Ilanot T’fila & D’var Torah: Sara Shapiro-Plevan, Visiting Educator

This morning, adat-haIlanot had a lovely t’fila, and were also treated to a special d’var Torah presented by Sara Shapiro-Plevan, Visiting Educator (photo below, with Rabbi Elliot Goldberg, Rosh Hinuch).  Sara has been connected with Camp Ramah since 1984, when she began as a chanicha (camper) here at Palmer! She told how she was influenced when she was a counselor, when she was asked, “What’s your favorite pasuk in the Torah?” in a dvar Torah about how we each must find one pasuk (verse) in the Torah, or one phrase in the siddur, that has special meaning to us.  Initially, she did not connect with that approach, as it seemed daunting to select just one!  Then she found something that became truly meaningful, and made sure that she connected with it each time in her t’filla .  Today, her chosen phrase, recited in Shacharit every day after the Shema and before the Amida, is:

: אַשְׁרֵי אִישׁ שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע לְמִצְותֶיךָ וְתורָתְךָ וּדְבָרְךָ יָשים עַל לִבּו:

Happy the one who obeys Your mitzvot, who takes to heart the words of Your Torah.

In conclusion, she asked: “What’s your favorite pasuk? Why? How did you choose it?”

The chanichim continued to learn the song Al Kol Eleh by Naomi Shemer, which we sing every Shabbat afternoon at Seuda Shlishit.  Altogether, it was an uplifting, musical start to a beautiful sunny Palmer day.