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May 30, 2003/Iyar 28 5763, Vol. 55, No. 40
New Shul 'coffeehouse' shares members' talents
ALISA SLOAN
Special Sections Editor
Kenn Harris encourages an audience sing-along at The New Shul's first "coffeehouse" in April.
Photo by Dion Zuess
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For a few hours the night of April 5, The New Shul became a "coffeehouse," complete with singing, poetry reading and dramatic performances.
The event was organized by Kenn Harris, one of the synagogue's founding members. Harris, an accomplished musician and a doctor, thought the coffeehouse idea would be a nice arena for performing songs from his new compact disc, "Amadeo."
He then enlisted the help of other performers, including Amira De la Garza, John Wolfe, and three students from the Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School.
Presentations were in English, Spanish, Yiddish and Hebrew.
"(The outcome) was very favorable," says Harris. "I think it gave the kids that were there an opportunity to perform and it gave people who usually don't read their poetry in public or who usually don't do their performance work (the opportunity to do so)."
De la Garza performed a personal piece for the approximately 30 people in attendance. She says she enjoyed seeing people from the synagogue "in a different light - to celebrate each other's talents and enjoy the breadth of who each person is that makes up our congregation."
De la Garza hopes to perform at future coffeehouse events. "I hope the coffeehouses become a regular part of our calendar," she says.
According to Harris, the next coffeehouse event is slated for next spring, but if response is great enough, it may be held once again this year.
"The Saturday night coffeehouse at The New Shul was a real treat," says attendee Dion Zuess. "Kenn (Harris) is a very talented guitarist."
Zuess said she appreciated Harris' efforts in coordinating the event. "It was delightful to discover some of the hidden talents of the other members who sang or performed on that night."
Zuess cites the coffeehouse as "one of many examples of the creative ways the New Shul's community has bloomed."
For Harris, the highlight of the evening was an audience sing-along to the song "Y'rushalayim Shel Zahav ("Jerusalem of Gold," by Naomi Shemer). But overall, he says, "It was just an opportunity for people to share their talents and to have fun. Coffee, cookies and that sort of stuff."
Anyone interested in performing in the future should contact Harris by e-mailing info@thenewshul.org.
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