''Tzivos Hashem'' (literally, Army of God), is a

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York based organization that was founded in 1980 by the

Lubavitcher Rebbe Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic groups ...

as a youth group of the

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic group ...

movement to increase religious observance and knowledge of Jewish customs and religious practice in less-affiliated

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

children.

Participants and goals

Tzivos Hashem programs are designed for children under the age of '' bar/bat mitzvah'' and are open for children of all levels of Jewish education and commitment to Jewish affiliation, without regard to social and economic status. The goal of the programs is to increase

Jewish identity Jewish identity is the objective or subjective state of Identity (social science), perceiving oneself as a Jew and as relating to being Jews, Jewish. Under a broader definition, Jewish identity does not depend on whether a person is regarded as ...

in children and provide them with a Jewish education through fun, informal programs, publications, and personal encounters. The group and its program of

Torah The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...

study and performance of ''

mitzvos In its primary meaning, the Hebrew word (; he, מִצְוָה, ''mīṣvā'' , plural ''mīṣvōt'' ; "commandment") refers to a commandment commanded by God to be performed as a religious duty. Jewish law () in large part consists of discus ...

'' is designed to prepare children for Jewish adulthood, ensuring continuity of Jewish values and traditions. Much of the group's activities are targeted at largely unaffiliated or less-affiliated Jewish children, with little knowledge of the Hebrew and Yiddish languages, and encourage the performance of Jewish commandments that are seen as hastening the coming of the

moshiach The Messiah in Judaism () is a savior and liberator figure in Jewish eschatology, who is believed to be the future redeemer of the Jewish people. The concept of messianism originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible a messiah is a king or H ...

History

Tzivos Hashem began its programs in the autumn of 1980. Over their first ten years programs were expanded to include a magazine, comic books, a radio show, and

Shomer Shabbat In Judaism, a person who is shomer Shabbat or shomer Shabbos (plural ''shomré Shabbat'' or ''shomrei Shabbos''; he, שומר שבת, "Sabbath observer", sometimes more specifically, "Saturday Sabbath observer") is a person who observes the mi ...

Little League baseball teams, in addition to other educational programs. Since then the organization has expanded even further and includes video productions, a website, international contests, and involvement in the construction and funding of orphanages in

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

,
AROUND THE JEWISH WORLD: Ukraine orphanages offer refuge for Jewish From: Jewish Telegraphic Agency Date: June 10, 1997 food pantries, and even a museum for Jewish children.

Publications

Tzivos Hashem publishes three children's periodicals: Moshiach Times, HaChayol, and Tzivos Hashem KIDS! Moshiach Times was printed at the behest of the

. HaChayol is geared towards children from the Chabad community. Tzivos Hashem KIDS! is distributed to

Chabad House A Chabad house is a centre for disseminating traditional Judaism by the Chabad movement. Chabad houses are run by a Chabad Shaliach (emissary), and Shalucha (fem. for emissary) and their family. They are located in cities and on or near college ...

s throughout the world. Moshiach Times has employed the services of

MAD Magazine Mad, mad, or MAD may refer to: Geography * Mad (village), a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia * Mád, a village in Hungary * Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, by IATA airport code * Mad River (disambiguation), several r ...

editor, of

Spy vs. Spy ''Spy vs. Spy'' is a wordless comic strip published in '' Mad'' magazine. It features two agents involved in stereotypical and comical espionage activities. One is dressed in white, and the other in black, but they are otherwise identical, and ...

Al Jaffee Allan Jaffee (born Abraham Jaffee; March 13, 1921) is an American cartoonist. He is notable for his work in the satirical magazine '' Mad'', including his trademark feature, the ''Mad'' Fold-in. Jaffee was a regular contributor to the magazine ...

. HaChayol has employed Rabbi

Chanan Krivisky Chenan ( fa, چنان, also Romanized as Chenān and Chanān) is a state in Arkavazi Rural District, Chavar District, Ilam County, Ilam Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 146, in 29 families. The village is supprtd by Kurds ug ...

as an editor in recent times.

References

External links

Tzivos Hashem Official website
{{Authority control Chabad in the United States Chabad organizations Jewish organizations established in 1981 Youth organizations based in New York (state)