Page 62 - issue
P. 62
“I remember the first day of yeshiva across from the shul. The shul itself
when we came back. We were dancing, usually held about 100 people on
and the rosh yeshiva was talking about Shabbos. During this special service,
the nissim (miracles)” Cantor Albrecht’s there were 500 to 600 packed inside
memory was jogged to remember some- the basement. “I remember that service
thing else interesting. He had begun like it was yesterday,” says the Cantor.
serving as a chazan since his bar mitz- During those days, “You could feel the
va. At 15, he was the chazan in a big joy in the air and the gratitude to
German congregation that had two syn- Hashem. Many, many more people,
agogues in Tel Aviv. He served in the both secular and religious, came for
second, smaller, synagogue, located in a this special service to thank Hashem
place called Beit Hamoreh. He remem- for the victory.” This was such a big
bers very well that, immediately after thing and “for a 15-year-old boy, this
the war, the congregation decided to was a big deal.” We said Hallel with a
make a special service on Shabbos to bracha with no one questioning it.
thank Hashem for the miraculous victo-
ry. Cantor Albrecht was asked to organ- Later on, after the war, adds Cantor
ize it. He put together a choir with some Albrecht, was another special
students from the yeshiva. Thanksgiving service; he believes it was
in the big shul in Tel Aviv. “The chazan
For a short time, even after the war said Hallel with a blessing. At that time
ended, people were still davening in there was no issue of “should we do it
basements. The service he organized with the blessing or without the bless-
was held in the basement of a school ing,” he concludes.◆
54 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
when we came back. We were dancing, usually held about 100 people on
and the rosh yeshiva was talking about Shabbos. During this special service,
the nissim (miracles)” Cantor Albrecht’s there were 500 to 600 packed inside
memory was jogged to remember some- the basement. “I remember that service
thing else interesting. He had begun like it was yesterday,” says the Cantor.
serving as a chazan since his bar mitz- During those days, “You could feel the
va. At 15, he was the chazan in a big joy in the air and the gratitude to
German congregation that had two syn- Hashem. Many, many more people,
agogues in Tel Aviv. He served in the both secular and religious, came for
second, smaller, synagogue, located in a this special service to thank Hashem
place called Beit Hamoreh. He remem- for the victory.” This was such a big
bers very well that, immediately after thing and “for a 15-year-old boy, this
the war, the congregation decided to was a big deal.” We said Hallel with a
make a special service on Shabbos to bracha with no one questioning it.
thank Hashem for the miraculous victo-
ry. Cantor Albrecht was asked to organ- Later on, after the war, adds Cantor
ize it. He put together a choir with some Albrecht, was another special
students from the yeshiva. Thanksgiving service; he believes it was
in the big shul in Tel Aviv. “The chazan
For a short time, even after the war said Hallel with a blessing. At that time
ended, people were still davening in there was no issue of “should we do it
basements. The service he organized with the blessing or without the bless-
was held in the basement of a school ing,” he concludes.◆
54 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
