Shout-out to Songleader Boot Camp SLBC #slbc22 (Songleader Boot Camp (SLBC Group)

Here's a shout-out to Shout-out to Songleader Boot Camp SLBC #slbc22 (Songleader Boot Camp (SLBC Group)!

 

I had a wonderful few days at the SLBC Tefillah and Shira Kallah, studying liturgy (what's in the prayerbook) + prayer (what's in your heart) = tefillah with Eliana Light and Rabbi Josh Warshawsky, two outstanding teachers. I love deep dives into the siddur (prayer-book)! A highlight: Ej Cohen, American Sign Language interpreter extraordinaire, explaining how she strives to interpret not only the words of a song, but to communicate the melody visually, as well. Wow! Another highlight: Rabbi Sam Blustin talking about how the words "vahasheivota el l'vavecha" ("take to heart," according to the R. Jonathan Sacks translation) in the Aleinu prayer are a reminder to him that his goal is to help his congregants leave with their hearts full of G!d and G!d's teachings. (Hope I got that right.)

 

I was happy to see Beth Hamon, whom I met in a break-out room at SLBC 2021, and Rosalie Will, who we first heard speak on one of the Light Lab podcasts (see below). Beth, hope you feel better soon, and Rosalie, thanks for your advice.

 

It was fun seeing my buddies from an old Zoom program that's no longer running called Music, Silence, Love, from the early days of the COVID pandemic. Hello to Judy Ariel Thomas, Ann Tabor Gottesman, and Samantha Thal (and anyone else from that crew whom I might have missed), not to mention the dynamic duo who generously presented MSL, Chava Mirel and Eliana Light!

 

It was also cool to witness a live recording of The Light Lab podcast (https://elianalight.com/podcast). What a rare treat!

 

It's been really neat, being at SLBC for the past two years. But I don't know whether I'll be attending when the program goes back to being in-person. Logistically and fiscally, it makes more sense for me to attend the Rising Song Intensive (presented by Hadar's Rising Song Institute) because it takes place in New York City, which means that we can get there by subway and sleep at home.

That said, mazal tov to Rick Recht and Elisa Heiligman-Recht and all of the fine folks who make SLBC happen on the occasion of SLBC's BMitzvah year! Thanks for all you do to support Jewish music and education!