Lamplighters Impressions Gala Event

The First-Ever Chassidic Montessori School Unveils New Art Debuts New Songs at its First Annual Gala

Lamplighters Yeshivah, the first-ever Chassidic Montessori school, will be hosting its first gala event on Sunday, June 23, featuring lavish food and drink, music by Chassidic singers and art by a Chassidic painter. The event will be held at the Roullette Intermedium theater in Brooklyn.

The event, themed, “Impressions,” explores a dual theme: the immeasurable impact even small experiences, or impressions, have on children and also the way each child can use his or her unique gifts to impact, or impress, the world. “Just like the faintest light can dispel the darkest night,” Yocheved Sidof, the executive director of Lamplighters said, “even the smallest impressions we make on our young have a power unrivaled.” Sidof, one of the founding members of the school, spoke of her desire to build a place where “students are empowered to make their own unique imprint on the world—as people and as Chassidim.” This theme is uniquely suited for Lamplighters Yeshivah, whose name derives from the Chassidic concept that each person should be a lamplighter – spreading light by contributing to and inspiring the world with their personal fire – talents and abilities.

Impressions will open with an art unveiling by established painter, Noah Lubin, whose work is inspired by personal and spiritual passion. Lubin, a resident of Boston, was moved by a visit to Lamplighters and was eager to contribute. He spent considerable time at the school, commenting on the spaciousness and infusion of sunlight in the classrooms, the calm but dynamic atmosphere, the free movement of the children: “Good education must work within the framework of each student, recognizing that they have all been molded by the multitude of impressions the world has made on them. This is a living education…it is a creative education. Lamplighters is a fine example of this. I wish I could attend!” His featured exhibit at Impressions will be an original piece he is creating inspired by the school.

A full concert will follow, featuring singer/songwriter Levi Robin, who recently finished a twenty-five city tour around the country. Robin’s songs are profoundly influenced by his journey in becoming religious and emanate from a deeply intimate place that infuses his singing with a raw vulnerability. He brings a gentle, almost hypnotic vibe to the stage with his soft, pensive music. While Robin’s music derives from his personal journey into the world of Jewish spirituality, Moshe Hecht, raised in a religious home, speaks of the influence of the mystical concepts he was raised with as an anchor through his adolescent and young adult years and he sings of that element of stability, strength and guidance. Hecht’s music draws from folk, alternative rock and Chassidic melodies. Hecht’s interest in the school is personal; his four-year-old son Shney attends the preschool and he is very active in raising awareness and support for Lamplighters, the place he sees as the future for his children.

Impressions will celebrate another successful year at Lamplighters, a school born from determination and activism in the community. “While firmly committed to being Chassidic,” a parent at Lamplighters said, “we wanted to give our child a more progressive, creative, dynamic opportunity for growth. At Lamplighters, our son has matured, become more inquisitive and has formed an independent commitment to values ranging from personal hygiene to the meaning of prayer; Lamplighters creates mindful children, teaches them with dignity, and they respond with respect for their peers, their teachers and the people and places around them. For me, Impressions is not only an end-of-year applause for the incredible success of the school, but even more a beginning for my family, our community, and Jewish education worldwide.”

For more information about Lamplighters Yeshivah, to see Noah Lubin’s artwork and hear music by Moshe Hecht and Levi Robin, visit www.lamplightersimpressions.com.