Say it Aloud Sunday: Tefilla with adat ha-Magshimim
Each Sunday, the special Tefilla focus is “Say it Aloud”. Through chanting multiple prayers outloud in their entirety, our chanichim (campers) will learn these prayers most accurately and completely. For example, the chanichim in adat ha-Magshimim recited the Shema and Amida in full, aloud, together. Many of these chanichim recently celebrated their reaching the age of Mitzvot, so support was given in laying Tefillin.
Visiting Tzevet Limud (Education staff) member Rabbi Mitch Berkowtz (bio, below*) gave a d’var Torah related to this week’s parsha (Torah portion), Korach. The lessons we can derive from this parsha and directly apply to our machaneh (camp), are to work together as a team so that everyone plays a significant role and no one person gets overwhelmed, and to be respectful of — and not rebel against — our leaders such as madrichim (counselors)! Yasher Koach!
At the end of each Tefilla are Hodaot (announcements); today is Yom Doar (Day to Write a Letter Home) and Yom Laundry (clean clothes! clean sheets!). There are three birthdays in the Edah today, so Yom Huledet Sameach was sung, and Adon Olam continued the Happy Birthday tune.
*Rabbi Mitchell Berkowitz joined B’nai Israel as the Assistant Rabbi after he was ordained in May 2017 by the Rabbinical School at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. While in rabbinical school, Rabbi Berkowitz served as the rabbinic intern at Shelter Rock Jewish Center in Roslyn, NY. He completed a unit of chaplaincy training at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY, and he spent a few summers at Ramah Darom in Clayton, GA. He holds a Master of Arts in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Graduate School at JTS, and Bachelors Degrees in History and in International & Global Studies from Brandeis University.
In addition to his rabbinic and pastoral roles as the Assistant Rabbi, Rabbi Berkowitz also works with the various lay-led committees to organize programming and learning opportunities for the community. He oversees the Sara & Samuel J. Lessans Adult Education Institute, and he teaches a weekly Talmud class on Shabbat afternoons.
He grew up in Freehold, NJ and is excited to be living in Rockville, MD. Rabbi Berkowitz was married in August 2016 to Rebecca Ravski, who works as a 2ndgrade teacher.