On Sunday evening, Erev Rosh Hashanah 5783, Yeshivas Mekor Chaim (YMC) was fortunate to host renown songwriter and composer Eitan Katz for an uplifting Elul Kumzitz. The event, which took place in an intimate kumzitz-like setup at Suburban Orthodox, was, in the words of one attendee “an unforgettable evening of music and inspiration.” Eitan Katz, accompanied by a violinist and local talent Eli Cohen and Matt Schoenfeld, played soulful nigunim that touched the hearts and souls of the audience. Interspersed between the uplifting nigunim, Rabbi Silber, Rabbi of Suburban Orthodox and Dean of YMC, shared deeply moving words chizuk about a simple hunter who meets Eliyahu Ha’Navi to remind us that we all have the ability and knowledge to learn Torah and do Teshuva. Rabbi Kimchi, a rebbe at YMC who recently moved to Baltimore from Eretz Yisrael, shared his compelling personal story about the impact of Eitan Katz’s soulful composition of l’maancha when his infant son was prematurely born and miraculously lived. When Eitan Katz then played the song, the emotional connection to one another and to Hashem was palpable in the room. The evening culminated in a powerful rendition of crowd-favorite nigunim and with Eitan Katz reminding us that just as he uses his gift of music to connect with us, each of us can use our own gifts to connect with other. At the end of the night one parent shared: “I don’t remember ever having such a spiritually connecting experience like last night. YMC is a class-act of a school! Our sons are so blessed.” May we all be zoche to bring in the coming year feeling spiritually connected and may we all be blessed with a year of growth, hatzlacha and brachos tovos.
YMC would like to thank the sponsors who made this event possible: Jacob and Julie Blumenfeld, Aaron and Ariella Dinovitz, Mayer and Shani Kohen, Jason and Shani Reitberger, Josh and Malkie Rosenbloom, Rabbi Shmuel and Aviva Silber, Moishe and Chavi Abramson, Isak and Caroline Bakaev, Shraga and Perri Goldenhersh, Yossi and Amian Kelemer, Jacob and Goldie Milner, Yossi and Yona Openden, Matt and Susie Scheonfeld, and an anonymous sponsor.
