By Rabbi Gedalia Potash
Lag Bomer 5782 was an amazing celebration at Bais Menachem, with a clown show, marshmallow chocolate cookies by the middle school girls, Torah Pesukim, floats, banners, singing, Mitzvah cable-car ride, boating, moon bounce, bows and arrows, races, games and so much more.
But there were some additional highlights that pulled it all together and took it over the top. First the t-shirts. Seeing all the students, staff members and volunteers sporting a beautiful Bais Menachem t-shirt with a powerful slogan, “Fired up for Jewish education,” added such a feeling of camaraderie, connection and pride. Then there was the marching band by the middle school boys. Watching the kids march in unison with such pride, coordination and synchronization was a sight to behold. Their enthusiasm overflowed into the streets and with each beat on the drum, their smiles got bigger and the glow on their faces increased, cumulatively generating an aura of purpose, direction and celebration all at the same time.
There is something captivating about the rhythm of a marching band. It seems to draw you in in a mesmerizing way. Perhaps it’s the perfect coordination of all the members of the band playing together simultaneously? Perhaps it’s the coordination of each band player themselves? After all, each band player bangs on their drum thousands of times. Yet instead of producing a random set disjointed noises, the result is a perfect flow of melody. Musical notes that are linked and connected to create a captivating sound and song.
It’s powerful to think how each band player takes the many hours of learning, practice and skill, and with focus and concentration, combine it all together, channeling it into a rhythm that produces a beautiful and harmonious melody. It’s even more powerful when you consider each individual band player synchronizing their beat with everyone else’s resulting in a uniform march and melody.
Perhaps there is a deeper metaphor at play here as well. Each of these precious students can be seen as an instrument that produces a unique melody and song, with the guidance of talented conductors.
Invested into each child are thousands of hours of care and support to help them produce their unique, beautiful melody in life. Each bit of guidance and inspiration is like another beat on their inner drum.
The “conductors” come in the form of parents, grandparents, teachers and community members, who are each role models, and in their own way, influence the child’s life, adding another beat to the drum, hoping that a holy melody will emerge.
Ultimately, in the real world, the music these children will produce is their unique expression of love and connection to their Jewish identity and Torah. But when those thousands of “beats” produce synchronized expressions of confidence and Jewish pride, there is something heartwarmingly beautiful and the Jewish future looks even more promising.
It is every Jewish parent’s dream to know their child can hear the melody of life and that they have what it takes to march on as a proud Jew with confidence and purpose.
On a deeper level, perhaps this is what was so inspiring and captivating when we witnessed those radiant faces of our very own marching band of Bais Menachem students. They were marching to the inner rhythm of their proud Jewish hearts.
There is no doubt that this is the result of a passionate team of parents, teachers, and generous and dedicated community members, who are “Fired up for Jewish Education.” Each one doing their part to assure that the melody and rhythm of yiddishkeit reverberate in the hearts of our precious children and continues to do so for many generations to come.
Thank you for being fired up for Jewish education! Marching proudly right here in SF!
Best school! Should only grow bigger and better!