A Great Learning Experience

Last week was a positive experience. My son read Torah and did very well. He enjoyed it very much. I played the part of the proud father, but was truly very proud. After services, when son went up to the person who leads Junior Congregation (services for kids) and asked when the next time was that he could read.

The person who leads Junior Congregation is also my son’s Hebrew school teacher this year. On Sunday, the day after my son had read, she announced that the person who was supposed to read this week had called her to cancel. The teacher asked if any of her students were interested in reading on short notice.

Guess whose hand shot up? That’s right. My son, who had over six weeks to prepare what he had read previously (this was the first available date), was willing to read with less than a week’s practice.

We have been working hard. He will not be reading as much as he did last time and he probably will not be as smooth as he was last time, but that is okay. He is enjoying putting the time and effort in. This has been a great learning experience and hopefully he will continue to want to read Torah. Hopefully he will be able, if need be, to put a reading together with little time.

I was proud last week and I am sure I will be proud this week.

Kvelling

My son is still a few years away from his Bar Mitzvah. Still, he will be reading Torah this coming Shabbat. In Junior Congregation, the leader offers the kids a chance to read and my son is reading this coming week and he is excited.

They do not read from the Torah. They just read a few lines (she tells the kids they can do anywhere from one to five). They are reading with vowels and not chanting it, but it does not matter. If the average kid is anything like my son, they get very excited and put time and effort in. This is a good habit to get them into.

My son has been practicing for a few weeks and he is insistent that he will be reading all five lines. I have been working with him and he has definitely been hard at work. He has done well but the past few days, it seems like it is all coming together for him. He has picked up speed and is reading with some vocal variety. He sounds good and he is enjoying reading. I, too, am enjoying working with him and hearing him read and seeing it all come together.

My son is already talking about the next time he can read. Me, I am just Kvelling!