[HANASHIR:3229] Meanwhile, back at home...

[LPKAROL <LPKAROL...>]

While fighting post-Hava Nashira vocal challenges, I won out long enough for 
my voice to come through on Friday night.  Prior to services, we had a quick 
rainstorm which turned into a sunshower - and, of course, it produced a 
rainbow (actually, a double rainbow).  Debbie Friedman's "Rainbow Blessing" 
became the opening song quickly.  The congregation took very well to Debbie's 
slow adaptation of "Tzadik Katamar" with guitar accompaniment.  They marveled 
at the Yotzer Or/Restoration of Electricity Tale, and then I led Master of 
All Things in the meditative way that Craig did just after the power came 
back on.  We had 22 people there (30 is our usual Shabbat evening 
attendance), but they sounded great - all on melody, but that was fine - they 
were singing.  I took the suggestion from my evaluation to heart about making 
more eye contact - even during services (when I usually like to look at the 
prayer text as I am praying), that went just fine.  We sang Jeff Klepper's 
Oseh Shalom at the end - some people had joined hands or had put their arms 
around each other in a line in their row of pews.  As I told my congregants - 
"Some of us wondered whether or not we could recreate moments from Hava 
Nashira at home.  Well, we already have tonight!"   I am saving some other HN 
treats for the coming weeks.
     I would hope that we could have some portion of the recordings from the 
services at HN by the end of August, before High Holy Days.  Again, just a 
hope, no pressure.
    My wife Rhonda (Brandeis Hornstein Jewish Communal Service program 
Masters degree in 1979) and son Adam (age 13 and a great singer) have just 
decided to accompany me to CAJE (first time since 1992).   I look forward to 
seeing some of you there.
     In the meantime, it is great to read about how people have taken HN back 
to their communities.  Keep the stories coming!
L'shalom,
Larry Karol
(Rabbi, but at HN, just "Larry")
Topeka

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