Context really does explain a lot.
Context tells us that for a well-established shul in Teaneck, Elizabeth or Edison, drawing over 100 attendees for a special Shabbat activity may be nothing terribly special. But for an Orthodox shul that had experienced a marked decline, with a new rabbi appointed within the year, bringing in a large crowd for a musical Shabbat dinner is an assuring sign that they are on track for a resurgence.
Rabbi Ken Brodkin of Congregation B’nai Israel in Manalapan enlisted his son-in-law, Ezra Epstein, to bring the a cappella group Epstein formed at the Yeshiva of Greater Washington for a Shabbat at the shul. They came on Shabbat Parshat Beha’alotecha (June 9-10) and added a great deal of ruach to the davening on Friday night and Shabbat morning. Their presence was keenly felt at a Friday night Shabbat dinner in the shul, which drew 110 people of all ages and backgrounds and featured lively singing well into the night. To add more fun to the mix, Rebbetzin Aviel Brodkin held a kids’ challah taste test that excited many of the younger attendees.
“Over the last nine months Congregation B’nai Israel has made engaging the community our number one objective,” said Bonnie Leff, a veteran lay leader in the shul. “This past Shabbat was a perfect reflection of our hard work, led by Rabbi Brodkin. Friends, neighbors, new acquaintances, families from the Hebrew Academy were all part of a very meaningful Shabbat. The transformation and excitement in Manalapan is palpable.”
“This was a great event,” said Noah Glyn, a vice president of the shul. “The food was delicious. The a cappella group added a lot of ruach. But—and I acknowledge this sounds corny—the best part was being together as a community to celebrate Shabbat. The crowd was diverse: It ran the gamut from members of the local Orthodox community to unaffiliated Jews, in addition to many long-standing members. Congregation B’nai Israel is emerging as the center for the local Jewish community, where all Jews are welcome and come to celebrate.”
“We were lucky to gather in Manalapan to celebrate Shabbat and to elevate our spirits with the inspired notes of young voices,” said Ilya Bratman, the Hillel director at eight colleges in Manhattan. “They illuminated our Shabbat experience, while filling our souls with excitement and fulfillment.”
By Harry Glazer
