80 AND JUST BAT MITZVAH’D

A good friend of mine, a folk dancer (and teacher) recently turned 80 years old! Instead of a big party, she chose to learn to “sing” the Torah portion. The word for this is cantillation, or “trope”. One chants according to little marks by the words. It’s quite a feat, and Ann did it so […]

PURIM SHABBAT

(March 18, 2011) Because I write “shows” – I was interested in seeing someone else’s. Congreagation Schaarai Zedek (my ex-temple) put on a cute Musical Purim show the cantor found somewhere called the Megillah according to the Beatles. Obviously all Beatle songs were used, and cleverly so. The actual performance by congregants and choir could […]