Fathers and Sons Bes Medrash at Skokie Chabad

It’s not often that you get close to twenty father-and-son teams in one place. And it’s even less often that they gather simply to study together. But that’s exactly what happens every Saturday night at Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie, the synagogue that’s long been regarded as a trend setter in the North Suburban Jewish community.

“This is an extension of our morning bes medrash (study hall) where men come for an hour of Torah study every weekday morning between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m.” says Rabbi Chaim Telsner, youth director at Skokie Chabad. “Now the boys have an opportunity to see what daddy’s been up to and enjoy some quality time with him.”

A recent Saturday night saw fathers and sons reading a variety of Hebrew and English texts. Some studied Mishnah, the foundational work of Jewish law, compiled in the late second century; others read Bible together, and some just did homework.

The studies were followed by hot dogs—with lots of ketchup and mustard—a story, and a raffle.

Telsner says the program is open to the wider Jewish community. For more information, please call 847 6771770 ext. 303.