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April 2, 2004/Nisan 11 5764, Vol. 56, No. 28
Students stand at 'Mount Sinai'
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
Rabbi William Berk, as Moses, reads the Ten Commandments during Temple Chai's recreation of the giving of the Torah. Holding the second tablet is Cantor Sharona Feller, as "Miriam."
Photo by Darrin Goodman/Ed Goodman Photography
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Traditionally, as Jews recall the story of Passover, they do so by conducting the seder as if they are personally leaving Egypt.
This year, the Temple Chai religious school took this experience to a whole new level.
On March 28, the school's approximately 700 students, along with their parents and other congregants, embarked on a journey that led them out of Egypt through the Red Sea and to Mount Sinai where they received the Torah.
The "Israelites" loaded into "chariots" (school buses), with Pharaoh and his men chasing behind them. As the children nibbled pieces of matzo, bus leaders spoke about freedom and how grateful they were to be leaving Egypt, although they were also scared.
As the buses left the synago-gue's grounds, members of TCTY (Temple Chai Temple Youth), posed as Egyptians and slaves, digging in the dirt.
After leaving the syna-gogue, the buses reached the Sea of Reeds - the Elks Lodge in Phoenix - where they were hosed down by the Phoenix Fire Department, a simulation of the parting of the Red Sea. Participants sang "Mi Chamocha" - the song Moses and the Israelites sang as they passed through the Red Sea.
Next, the bus leaders - the synagogue's rabbis, cantor and congregants who attended a two-hour training course - continued leading discussions about the Exodus on the 40-minute ride to Cave Creek Regional Park.
Stuart Grossman, a retired teacher who led the kinder-garten class "out of Egypt," says that although the children may have learned about the Exodus from books, "it's another thing to experience it."
Once they arrived at their destination, a man stood at the top of the mountain, holding tablets.
Shofarim blew and Miriam and Aaron talked about their brother Moses and how he will be changed once he comes down from the mountain. Thunder roared and smoke filled the air - courtesy of a congregant deejay - and "Moses," played by Rabbi William Berk, read each of the Ten Command-ments and the approximately 1,000 attendees responded with "Naaseh v'nishma," (we will faithfully do) to each one.
After reciting the Shema, all sang and danced back to the bus and on the bus ride back, talked about the Covenant the Jews have with God.
Hundreds of people helped with the program, says Ava Keenen, the synagogue's education director and creator of this event. "I had always wanted to re-enact all of this," she says. She thought of the concept about five years ago, but "this seemed like the best year to do this, as a culmination of this year of writing our own Torah."
Second grade Judaica teacher Barb Shapiro says that with today's media it's "so hard to compete, so it's extraordinary when you do something that takes people by surprise, endears them (and) educates them (to a point) where they feel that they're there."
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