By: Elanit Berkower | Rosh Snif, Hollywood 

This past weekend Hollywood had the opportunity to host the first Bnei Akiva Shabbaton of the year for our highly motivated and excited madrichim.  Friday night began with Mifkad, followed by Kabalat Shabbat at Bnei Sefaradim. Thank you Bnei Sefaradim for graciously hosting us! Everyone got up on their chairs and in circles to sing and dance.  On Shabbat we returned to YIH for davening and lunch following with more singing and dancing. We spent the day learning how to connect with our chanichim, how to develop a meaningful relationship with them, how to be a positive role model within a Zionistic religious environment.  Alot of singing, meaningful davening and connecting with our fellow madrichim of Boca and Hollywood was enjoyed by all. Motzai Shabbat we had a wonderful opportunity to join YIH, KYHS and BMA for a special kumzitz and selichot led by the one and only Mordechai Shapiro. We can’t wait for snif to begin after the chagim.  We have a lot of exciting activities planned!

A fun time was had by all at our opening tochnit of the year, our first ever Color Run and Barbecue.  As everyone was arriving, each person received a white T-shirt to decorate and then wear while running. We began our run at Bnei Sefaradim, ran with our madrichim towards Young Israel and along the way were doused from head to toe in rainbow colors.  It was a friendly race, though a Fialkoff was seen coming in first. Upon our return to Bnei Sefaradim, we all had a fun time playing outdoor games, dancing to Israeli music and barbecuing hotdogs and hamburgers. Our shinshinim and bnot sherut helped bring a lot of ruach to our event.  We all left looking like the smurfs or incredible hulk and feeling excited to share our love of celebrating as if we were dancing in the streets of the shuk!

Boca Raton Color War

By: Liora Mayer | Rosh Snif, Boca Raton

Bnei Akiva of Boca is off to a great start! For our opening event we had an incredible color run! The chanichim were excited to be covered in all different colors from head to toe. But before we started the run, we first decorated the white shirts we would be running in. Then, the kids ran as the madrichim threw paint powder in their direction. Both chanichim and madrichim had a blast! The event ended with pizza and games, and the kids went home smiling and colorful. Can’t wait for a great year!