About




Tzivos Hashem: Jewish Children International is the foremost worldwide organization serving the physical and spiritual needs of Jewish children. Participants in Tzivos Hashem programs are youngsters under the age of Bar/Bat Mitzvah from backgrounds spanning the spectrum of levels of Jewish education and commitment to Jewish affiliation, without regard to social and economic status.

From its headquarters in Brooklyn, Tzivos Hashem spearheads the trend to revive Jewish identity in children and provide them with a Jewish education through informal and entertaining programs, modern cutting edge teaching methods, first-class publications and personal encounters.

To view the “Twelve Pesukim” – the creed of Tzivos Hashem, click here.

Enrollment in Tzivos Hashem and following its program of increasing in Torah study and performance of Mitzvos, prepares today’s children for a seamless transition into Jewish adulthood, ensuring continuity of time-honored Jewish values and traditions.

Founder




World leader, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was sought after by top political figures, successful business people and the finest professionals for his sage advice on matters of grave importance. He was mentor and spiritual leader to hundreds of thousands of everyday people in all corners of the globe, no one was turned away. Yet, amidst his awesome schedule, the Rebbe busied himself with the lives of children, and set out to harness their great potential.

With a vision that has been unfolding and mushrooming for twenty years, the Rebbe called for the establishment of Tzivos Hashem in the fall of 1980. Children were a top priority for the Rebbe. Rather, each Jewish child was a top priority for the Rebbe. From his vantage point as world leader and spiritual giant, he understood the intrinsic promise held by children, and he founded Tzivos Hashem to cultivate and nurture them so that they could grow to be strong and healthy in body, mind and soul. The Rebbe himself would hold communal meetings, which he called rallies, with thousands of children at a time. And it was the Rebbe himself who spoke to the children directly and put great responsibilities on their shoulders. Not only did the Rebbe see children as the promise of a better tomorrow, the Rebbe saw children as the promise for a better today.

Judaism stresses that chinuch, Jewish education, should begin at an early age to prepare for adulthood. The Rebbe emphasized that not only are children’s mitzvos for the sake of practicing for the future, but that their mitzvos, now, while they are young, have significance in and of themselves. Through his confidence in them and his expectations, the Rebbe actually confirmed a child’s self esteem and challenged children to use their inborn strengths and talents for good. The Tzivos Hashem relationship did not flow in just one direction, of commander to commandee. The soldiers of Tzivos Hashem gave nachas to the Rebbe as he watched them increase their mitzvos and perform them with greater care. And it was the children who were able to identify with and express the Rebbe’s passion to bring the world to peace and goodness, as they would sing for him their theme song: We Want Moshiach Now.

History




Fall 1980 – 5741
  • Establishment of Tzivos Hashem Activities Fall 1980 – 5741

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson encourages Jewish children to enlist in Tzivos Hashem. Enrollment pours in from many countries. Registration is recorded in pencil on cards

  • The Tzivos Hashem emblem is designed under the scrutiny of the Rebbe
  • Soldiers go up in Rank
  • The Rebbe hosts Rallies for Tzivos Hashem
  • Children begin learning twelve Torah passages selected by the Rebbe
1981 – 5741
  • Youth Groups
  • Tzivos Hashem Choir

Adopted the theme song ‘We Want Moshiach Now’

  • Tzivos Hashem enrollment reaches 60,000 boys and girls
1982 – 5742
  • The Moshiach Times Magazine
  • The comic character the Shpy is created for Tzivos Hashem
  • Pesach Experience
  • Tzivos Hashem Radio Show
  • Rallies with the Rebbe
1983 – 5743
  • Registration reaches 100,000 in North America and 250,000 children worldwide.
  • Tzivos Hashem Newsletter
  • Lag B’Omer Parade
  • Sukkos Experience
1984 – 5744
  • Tzivos Hashem Pen-Pal Program Dail-a-Jewish Story
  • Tzivos Hashem visits schools presenting a Matza baking program
  • Schools tour the Matza Bakery
  • Tzivos Hashem visits children in hospitals
  • Tzivos Hashem records soldiers’ rank in a computerized database
1985 – 5745
  • The Matza Ball Race
  • ‘Jewish Heroes’ and ‘Good News’ columns in Newsletter
  • The Moshiach Times is published in Italian
  • Traveling Tzivos Hashem Programs visit schools, camps, Y’s and youth groups
1986 – 5746
  • The Wonderful World of Shabbos
  • After school tutoring programs
  • Child’s Hotline
  • The Summer Experience
  • The Tzivos Hashem Bookstore
  • The Dreidel House
1987 – 5747
  • Sergeant Shmulke appears in the Tzivos Hashem Newsletter
  • Tzivos Hashem Summer Camp
  • Tours with entertainer Moshe Yess
1988 – 5748
  • ‘We Want Moshiach Now’ bumper stickers
  • Tzivos Hashem rooms
  • Project Identity: Canarsie
  • The Jewish Birthday Club
  • HaChai Publications is founded to honor the memory of the Rebbe’s wife Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka
  • The Jewish Expo opens in the Javits Convention Cntr.
1989 – 5749
  • The first Shomer Shabbos baseball team
  • A big brother/big sister program named ‘Achim’
  • The Shpy records a cassette tape
1990 – 5750
  • Jewish Chaplaincy Program for Boy Scouts of America
  • ‘Step Up’ Bar Mitzvah program
1991 – 5751 Ten Years of Tzivos Hashem
  • The Jewish Family Expo exhibited in Moscow and Paris
  • Enrollment in Tzivos Hashem exceeds 300,000 children
  • Dial a Jewish Story becomes internationally syndicated
  • Shomer Shabbos Little League expanded to four teams
1992 – 5752
  • Animated Chanukah windows on Fifth Avenue
  • Chanukah House
  • The International Jewish Camp Scholarship Fund
1993 – 5753
  • Jewish Craft Workshops
  • The Jewish Children’s Fund
  • The Jewish Expo takes semi-permanent residency in the Yale building
  • Plans begin for The Jewish Children’s Museum
  • Youth Clubs in Russia
  • Project Keep Warm
1994 – 5754
  • National Rambam Contest
  • Yeshivas Erev
  • Educational publications translated into six languages
1995 – 5755
  • Israeli, and Russian children join the Shomer Shabbos Little League
  • www.tzivos-hashem.org
In former Soviet Union:
  • Summer camp
  • Winter camp
  • Pesach camp
  • Russian language newsletter
1996 – 5756
  • Torah Knowledge contest in Russia Winner of Russian contest visit New York
  • Project Second Chance
  • Video production of ‘Professor Pellah’s Place’
1997 – 5757
  • Plans for orphanages in Russia
  • Land purchased and cleared for The Jewish Children’s Museum
  • Jewish Craft Workshops tour Israel
  • HaChai Publishers produces its 50th book
1998 – 5758
  • The Esther and William Benenson Home for Jewish Boys in Ukraine
  • The Esther and William Benenson Home for Jewish Girls in Ukraine
  • The Marcia Wilf and Ira Yavarkovsky Jewish Children’s Clinic in Ukraine
  • The Bat Mitzvah Club
  • Staffweek for boys
  • Tzivos Hashem Craft Workshops Tour Russia
  • The 100th Issue of The Moshiach Times magazine
1999- 5759
  • Gwathmey Siegel Architects Associates to design The Jewish Children’s Museum
  • Douglas/Gallagher to design exhibits for The Jewish Children’s Museum
  • Ground breaking ceremony for The Jewish Children’s Museum
  • HaChai publication wins prestigious children’s book award
  • Food Pantry in Ukraine
  • Craft Workshops in India
2000 – 5760 through 2004-5764
  • The Joseph Papp Children’s Humanitarian Fund
  • Chayolei Bais Dovid Clubs for Kids
  • Bat Mitzvah Club operates in 100 cities
  • 15th Youth Club opens in the former Soviet Union
  • Staffweek for girls
  • Jewish Theme Series
  • Winter Camp
  • Jewishkids.org features animated kids website
  • Building in Zaparoshe, Ukraine purchased for medical center
2005- 5765 through 2009-5769
  • Jewish Children’s Museum welcomes 10,000 visitors during its first month
  • Printing press in Ukraine publishes 350+ page prayer book
  • Worldwide Tehillim Club surpasses 11,000 members
  • 220 Bat Mitzvah Clubs worldwide
  • Website tzivoshashem.org debuts as information clearinghouse
  • Friendship Circle brings social opportunities to hundreds of special children
  • Orphanages in Ukraine begin expansion
  • Wheels for Life bus saves children from street life
  • Chayolei Tzivos Hashem
2010- 5770
  • The Great Parade
  • Attara Publishing
  • Hachayol Magazine
  • Tzivos Hashem kids Magazine in 9 languages
  • Raksin’s Children’s Tehillim
  • JCM Golf Event
  • The Great Jewish Big Rig
  • Jewish Kids Got Talent
  • Siddur with Pirush Hamilos
2011- 5771 through 2017 – 5777
  • Crown Heights Safety Day
  • Kosher Day
  • Yahadus Curriculum
  • Haggadah
  • Kids Website together with Chabad.org
  • Hakhel Rally
  • JCM Summer Soiree
  • Rebbe Redt Tzu Kinder published in Yiddish
  • Living Jewish handbook
  • Illustrated and explanatory family Haggadah
  • Educational Siddur – Nusach Ashkenaz
  • Illustrated Pirkei Avos with translation and insights
  • Completed Yahadus series on the 613 Mitzvos
  • Inspirational new Siddur for Chabad Houses
  • Special Pirkei Avos for Jewish soldiers and prisoners
  • Illustrated and explanatory family Haggadah in French
  • Chidon Sefer Hamitzvos