Ages 7 to 11 · 5 min
What kids learn:
- How to build a sukkah the right way: sturdy walls, the right height and schach on top
- The four kinds: the lulav with myrtle and willow, and the etrog
Try it at home: Next Sukkot, visit a sukkah with a grown-up and check: how many walls does it have, and can you see the stars through the schach?
Shabbat
Mrs. Chabot's Kitchen: The Great Challah Comeback
Ages 5 to 7 · 4 min
What kids learn:
- How to bake challah step by step, and separating challah
- What Shabbat is: a weekly day of rest from Friday before sundown until Saturday night
Try it at home: Next time you bake challah, ask a grown-up to help! Keep food covered and up high, and remember that only grown-ups use the oven. Bread and raw dough aren't food for dogs.
Purim
Chabot Holidays: Purim
Ages 3 to 8 · 4 min
What kids learn:
- The Purim story: brave Queen Esther, Mordechai and mean Haman
- The four Purim mitzvahs: the Megillah, mishloach manot, gifts to the poor and a festive meal
Try it at home: Make a Purim basket with two yummy treats to give to a friend, and pick a costume that is brave and kind like Queen Esther!
Passover
Chabot Holidays: Passover
Ages 3 to 8 · 4 min
What kids learn:
- The Passover story: Moses, Pharaoh and leaving Egypt, from slavery to freedom
- The Seder: the Seder plate, the Four Questions, matzah and the four cups
Try it at home: Practice the Four Questions with a grown-up, and look for the maror, the charoset and the salt water on a Seder plate.
Family
Meet Nana's Family
Ages 3 to 8 · 2 min
What kids learn:
- Meet Nana's whole family and what each one loves to do
- Big and small, near and far: every family member is special
Try it at home: Draw your own family tree together, and tell one special thing about each person you love.
Big questions, kid-size answers
What is Shabbat?
Shabbat is a weekly day of rest, from Friday just before sundown until the stars come out on Saturday night. We light Shabbat candles, make Kiddush, eat two challahs that remind us of the double portion of manna, spend time with family and friends, and say goodbye to Shabbat with Havdalah.
What is Hanukkah?
Long ago, the brave Maccabees got back the holy Temple in Jerusalem and made it special again, and one little jar of oil kept shining for eight days. Each night we add one more candle, lit by the helper candle called the shamash, and we put the menorah in a window so everyone can see the light.
What is a sukkah?
On Sukkot we eat in a sukkah: a little hut with at least three sturdy walls and a roof of cut plants called schach, with more shade than sun and room to see the stars. It reminds us of the clouds of glory that protected the Israelites in the desert. We also hold the four kinds: the lulav, myrtle, willow and etrog.
Why do we dress up on Purim?
Brave Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai stood up to mean Haman, and sadness turned into joy. Hashem’s name isn’t written in the Megillah, but Hashem was helping all along, hidden behind the scenes, which is one beautiful reason we dress up. The four Purim mitzvahs are hearing the Megillah, giving treats to friends, gifts to the poor, and a festive meal.
Why do we eat matzah on Passover?
Long ago, Pharaoh made the Jewish people slaves in Egypt. Hashem chose a humble leader, Moses, and at last the people were free! They left in such a hurry that their bread had no time to rise, so it baked into flat, crunchy matzah. At the Seder we eat matzah, ask the Four Questions and tell the story together.
📚 BotTorah
Learning at BotTorah
BotTorah is the school in Chabotville, where the young bots love to learn and ask questions. Want more? Read a Chabotville book or play a game.