A St. Patrick's Day Purim Party at the University of Pittsburgh Hillel
I got off the bus from the Pittsburgh airport about 3 blocks from my hotel on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. I knew I wasn't wearing green and though I doubted random strangers would pinch me, I didn't think it'd be the worst idea to find something green to wear. It just so happened that there was a merchant selling St Patrick's day themed clothing on the street outside my hotel and would you believe it, he was selling a three cornered hat! A green three cornered hat! 2 days before Purim! Did he know I was coming? Probably not. But there was only one 3 cornered hat, and I have no doubt there was only one Jewish actor coming to the Pitt campus to play Haman in a Purimshpiel on St. Patrick's Day. It was meant to be.
That evening I had a great pizza dinner with the student Hillel board (all of whom read megillah and played parts in the show later that night) and I had such a great time getting to know the Pitt gang. It might be the friendliest group of people I've ever had pizza with. Honest. Then we walked over to the student center, did a photo shoot with a panther (see photo above) and made our way inside to set up the space for our show. It was a grand ballroom, and we spiced it up with groggers and mardi gras necklaces and random Purim extravagance. I went upstairs to don my 3 piece suit (and vashti wig - which i wore, of course, under my new Haman hat) and when I came back downstairs, the students had arrived! LOTS of them! Jewish students, members of the Catholic group on campus, people of all different faiths and colors. It was awesome. A vision of Shushan for the modern times.
And boy did we have fun. A dude won the beauty pageant to become the new Queen Esther. That was fun. I lost my wig and my hat at one point causing one of the students to gasp in surprise at my baldness (i guess she thought the wig was real?). That was fun. And in the end, we had a conversation/debrief about the story itself that got into some hairy, but quite interesting theological conversation about the end of the Megillah and the uncomfortable, violent conclusion. Violent conclusions are always fun! And after the show, a buddy of mine who works at Pitt took me out for green beer. A perfect end to a perfect night. Go Panthers!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Hoboken, NJ
Storahtelling Maven Torah Reading Ritual - United Synagogue of Hoboken, Hoboken, New Jersey
I have spent many a Shabbat in synagogues around the country as a member of Storahtelling. But never have I had the privilege of ‘mavening’ in such a special space as the newly restored sanctuary of the United Synagogue of Hoboken. Just recently, USH restored its sanctuary to its original early 20th century grandeur, and it truly is a grand, holy space – much of it corresponding to the specifications laid out in the Torah’s instructions for the building of the mishkan – our traveling sanctuary in the desert. Last Shabbat, Annie Lewis and I did a maven weekend at the United Synagogue of Hoboken for Parshat Vayakhel. Annie, Alex Wolfson, and I created a brand new maven script for USH, in part to make the most of the resonance of the congregation’s recent experience in creating sacred space, and in part to highlight Annie’s special relationship with the congregation. Annie, in addition to being a world-class Maven is also a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary and serves as the rabbinic intern at USH!
Friday night the stage was set with a really lovely and uniquely intimate Kabbalat Shabbat followed by a boisterous and delicious Shabbat dinner at the home of Rabbi Robert Scheinberg which included his generous family and 30 congregants who take part in a weekly “Intro to Judaism” class. Shabbat morning we were lucky to have the skilled Torah reading skills of both Rabbi Scheinberg and Andrew Merwin – an enthusiastic congregant who was joined by nearly two dozen congregants who remained in the afternoon for a “Meet the Maven” text study and conversation which only ended because it was time for Mincha! As for the Maven itself, we explored the role of Betzalel, the chief designer, pairing his character with an Israelite bride, played by Annie, who was hoping to use the Mishkan for the location for her wedding. Annie’s character got wrapped up in God’s ‘registry’ of gold and fabrics and fancy gifts for the mishkan, forgetting the other important things that fill a space and a wedding with holiness. In addition to the beautiful space that USH has created for itself, the congregation boasts an undeniable spirit of ruach, generosity and kavannah that fill the holy space with true sanctity. Betzalel was overwhelmed by all the gifts brought by the Israelites to build the mishkan. And we were overjoyed at the gift of getting to spend Shabbat in a modern day Mishkan – full of holiness – the United Synagogue of Hoboken.
I also want to give a shout out to my buddy Nick Falzon and his fiancee Laura, and friend Jenny Labenz for coming out to see the show!
I have spent many a Shabbat in synagogues around the country as a member of Storahtelling. But never have I had the privilege of ‘mavening’ in such a special space as the newly restored sanctuary of the United Synagogue of Hoboken. Just recently, USH restored its sanctuary to its original early 20th century grandeur, and it truly is a grand, holy space – much of it corresponding to the specifications laid out in the Torah’s instructions for the building of the mishkan – our traveling sanctuary in the desert. Last Shabbat, Annie Lewis and I did a maven weekend at the United Synagogue of Hoboken for Parshat Vayakhel. Annie, Alex Wolfson, and I created a brand new maven script for USH, in part to make the most of the resonance of the congregation’s recent experience in creating sacred space, and in part to highlight Annie’s special relationship with the congregation. Annie, in addition to being a world-class Maven is also a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary and serves as the rabbinic intern at USH!
Friday night the stage was set with a really lovely and uniquely intimate Kabbalat Shabbat followed by a boisterous and delicious Shabbat dinner at the home of Rabbi Robert Scheinberg which included his generous family and 30 congregants who take part in a weekly “Intro to Judaism” class. Shabbat morning we were lucky to have the skilled Torah reading skills of both Rabbi Scheinberg and Andrew Merwin – an enthusiastic congregant who was joined by nearly two dozen congregants who remained in the afternoon for a “Meet the Maven” text study and conversation which only ended because it was time for Mincha! As for the Maven itself, we explored the role of Betzalel, the chief designer, pairing his character with an Israelite bride, played by Annie, who was hoping to use the Mishkan for the location for her wedding. Annie’s character got wrapped up in God’s ‘registry’ of gold and fabrics and fancy gifts for the mishkan, forgetting the other important things that fill a space and a wedding with holiness. In addition to the beautiful space that USH has created for itself, the congregation boasts an undeniable spirit of ruach, generosity and kavannah that fill the holy space with true sanctity. Betzalel was overwhelmed by all the gifts brought by the Israelites to build the mishkan. And we were overjoyed at the gift of getting to spend Shabbat in a modern day Mishkan – full of holiness – the United Synagogue of Hoboken.
I also want to give a shout out to my buddy Nick Falzon and his fiancee Laura, and friend Jenny Labenz for coming out to see the show!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Wilmington, DE
Two weeks ago, Al and Florence Green celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary at Congregation Beth Emeth in Wilmington, Delaware. This past Shabbat, Isadore Alex Wolfson and I were at Beth Emeth to perform our maven of Parshat Terumah, “Biblical Beautification.” I was Art K. Tecture, a biblical continuity expert, there to retrofit the sanctuary to meet biblical specifications (see: goat hair rain tarp). And Alex played the role of the synagogue’s resident angel, having been at the shul for ages and ages and vouching for the sanctuary’s holiness despite lacking unicorn skins and goat hair in the construction design. In establishing his ‘resident angel’ bona fides, Alex made reference to the fact that he was at Al and Florence Green’s 63rd wedding anniversary celebration. It made Al and Florence laugh; the whole congregation joined in. No one saw it coming – but we had done our homework. We got a tip from our friend Sue Paul, the adult education committee co-chair (with Deb Heffernan) who coordinated our Storahtelling Shabbat. But there is no way we could have prepared for the enthusiastic response we got the entire time we were in Wilmington.
From the moment we arrived at Beth Emeth on Friday evening, it felt like we were among family. Alex and I joined the 8th graders and their families for Shabbat dinner before services, and in between hanging out with the students, Alex and I did a short introduction to what Storahtelling was and what we would be doing that night and the next day. After dinner, we joined the congregation for a warm and wonderful Friday night service led by Cantor Stanton and Rabbi Robinson and during which we provided a “setting the stage” for the next morning’s show. In fact, the buzz about Storahtelling was so happening that the shul had to open up its social hall for extra seating (something it does only on Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, and Purim!). Nearly as many people joined us the next morning as we did our maven version of parshat Terumah and there were more than 125 people who stayed for the Meet the Maven workshop after lunch. The most I had ever seen in my 10 years with Storahtelling! The workshop was compelling and exciting and multi-generational with both young kids and senior citizens tossing up their own original translations of the “Shema.” It was a perfect ending to a perfect Shabbat. But it wasn’t over yet.
As we were packing up to leave, we got a surprise visit in the conference room of the synagogue – Al and Florence Green wanted to give us a hug! We didn’t need an introduction. Sue Paul knocked on the door and said, “I have some people who want to meet the two of you.” Alex and I looked up and I said “Florence?!” and she said “Jon!” and we hugged as Alex and Al rehashed memories of past life cycle events at which Alex, as the resident angel, must have also attended. The point of our maven show earlier that morning was that though Parshat Terumah lays out the blueprint for the mishkan, a model for the modern sanctuary, in these modern times we don’t need goat skins to make our sanctuaries holy. We need each other, in the space together, as a community with intention. The sanctuary at Beth Emeth needs no help in that department. We may have been brought to share Torah through performance, but we were just the lucky ones who got to bear witness to their show – of warmth, of holiness, of biblical beautification.
From the moment we arrived at Beth Emeth on Friday evening, it felt like we were among family. Alex and I joined the 8th graders and their families for Shabbat dinner before services, and in between hanging out with the students, Alex and I did a short introduction to what Storahtelling was and what we would be doing that night and the next day. After dinner, we joined the congregation for a warm and wonderful Friday night service led by Cantor Stanton and Rabbi Robinson and during which we provided a “setting the stage” for the next morning’s show. In fact, the buzz about Storahtelling was so happening that the shul had to open up its social hall for extra seating (something it does only on Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, and Purim!). Nearly as many people joined us the next morning as we did our maven version of parshat Terumah and there were more than 125 people who stayed for the Meet the Maven workshop after lunch. The most I had ever seen in my 10 years with Storahtelling! The workshop was compelling and exciting and multi-generational with both young kids and senior citizens tossing up their own original translations of the “Shema.” It was a perfect ending to a perfect Shabbat. But it wasn’t over yet.
As we were packing up to leave, we got a surprise visit in the conference room of the synagogue – Al and Florence Green wanted to give us a hug! We didn’t need an introduction. Sue Paul knocked on the door and said, “I have some people who want to meet the two of you.” Alex and I looked up and I said “Florence?!” and she said “Jon!” and we hugged as Alex and Al rehashed memories of past life cycle events at which Alex, as the resident angel, must have also attended. The point of our maven show earlier that morning was that though Parshat Terumah lays out the blueprint for the mishkan, a model for the modern sanctuary, in these modern times we don’t need goat skins to make our sanctuaries holy. We need each other, in the space together, as a community with intention. The sanctuary at Beth Emeth needs no help in that department. We may have been brought to share Torah through performance, but we were just the lucky ones who got to bear witness to their show – of warmth, of holiness, of biblical beautification.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
New York, NY
There was a moment at the beginning of our show, Field of Dreams, when I knew that our audience was fully engaged and ready to go on a journey with us. I was playing ‘Grandpa Judah Maccabee’ and I couldn’t find my hammer (of course it was sticking out of my back pocket). Now as I was spinning around the stage looking for my hammer, many children and adults in the audience started shouting for me to look in my back pocket. One enthusiastic child felt it was his responsibility to grab the hammer out of my pocket and give it to me. It was a kind gesture. But then he wouldn’t let go. For about five minutes, every time I held up the hammer, the little boy would run up to the performance space, and grab the hammer back from me – just as a reminder, I suppose, of who the hero in the audience that found the hammer in the first place really was. Chanukah is a holiday all about heroism; we tell many stories about the bravery of the Maccabees. And yet, I had never made a connection in my head between the Chanukah story and the corresponding narrative in the Torah that we read this week during our festival of lights. But that name for Chanukah, the ‘festival of lights,’ holds the clue.
In Miketz, we hear about Pharaoh’s bad dreams – the ones about the 7 fat cows and the 7 skinny cows, etc. And we hear the tale of how Pharaoh cannot find anyone to satisfactorily translate his dreams into actionable intelligence; that is, until he meets Joseph. Joseph (played in our show by the multi-talented Jewish rock star ShirLaLa - founding company member Shira Kline) not only translates Pharaoh’s dreams for him but gives Pharaoh the gift of en'light'enment. For so long Pharaoh has been unable to sleep through the night – his dark nightmares cursing him to lie awake in bed – staring into even more darkness (not an uplifting situation). But Joseph reveals that 7 years of plenty are on the way, followed by 7 years of famine. And that if Pharaoh can devise a way to take the plenty and make it last 7 more years (kind of like getting oil for a lamp to last 7 more days), then all will be well. A long time ago our ancestors were living through a dark situation themselves: the first winter. It was getting darker and darker as the days were getting shorter, so our ancestors lit a candle, and the next night another candle. For eight whole nights this went on. And they weren’t scared anymore. We can go back even further to God’s first words in the Torah: “Let there be light!” There was only darkness before and God created light to fill the void. Joseph gave that light to Pharaoh, to save all the people in Egypt and the entire region (including his own family). Each time I have the privilege of performing as a Storahtelling maven, I feel that I am being put in Joseph’s position. Just as Joseph translated Pharaoh’s dreams, so I translate the Torah, shedding light on a story that may otherwise seem to dwell in a dark, faraway place that has no relevance or bearing on our lives today. But that sharing of light can happen in our everyday lives too. We ended our show this past Shabbat afternoon by asking people to think about how they might share their light – what wishes they would make on the candlelight of the Chanukah menorah. We have a few more months of winter ahead of us, but hopefully, we can find that light inside ourselves, the light that Joseph shared with Pharaoh, that our ancestors used to scare away the dark, and that God first granted on our new world. As we say goodbye to 2009 and hello to 2010, may we all find and share the light that dwells within each of us.
In Miketz, we hear about Pharaoh’s bad dreams – the ones about the 7 fat cows and the 7 skinny cows, etc. And we hear the tale of how Pharaoh cannot find anyone to satisfactorily translate his dreams into actionable intelligence; that is, until he meets Joseph. Joseph (played in our show by the multi-talented Jewish rock star ShirLaLa - founding company member Shira Kline) not only translates Pharaoh’s dreams for him but gives Pharaoh the gift of en'light'enment. For so long Pharaoh has been unable to sleep through the night – his dark nightmares cursing him to lie awake in bed – staring into even more darkness (not an uplifting situation). But Joseph reveals that 7 years of plenty are on the way, followed by 7 years of famine. And that if Pharaoh can devise a way to take the plenty and make it last 7 more years (kind of like getting oil for a lamp to last 7 more days), then all will be well. A long time ago our ancestors were living through a dark situation themselves: the first winter. It was getting darker and darker as the days were getting shorter, so our ancestors lit a candle, and the next night another candle. For eight whole nights this went on. And they weren’t scared anymore. We can go back even further to God’s first words in the Torah: “Let there be light!” There was only darkness before and God created light to fill the void. Joseph gave that light to Pharaoh, to save all the people in Egypt and the entire region (including his own family). Each time I have the privilege of performing as a Storahtelling maven, I feel that I am being put in Joseph’s position. Just as Joseph translated Pharaoh’s dreams, so I translate the Torah, shedding light on a story that may otherwise seem to dwell in a dark, faraway place that has no relevance or bearing on our lives today. But that sharing of light can happen in our everyday lives too. We ended our show this past Shabbat afternoon by asking people to think about how they might share their light – what wishes they would make on the candlelight of the Chanukah menorah. We have a few more months of winter ahead of us, but hopefully, we can find that light inside ourselves, the light that Joseph shared with Pharaoh, that our ancestors used to scare away the dark, and that God first granted on our new world. As we say goodbye to 2009 and hello to 2010, may we all find and share the light that dwells within each of us.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Ennismore, Ontario
My good buddy James Williams brought me up to Camp Moshava outside Toronto for my first ever Bnei Akiva experience (Bnei Akiva is a worldwide religious zionist youth movement) and I couldn't be more grateful. The welcome could not have been warmer, though the weather gave me the cold shoulder. And not only did I get to teach and learn with an amazing group of new friends, and experience prayer with a special vigorous enthusiasm, and spend a nice Shabbos in the woods, I also got to hear some dynamite stories. Did you know that there is a contractual obligation in the Orthodox Jewish community in Toronto that if you are a pulpit Rabbi, you must have a beard? I did not know that and it is my favorite new fact. Also, I heard a great story about a family that moved to America and decided to give themselves absurd names...all ending with Berkowitz. My favorite: Just Berkowitz. Brilliant.
"Your name sir?"
"Just Berkowitz."
"Yes, and your first name?"
"Just."
"I'm sorry sir, just what?"
I've already written several pages of dialogue (quite thrilling and pedestrian when read from an existential point of view). I think it will be all part of a new play about a babyfaced guy named Berkowitz who comes to Toronto to accept a position as a pulpit Rabbi. Obviously the catch would be that he can't grow facial hair, or that when he does his face resembles the butt of a bald monkey - something like that. But the congregation will have hired him sight unseen! So, like Buddy Holly at the Apollo, it'll be quite a show. Who's got two thumbs and thinks this is a great idea for a play? That's right Michael Feldman: This guy.
"Your name sir?"
"Just Berkowitz."
"Yes, and your first name?"
"Just."
"I'm sorry sir, just what?"
I've already written several pages of dialogue (quite thrilling and pedestrian when read from an existential point of view). I think it will be all part of a new play about a babyfaced guy named Berkowitz who comes to Toronto to accept a position as a pulpit Rabbi. Obviously the catch would be that he can't grow facial hair, or that when he does his face resembles the butt of a bald monkey - something like that. But the congregation will have hired him sight unseen! So, like Buddy Holly at the Apollo, it'll be quite a show. Who's got two thumbs and thinks this is a great idea for a play? That's right Michael Feldman: This guy.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Lake Como, PA
Someone once asked me what the cast party is like for a one-man show. The answer? Oreo cookies and Sportscenter. This past week I had the pleasure of returning to HaGalil USY Encampment at B'nai B'rith Perlman Camp in Pennyslvania. The last time I visited the HaGalil region was in 2005 to perform Walking in Memphis... and this time, I was there to perform God of Our Fathers and teach some workshops. A staff member, Joe, picked me up from the airport and remembered nearly verbatim one of the warmup exercises I did four years ago when he was in USY. The people in the HaGalil region are just so warm and friendly, it was as if I'd been coming back year after year. And I want to give a shout out to Michelle Rich who is a fantastic leader and educator. It is a real treat to be in her presence (and to meet her cute grandkids!). As for the cast party after my performance...Jen spent the summer as a group leader for the American Jewish World Service in Ghana and one of her participants was Jonathan Steinberg, a really nice guy who happens to be president of...HaGalil USY! I could use this space to tell a funny story about Steinberg's dad at JFK airport the morning of the group's return to the U.S., but I will spare the family from reliving his dance/chant. What I will say is that after the show the other night, Jonathan's brother Brian walked over to me and dropped a package of oreo cookies in my pocket. Jen must have told him about my favorite food. Ah love. Ah Oreos.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Atlanta, GA
I was at a B'nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO) Convention enjoying the typical Jewish summer camp Shabbos dinner this past Friday night at Camp Barney Medintz outside of Atlanta when my old friend Philip Shmerling became one of my personal heroes. We were reminiscing over childhood memories (we were neighbors growing up in Memphis) when Philip, who was at Camp Barney in his capacity as a youth advisor for Athens AZA of Nashville, noticed one of his high school boys talking to two girls in the buffet line. The boy was clearly interested in one of the girls, and giving her all of his attention. Eventually the other girl pulled her friend away and they went to sit and eat their traditional camp Shabbos meal of nearly edible chicken, potatoes, and challah. At that moment, Philip jumped into action. He walked over to the neophyte and taught him one of the more valuable lessons a young man can receive in life: You have to pay attention to the friend. If you are flirting with a girl who is standing with a friend, and you make no eye contact or effort to engage the friend, you are dooming yourself. One of two things will happen - either the friend will pull girl #1 away out of boredom, or girl #1 will leave your company so as not to make her friend feel like a 3rd wheel. Either way you've lost. But pay attention to the friend, and the world is your oyster. Speaking of buffet line encounters, I experienced a first this weekend in the annals of interesting conversation starters. Saturday afternoon at lunch, I was helping myself to the make-your-own cold cut sandwich buffet when a very nice young lady whom I'd never met approached me and said 'Hi, I think your dad is my insurance agent.' Like a good neighbor, David Ross is there. Of course, no good BBYO convention can end without a dance. I stopped by long enough to notice that the girl from my lunch line conversation was dancing with a nice looking boy from Nashville...seems Philip Shmerling's advice actually worked. Grey squirrel, grey squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
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