CHIDON 5787
Challenge yourself to master Sefer Hama'amarim Yiddish,
a compilation of maamarim from the Frierdiker Rebbe.
Connect with hundreds of high school girls around the world with the same goal.
Leave with the confidence and the skills to open any sefer on your own.
18
SCHOOLS GLOBALLY
450+
PARTICIPANTS
1
GRAND
CHAMPIONSHIP
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
25 TISHREI - OCTOBER 6
Learning Goal
Your challenge for this year is to master Sefer Hama'amarim Yiddish, a compilation of maamarim delivered by the Frierdiker Rebbe during the years 1941–1945 to a relatively uneducated American audience. The sefer explores the themes of Teshuva, Mesiras Nefesh, and strengthening our observance of Torah and Mitzvos, and explains many foundational ideas in Chassidus in a clear, step-by-step manner.
The goal of the Chidon is not only to cover the material, but to develop real skills for learning Chassidus on your own. That means sitting with the sefer yourself, reading the Hebrew or Yiddish text directly, word by word. This way, you will build the foundational knowledge and the reading fluency that makes independent learning possible. The Chidon is designed to push you to engage with the text itself, not just the ideas. That skill, once developed, stays with you long after the year is over.
The sefer is available in the original Yiddish as well as in Hebrew translation, and can be purchased at most Judaica stores. Either the Hebrew or the Yiddish sefer can be used for Chidon. Using a PDF during the test is not allowed.
Here is a link to buy the Hebrew sefer.
Here is a link to buy the Yiddish sefer.
The store has set up a special discount for Chidon girls, running from August 1 through September 1. We encourage you to purchase before September 1 to take advantage of the pricing. After that, the price will go up.
Here and here are links to an English translation which you can use for reference while studying (This cannot be used in the test.)
Here is a PDF of the sefer with just Hebrew text. (You may use a printed copy during the tests. You cannot use an online PDF during the test.)
The study guide, which includes summaries, guiding questions, and definitions of key terms of each maamar, is available as a free download here (this will be linked in August). You can also order a printed copy here (this will be linked in August) delivered to your home for $20.
Additional Resources:
Additional resources will be linked below when they become available.
Who Can Participate
All students in 9th–12th grade are invited to register for this year's Chidon. The program runs slightly differently depending on your grade.
11th & 12th Grade
You are eligible for the full Chidon program: five tests throughout the year, the Shabbaton retreat, and the grand championship.
9th & 10th Grade
You are eligible to take five tests throughout the year and an end-of-year Finalist Test. All students who complete all five tests and maintain a 70% average will receive a plaque and swag. The top 3 winners in each grade will receive plaques, prizes, and recognition. Plaques will be shipped to your school.
Students who participate in the Chidon across all four years of high school will receive special recognition.
Tests
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There are five tests in total. Each test covers all of the maamarim learned up to that point — so each test builds on the previous one and covers everything from the beginning of the sefer. Tests will be available on our online testing site.
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Each test is available from 8:00 PM Motzei Shabbos until 8:00 PM Sunday night, based on the time zone you select at registration. Once you begin, you will have exactly one hour to complete the test.
At registration, you will choose your time zone — EST, GMT, or PST — and commit to it for all five tests.
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There will be 20 multiple-choice questions on each test. Questions are written in English, but test your knowledge of the original Hebrew or Yiddish text and will contain phrases from the sefer (see sample questions below). Questions will be in order of the maamarim.
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You may use the Hebrew or Yiddish sefer during the test. The sefer must have no writing in it; underlining and highlighting are permitted. A PDF of the sefer is not permitted during the test. No computer shortcuts may be used to locate words or phrases.
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Please double-check your answers before submitting — answers can shift while scrolling and no points will be returned for this reason. After submitting, you will see your grade but not which questions you got right or wrong. The grade shown is final.
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Screenshots of the test are not permitted under any circumstances. If you have a question about a specific test question, please note the question number and reach out to us after the test.
To be eligible for the Shabbaton, championship, swag, or plaques, you must complete all five tests and maintain a minimum average of 70%. No exceptions will be made.
The Chidon is a text-based competition. The tests are built around the language of the sefer itself — specific phrases, word choices, and the structure of the text in Hebrew or Yiddish. Students who only read the study guide and/or only study from an English translation, without reading the sefer inside, will find the tests difficult. The more time you spend learning directly from the sefer, the better you will do.
We know that learning a maamar in the original Hebrew or Yiddish can feel overwhelming at first, and that's completely normal. Over the past ten years, hundreds of girls have started this process feeling nervous or unsure, and have come out the other side with a skill they carry for life. Some spent five hours on a single maamar at the beginning and were doing it in under an hour by the end of the year. The tests are designed to reward that growth. If you put in the work of learning the sefer inside, you will be prepared, and you will gain far more than a grade.
This is also something you will see play out over the years. Girls who join the Chidon in 9th or 10th grade find that by the time they reach 11th grade, they are significantly more comfortable with learning inside and the style of the tests, and much better positioned to pass and qualify for the Shabbaton.
The Chidon tests will not reference phraseology or wording that is unique to the Yiddish text. You can therefore use a sefer in the language of your choice (either Yiddish or Hebrew).
Below are two sample questions:
Which level is alluded to by the word “עניך” in the פסוק of “הטה אלקי אזנך ושמע פקח עינך וראה”?
Which פסוק teaches us the idea that a איד’s mission is to elevate the physical world?
Makeup Test Policy
We understand that some test dates may fall out during busy times when taking the test may be difficult on that day. Please bear in mind the following makeup test policy:
When you can request an earlier test date:
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A simcha in your immediate family
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A school production or shabbaton taking place on the test day
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Other extenuating circumstances (we reserve the right to determine what qualifies)
When you cannot request an earlier test date:
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Vacation
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Personal programs or events
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General busy schedule or difficult timing
These situations, while understandable, do not qualify for a makeup test.
Makeup tests are scheduled for the Wednesday before the scheduled test date. We trust all participants to keep the test questions confidential and not share them with fellow participants.
How to request a makeup test:
Email chidon@batshevalearningcenter.com by the Sunday before the test. Requests submitted after that deadline will not be accepted. No exceptions will be made.
In cases of extreme emergencies that arise too close to the test date to have been prescheduled — such as the birth of a sibling, or, ר”ל, someone who passed away — a late test may be permitted. Please reach out as soon as possible in those situations.
Weekly Study Sessions
Every school has an assigned mentor — your go-to person for guidance throughout the year. She will contact you after registration about weekly study sessions at your school.
Learning with a chavrusa or attending study sessions is a great way to deepen your understanding. That said, there is no substitute for reading the text yourself. The tests will assess your familiarity with the actual words of the sefer in Hebrew or Yiddish — the more time you spend with the text directly, the more it will pay off in your mastery of the sefer.
The Shabbaton
11th & 12th grade
Students in 11th and 12th grade who have completed all five tests and maintained an average of 70% or over are eligible to attend the Shabbaton retreat.
The retreat is an opportunity to reflect on your Chidon experience, connect with like-minded peers, and celebrate your accomplishment. Programming will include workshops, bonding activities, and in-depth learning — a taste of what Batsheva Learning Center offers.
The Shabbaton will take place March 26–28 / 17–19 Adar Beis at the Bushkill Resort in the Poconos. Transportation from Crown Heights will be provided. Buses leave on Friday morning and return on Sunday afternoon. Students traveling from out of town are responsible for their own travel to and from Crown Heights.
Shabbaton Fee (Sliding Scale):
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$500 - Full cost
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$350 - Subsidized rate
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$650 - Sponsors another family's subsidized spot
We use a sliding scale so that cost won’t be a barrier to participation. The full cost per participant is $500 — if you're able to pay this amount, it helps us sustain the program. For families who need it, a subsidized rate of $350 is available. If you're in a position to pay $650, you'll cover your daughter's spot and sponsor another student's subsidized rate.
Shabbaton registration closes: Feb 28 / 21 Adar I.
The top 10 finalists are invited to attend free of charge.
Any eligible student who does not attend the Shabbaton may still receive a plaque, available for pickup at the Championship event. Plaques will not be available for pickup or shipping after the event.
Grand Championship
11th & 12th grade
Students with an average of 95% or above after all five tests are eligible to take the Finalist Test on 14 Adar Beis/Feb 21. The top 10 scores on the Finalist Test will be invited to compete in the Grand Championship.
The Championship is held in Crown Heights on Sunday, March 28. The competition will be between two teams and contestants will answer questions orally, demonstrating mastery of the entire sefer. They may bring their sefer on stage. Plaques will be distributed to all eligible Chidon participants and prizes awarded to the top three winners who received the highest scores on the Finalist Test.
All Chidon participants, family, and friends in the New York area are welcome to attend. A virtual viewing option will also be available.
9th & 10th grade
Students in 9th and 10th grade with an average of 95% or above after all five tests are eligible to take the end-of-year Finalist Test on 14 Adar Beis/Feb 21. The top three winners in each grade will receive prizes and special recognition at the Championship event. Plaques for all eligible 9th and 10th graders will be shipped to schools.
Stay In Touch
You will receive all official updates by email. There will be a Google Chat group for participants to connect with one another. This is a social space, not a channel for official communications.
If your mentor cannot answer a question, chidon@batshevalearningcenter.com.
For questions specifically about the study guide or about content on the tests, you may contact dsilberstein@batshevalearningcenter.com.
Registration
All students in 9th–12th grade are invited to register for this year’s Chidon.
There is a $60 registration fee. You can begin learning as early as you want! All the resources can be found above.
Once registration has closed, you will receive an email with all the information.
A few days before the first test, you will receive a user ID and login password for the testing website.
Refund Policy
You can request a full refund before the first test.
If, a week after the 1st test (7 Cheshvan/October 18), you can no longer participate, you can receive a 50% refund for your registration fee. You must email chidon@batshevalearningcenter.com by October 25 to receive your refund.)
Registration Deadline: 25 Tishrei/October 6
ALL THE DATES
Dates to look forward to!
Block off the following dates on your calendar.
Please note that makeup tests are not allowed.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
28 Tishrei/October 20
Test 1
7 Cheshvan
October 18
מאמרים תש"א
Test 2
5 Kislev
November 15
מאמרים תש"ב
Test 3
3 Tevet
December 13
מאמרים תש"ג
Test 4
2 Shvat
January 10
מאמרים תש"ד
Test 5
30 Shvat
February 7
מאמרים תש"ה
Finalist Test
14 Adar Beis
February 21
Open to students who earned a 95% average or above across all five tests.
For 11th & 12th grade, the top 10 scores will be invited to compete in the Grand Championship and attend the Shabbaton free of charge; the results will determine the top 3 winners.
For 9th & 10th grade, the top 3 scores in each grade will receive prizes and recognition.
SHABBATON
PARSHAS TZAV
17-19 Adar Beis
March 26-28
CHAMPIONSHIP &
AWARD CEREMONY
19 Adar Beis
March 28