The Charlotte Jewish News - November 2008 - Page 7
The Important Role of Gabbai at Or Olam
Most visitors to synagogues are
familiar with the role of the rabbi
and cantor. Another important, but
often overlooked, role is that of the
gabbai.
Originally, the gabbai was
responsible for ensuring that the
synagogue operated smoothly. He
might collect and distribute
tzedakah, make sure that congre
gants know what page to read
from, and even maintain the ceme
tery.
Today, the gabbai’s role centers
mostly around the Torah service.
Gabbais make sure that the service
proceeds correctly, call congre
gants up for aliyahs, and, most
importantly, guarantees that the
Torah leyner pronounces all the
words correctly.
The gabbai stands next to the
person chanting from the Torah,
and follows along with a printed
document that contains the Torah
portion, including vowels and
trope marks. If the leyner mispro
nounces a word or forgets a vowel.
the gabbai says it correctly. It’s not
enough to know how to read
Torah, however. The gabbai must
also know the trope. If the leyner,
who has no vowels or trope marks
to refer to, gets stuck, the gabbai
must be able to sing the word back
with the correct trope, and get the
leyner started again.
Why is it so important to &
get every word right? The ^
text of the Torah has sacred s
integrity. If you change a v
vowel, the meaning of the r
word, sentence, or whole
passage, might change.
Even if nobody in the con
gregation will know the dif
ference, those who chant from the
Torah still have an obligation to
deliver the message of Torah cor
rectly.
The responsibility is so great
that it is more than one person
should have - thus the gabbai.
However, the Gabbai should
make corrections as gently as pos
sible. Just as important as making
sure the words of the Torah are
delivered correctly is the responsi
bility to avoid publically humiliat
ing someone, which our tradition
tells us is akin to bloodshed.
At Torah Or Olam, the person
chanting Torah is usually a lay per
son. Our rabbinic intern. Dr.
Barbara Thiede, is studying
O . for ordination at ALEPH,
but the other people who
0 leyn Torah are just regular
y folks - accountants, profes-
3 sors, and high school stu
dents. (We believe that our
small congregation might
have the highest per capita
number of Torah chanters
in the Southeast!) So our gabbais
need to show sensitivity and
understanding of the hard work
required of leyners.
And who are Temple Or Olam’s
gabbais? Well, like our Torah leyn
ers, they are regular folks....but
their number is growing. Dr.
Thiede is preparing to train several
more congregants, both adults and
teenagers, to perform the impor
tant role of Torah service gabbai.
If you’d like a chance to learn
more about leyning or “Gabbai-
ing,” please visit one of our Friday
night services. The 2nd Friday of
the month is a family service, and
the 4th Friday includes a Torah
service. For more information,
please visit our website, www.or-
olam.org, email us at info@or-
olam.org, or call us at 704-720-
7577.
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Friendship Circle Launches Friends
Home
Have you ever spent time with a
child with special needs? Have
you ever looked into their eyes
and felt for the first time that you
are being understood? Not judged
by how you look and speak? For
those who have, this is no revela
tion. Children with special needs
are the sweetest, happiest, and
most nonjudgmental people we’ve
ever met. They are truly special,
not for their disability, but rather
for their gratefulness and positive
attitude that so many of us desper
ately need.
This is the message we want the
community to know and appreci
ate, and we have found the perfect
advocates—teenage volunteers.
It’s called Friends @ Home.
Once a week, one or two teen vol
unteers will spend an hour or two
of their quality time with a special
child in his or her home where
they will hang out together. The
child benefits because loneliness
and isolation are all too common
for children with special needs.
The volunteer learns the important
value of giving as well as acquir
ing a true and understanding
friend who will impatiently await
their visit every week without fail.
The parents enjoy the much need
ed respite every week when the
volunteer pays a visit.
You can play an important part
of our community’s Friendship
Circle.
* Do you know a teen who
would like to volunteer?
* Do you know a family who
has a child with special needs and
would appreciate a weekly visit
from a volunteer?
* Would you like to drive a vol
unteer to their destination?
Call us today at 704-366 -3984
or email us at info@friendshipcir-
clenc.org or check us out on the
web www.friendshipcirclenc.org.
Friendship Circle of North
Carolina was founded by
Lubavitch of North Carolina and
serves children with special needs
throughout the Charlotte commu
nity.
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LEADING THE WAY TO YOUR SUCCESS
Talmud Torah Students
Discover Judaism
are
Talmud Torah, which is part of
Congregation Ohr HaTorah, has
recently launched a “Discover
Judaism” contest for its students
who attend this Hebrew school on
Sundays and Tuesdays. This high
ly .successful project has set off a
new wave of learning at the
Talmud Torah of Charlotte. Each
student received a personal
Discover card with their name
imprinted on the card along with
their personal Discover status.
Each of the Talmud Torah students
has a variety of opportunities to
earn valuable points that can buy a
range of different great prizes.
From prompt attendance to
attending synagogue services or
participating in holiday programs
like the recent Shofar factory, stu
dents can accumulate points rather
quickly. Once a student reaches a
mile-marking
number of points,
their status is ele-
vated to a new QbrhaToraK^
level of member-
ship. Students can
track their points, add activities,
and even download their home
work by logging on to the Talmud
Torah’s website www.talmud-
torah.net.
One of the many programs that
students can earn many points with
is our amazing Aleph Champ
Hebrew reading karate program.
Similar to karate, everyone starts
off with a white belt; as they
advance in their Hebrew reading
skills, so do their belt colors and
their Discover points.
Due to Talmud Torah’s popular
ity, we launched Talmud Torah
24/6! This an awesome website
full of exciting activities, games,
videos, and upcoming holiday
information, guaranteeing that
Talmud Torah students never get
bored. You can explore this site by
clicking on to: www.Talmud
Torah.net/kids.
The Ohr HaTorah Talmud Torah
meets every Sunday for grades 1-
X 3, and every Sunday and
Tuesday for grades 4-7. For
complete scheduling infer
no mation, visit Talmud
V Torah.net/calendar.
We can be reached at
704-366-3984, by email at
info@Talmud Torah.net, or on the
web at www.TalmudTorah.net.
What plan do I have to help
my family prepare for the
emotional and financial
effect of long term care?
^ forJs
long term_^,
care?
If I have long term care
insurance, do I have the
right coverage?
If I do not have long term
care insurance, dot need
coverage?
I am a Certified Long Term Care specialist
and I can help answer your questions.
Milton Goldstein, CLTC
Long Term Care Specialist
Birmingham: (205) 907-0670
Charlotte, N.C.: (704) 442-5618
Email: miltgold@bellsouth.net
Visit My Web Site : www.goldsteinltc.com